Dutch bike sales hit lowest point in 30 years

Last year bicycle sales in the Netherlands dropped to the lowest level in 30 years, according to figures from RAI, Bovag and GfK. Despite this revenues from bicycle sales reached a record high by increasing 4.2 percent, mostly thanks to the increasing popularity of expensive electric bikes, ANP reports.

Last year 928 thousand new bicycles were sold, a decrease of 5.7 percent and the lowest point since 1987. In 2007 a total of 1.4 million bikes were sold, but since then sales decreased every year.

Despite decreasing sales, revenues increased by 4.2 percent to a record of nearly 937 million euros. Revenues from electric bike sales accounted for 534 million euros of that money, nearly 57 percent. 

The average price of a new bike reached 1,000 euros for the first time last year. In 2015 the average price was 914 euros, and in 2007 it was just over 600 euros.