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Riding by the sea on the road to Ogmore1 in 3 sportive riders are on Specialized, Trek or Giant, says research firm
One in three participants in some of the UK’s biggest sportives last year rode either a Specialized, Giant or Trek bicycle, according to research firm Sports Marketing Surveys.
It’s the second year that the company has conducted the research, and there’s been one change in the top three brands ridden, with Trek replacing Bianchi.
The fact the Italian brand was there at all in 2012 surprises us, given it is much smaller in the UK than Trek and a number of other brands; maybe people riding who own a Bianchi are more likely than owners of some others to ride the events at which the research was conducted?
For 2013, those were the Marie Curie Cancer Care Etape Caledonia, Etape Mercia and Etape Pennines, all sponsored by Marie Curie Cancer Care, the Fred Whitton Challenge and the Wiggle Dragon Ride.
According to Sports Marketing Surveys, the research provides “insight into the equipment, expenditure, considerations, lifestyle and media consumption” of cyclists taking part in those sportives.
Giant, Specialized and Trek were used by 34 per cent of the sample – and the other two thirds used 119 separate brands between them.
It sounds a lot, but once you start making a list of bike makers, it fills up pretty quickly as names pop into your head.
The 122 brands used in 2013 was a big increase on the 87 surveyed the previous year, although quite why is unclear.
The model of bike was also analysed, with the top 10 models belonging to seven separate brands, and the most popular one made by Specialized.
Data was also captured for groupsets, helmets, shoes, clothing and wheels – the latter featuring 79 different brands, the top four of which produced the 10 most common models.
John Bushell, managing director of Sports Marketing Surveys, said: “Our work at CycloSportive events over the past couple of years has offered our clients significant, previously unavailable insight into a key sector of consumers.
“We believe the completion and availability of this new research could prove invaluable for road bike brands particularly, as the CycloSportive participant is of great importance to their business.”
This year, similar research will be conducted at two major events in Germany, and Mr Bushell added: “Being the second year that we have conducted this research – with the addition of the extensive European events – is particularly significant as it enables brands to analyse fluctuations in their market share for the first time, as the sport grows so rapidly”.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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45 comments
I want to resurrect my Mum's old Macleans track bike, it's at least as old as me, but I reckon it's going to be really fast, super short wheelbase. I like a Holdsworth, when I can find one. My Dad's rides like it's possessed, amazing to ride.
What about Koga Myata? I have a Dutch friend who does loads of road riding on his. Lovely looking bike.
I'd imagine it's like most hobbies, most go for the obvious easy to get hold of stuff and a few like to shop around and get something special.
You can pick up an amazing frame and build up something special, or get a bike off the shelf. It takes a certain type of person to shop around for something unique.
All true, but I bought a Trek because it was the right bike for me. Simple as that. There's a reason those guys sell a lot if bikes.
+1
Having some obscure brand of bike doesn't make you more of a cyclist...
... and there's probably a reason why some of these obscure brands sell so few bikes too.
Marketing!
Thats the reason why I dont buy those three brands in the first place. "Everybody have them".
I bet you drive a Vauxhall though....
Sorry to be pedantic, but Specialized don't make their bikes, Merida make them and stick the Specialized badges on.
You can apply the same to most brands, and manufacturers in Taiwan/China, hardly a revelation.
Specialized still put a hell of a lot of work into the bike though.
Indeed, they own 51% of Specialized. Not sure that it matters though, Merida make some quality frames.
I'm not surprised to see that Bianchis are on the rise, I've started to see a few more around now, one being used as a winter bike (shudder).
I'd be surprised if Pinarello isn't up there soon what with the Team Sky deal, the fact that they're stocked in Halfords these days and the fact you could probably fool people that you have a Dogma because the FP Uno looks quite similar.
Boardman and Planet X are two others that could be up there in a few years I think.
I don't see why people care that much about what other people ride though tbh, you get to a certain level and they're all the damn same anyway.
Etape Caledonia last year, 5000 entrants.... 2 Rattrays Flying Scots.
Combined aged, 111.
Also surprised Bianchi were up there to begin with. Very rarely see any out and about.
I wonder how many ICE trikes were in the list.....not really, recumbents are not welcome on any of those sportives
you want to get on some audaxes, they couldn't give a monkey's toss what you ride in the main and on top of that it's only 39p to enter*
*well, a fiver
I do want to get out and do some, but its pretty lonely doing 100km+ on your own, at least on a sportive you have people flying fast you all the time with the out bit of encouragement, until I go past them on the downhill and then look on in envy
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