What to remember about the major cycling trends in 2020?

L’année 2020 a été riche en (r)évolutions en France. Des grèves au Covid-19 en passant par les manifestations. Un sacré bouleversement dans la vie de chacun d’entre nous, cyclistes ou non.

During this tumultuous year, to say the least, bicycle traffic has exploded, thanks in part to state aid, to new infrastructure or to panels of innovative, clever and aesthetically pleasing equipment and accessories.

Less delays thanks to smoother journeys, numerous tax advantages, daily or weekly sports practice... Whether they are ecological, economic or health-related, the benefits of cycling are considerable.
Whether they are experienced or budding, cyclists abound on the streets. A boon for the cycling ecosystem and its community!

Dutch, electric or cargo bikes are on a roll as we enter 2021.

But what to remember about the major cycling trends in 2020? What have been the standout changes?
Here we share our numerical analysis of these trends, which we will continue to follow closely in 2021.

In 2020, the number of bike trips per day has exploded to 840,000. Cycling now accounts for 2.9% of daily French journeys.

Bike lanes were also much more frequented than in 2019: 29% more frequentation. And this figure is even more impressive in the city. City dwellers were the most affected by this incredible increase in cycling. In Paris, the number of people using cycle paths was 66% higher than in 2019. And in Île-de-France the increase in use was 54%.

While Paris saw a sharp increase in the number of cyclists and the use of cycle paths, Grenoble had the most cyclists in relation to the number of inhabitants. In second place is Strasbourg, followed by Bordeaux. The capital, however, is only in 12th place.

The population of bicycle tourers is mostly made up of cyclists aged 25 to 34. On average, these bike commuters travel 12 km on each trip by bike. The choice of cycling has many advantages, including the pleasure of riding, the protection of the environment, the savings made compared to other means of transport, or sport.

2020 is also the year of covid-19, and the creation of 500 km of coronapists. Coronapistes are temporary bicycle paths created during the covid-19 pandemic. They were intended to allow people to respect physical distancing and barrier gestures by avoiding public transport.

The coronapists did not disappear, however. Workers have adopted the bicycle. From Clichy to La Défense, for example, the number of cyclists has risen from 600 to 4,500.

If you want to ride in Paris, you should know that the busiest roads by bike - and therefore the best equipped with bike lanes - are Rue de Rivoli, Boulevard de Magenta, Boulevard Sébastopol, and Boulevard Voltaire.

For new cyclists, two aids have been launched. Firstly, if you have an old bike and want to refurbish it, a €50 grant can be given to you. If you don't have a bike and want to invest in an electric bike, the cities will help you to take the plunge. On average you will be entitled to a bonus of 200€, but in some cities it can be up to 500€.

These subsidies have certainly contributed to the explosion in the number of bike sales. Some models (especially electric) have been so successful that they are on back order until 2022. Cycle-carriers have seen a 50% increase in sales. Electric bike sales forecasts predict 17 million sales by 2030.

Also find our new infographic comparing bikes to cars!