Decoding next‑gen Cycling Brands

Amateur cycling, whether for fun, health or tourism, is one of the most popular sports in Europe. With sales of bicycles in Germany reached a record 7.36 billion euros in 2022, the market is booming and many brands are entering the scene. (Source: New York Times, 2023)

Riding the wave of the bicycle boom, the global cycling apparel market is experiencing comparable growth, with an expected valuation of $4.63 billion in 2024, projected to expand to $7.98 billion by 2034. (Source: Fact.MR 2024)

This expansion presents an excellent opportunity for brands to enter the market. As more diverse cyclists take up the sport, new brands can start small by creating identities that resonate with these emerging groups, building brand affinity from the ground up.

The design map illustrates the positioning of emerging cycling brands in the market. For ‘amateur’ cycling brands, positioning on the map depends on style – whether down to earth, minimalist or very eccentric, and approach – emphasis on experience or performance.

At the heart of the dynamic world of cycling brands is a fundamental question: What drives your ride? Is it the community, the adventure or a quest for a personal best? As we explore this question, let us consider how these motivations are intertwined.

We’ve noticed a trend where many brands are incorporating bold and eccentric prints and patterns into their jerseys. These designs are playful and appeal to cyclists who want to make a statement. In contrast, some brands are sticking to classic styles while focusing on improving product performance. Only a handful of cutting-edge ‘new school’ brands have managed to broaden their reach to appeal to diverse audiences by offering products that meet different needs. They effortlessly blend a range of styles and experiences, including a focus on community and high performance through their technical products.

Using the visual landscape, we explore how each brand carves out its own space, shaping the visual story of cycling in today’s world.

We identified four distinct identities for the cycling brands and conducted an in-depth analysis of how they strategically use branding to communicate their core values. To delve deeper into the branding elements of each identity, download the deck.

In the ever-evolving landscape of cycling brands, we predict four notable trends that will reshape the industry.

1. Fashion collabs: No industry escapes to collabs these days. For cycling apparel brands, they serve as a mean to go beyond just equipment. For example, we’ve seen MAAP’s partnership with Unimatic for a watch or Pas Normal Studios’ collaboration with Salomon for shoes. But the most surprising one was probably Rapha x Palace, who created a limited edition switch-out kit for the riders of the pro tour. Skateboard and cycling brands together – who would have thought?
2. Off-bike collections: You can only sell a certain amount of bibs and jerseys, but you can always expand the product portfolio to more lifestyle clothing. Now even at a party, you can let people know that you are a cyclist. As seen with Isadore’s Party T-shirt.
3. Next-gen brands getting into professional cycling: In the world of professional cycling, next-gen brands have established themselves: Rapha was the first to sponsor EF Pro Cycling Team. Recently, MAAP joined forces with Lifeplus-Wahoo to sponsor a women’s professional cycling team recognised by the UCI. Pas Normal Studios continues its expansion into the global gravel scene with the launch of the PAS Racing Team, 18 international riders who will compete in gravel races around the world.
4. Colorful bibs: You heard it here. It was fun to experiment with the jerseys, but brands are taking it to the next level. Colourful bibs are in. See pedla’s paprika bibs, velocio’s oxide red bib or MAAP’s light ore or Celestial blue version.

Taken together, these trends point to a blooming future for the cycling industry.