While 2020 wasn’t the best start to the new decade, it certainly is positive for cyclists all over the world. With the increase in interest of the outdoors, so is the market share of bicycles increasing dramatically! Even though nobody could expect the impact of COVID-19 would be so widespread, the bicycle fans need not to worry. Here, we will detail the 9 hottest cycling trends in 2020, from the popularity rise of e-bikes to imminent new categorizations of bicycles and much-improved technology.
If you are in a hurry, we have a list of cycling trends for you down below:
- Tubeless Tires Are Going Mainstream
- The Rise In E-Bike Popularity
- Bikepacking As An Evolution Of Backpacking
- More People Are Into Indoor Cycling
- Gravel Bikes Will Become The New All-Rounders
- Wearable Tech Is Getting More Prominent
- Road Bike Tires Are Getting Wider
- More Aero Parts In Bikes
- Aesthetics Over Branding
Let’s dive into the amazing world of bicycles now, shall we?
#1: Tubeless Tires Are Going Mainstream
Until now, tubeless tires have been prevalent in mountain bikes, but that is set to change in 2020. More amateur and pro riders are switching to tubeless tires, and the benefits they offer are outstanding, for mountain bikes and road bikes alike. The lower rolling resistance increases the general speed of the bicycle, and the sealant inside greatly lowers the chance of a flat tire.
With popular companies such as Giant selling bicycles with tubular tire setups, we can expect more companies to follow suit!
#2: The Rise In E-Bike Popularity
E-bikes are the future, according to analysts, who predict a 3x increase in their market share over the next five years! For now, the main feature that most e-bike designers are emphasizing is flexibility.
There is a big increase in foldable e-bike models that are very large, have an unusual construction, and are foldable in the middle. That makes e-bikes ideal for commuters, but that doesn’t mean that e-bikes are only reserved for city rides. There are some interesting electric mountain bikes that really work.
We are certainly eager to see what innovations e-bike designers have in store!
#3: Bikepacking As An Evolution Of Backpacking
The COVID-19 pandemic increased the interest in the outdoors, and in turn, for bikepacking! That doesn’t mean that bikepacking will replace backpacking, as it is more of a companion to it. Well, there is no doubt that it is incredibly satisfying to hit the trail with a bicycle, or explore an unknown country with your bicycle!
Bicycle manufacturers took notice of this trend, and are offering more feature-packed bicycles for their customers, such as more mounts, lower gear ratio, direct-mount frame packages, and improvements in carbon bike construction.
#4: More People Are Into Indoor Cycling
Indoor cycling got its increase in prominence during the last year, thanks to the increasing popularity of indoor cycling apps such as Zwift, Wahoo, Tacx, and SRM. Nobody expected that the COVID-19 pandemic would come around worldwide, and that is also one of the reasons why more people are into indoor cycling.
This cycling market segment has a bright future, as the convenience of cycling indoors is a train the indoor cycling companies won’t miss for sure!
#5: Gravel Bikes Will Become The New All-Rounders
Gravel bike manufacturers have started increasing the versatility of gravel bikes that fuse them with touring bikes as well as other categories. Mudguards and luggage racks are becoming more prevalent features of gravel bicycles. Of course, we mustn’t forget the hydraulic disc brakes and a frame geometry that promotes more comfort.
Nowadays, gravel bikes can pass as a commuter bike and a touring bike, two categories that are already fusing different bicycle categories!
#6: Wearable Tech Is Getting More Prominent
Technology and bicycles have gone hand in hand for years, but this could be one of the most important of our 9 hottest cycling trends in 2020! From wristbands such as Garmin Fenix 6X Pro that is aiming to provide the full cycling suite at the grasp of your wrist (built-in GPS, accelerometer, altimeter, MP3 player, and other sweet features) to Raptor augmented reality glasses (GPS, voice navigation, performance tracking, MP3 player, comm system, and much more), the wearable bike technology is seeing a lot of innovation in 2020!
#7: Road Bike Tires Are Getting Wider
A few years back, we only had to think about three tire sizes - 23,25 and 28 millimeter-wide tires. With the release of the Domane road bicycle from Trek, a new standard is popping up, which is sure to dramatically streamline the number of bicycle categories. We are talking about the clearance for up to 38 millimeter-wide tires. It is highly likely that other bicycle manufacturers will follow suit. After all, what is too wide for a road bike?
#8: More Aero Parts In Bikes
While aero bikes are a thing, there doesn’t seem to be lots of specialized aero bikes out there. A more promising trend is aero components in different types of bikes!
More companies are implementing aerodynamic parts in their bicycles, and that trend is expected to continue throughout 2020. Some prime examples are the SuperSix Evo and the Orbea Oca OMX bicycles. The main goals these bicycles are aiming for are lightweight and aerodynamic properties. A fine fusion, we must say!
#9: Aesthetics Over Branding
For decades, different bicycle brands did their best to make their brand stand out on a bike, making bikes seem like billboards. This type of marketing detracted from the looks of the bicycle, and more bicycle manufacturers are noticing that.
Over the past year, more emphasis was put into the overall aesthetics of the bike rather than pure marketing. Just look at the new BMC Unrestricted and Cannondale SuperSix EVO, two big brands, but with less branding than ever.
We completely welcome this design decision, as we are more eager to see what bicycle have to offer on a design front, than which bike has a more flashy logo.
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Now that you know about our 9 hottest cycling trends in 2020, you are in for a treat! We can design and deliver high-quality custom bikes for you, from custom BMX bikes, custom Ladies bikes, custom Beach Cruiser bikes, to custom Fixie bikes. All of these bikes can be personalized according to your taste.
Any questions? Feel free to reach us out via email or live chat!