Pinkbike study maps the MTB market, shortages and gulf in rider gender
Those in the MTB market may be interested to take a look at Pinkbike’s annual community survey, which utilising the publisher’s audience goes into great depths about the consumer’s preferences for brands and products across a wide range of sectors and off road disciplines.
With more than 20,000 pieces of feedback on selected questions the insight is broad. Here’s some of the headlines that will be illuminating for time-strapped industry folk:
* 94.5% of respondents were male, perhaps suggesting the bike industry has an enormous opportunity to attract others to off road cycling.
* It could be argued that there is significant opportunity for crossover sales for retailers with accounts outside of the bike industry. 59.6% said as well as biking they also hiked, while 55.8% enjoyed camping. 42% expressed that they also cycled with either a road or gravel bike. 31.1% went skiing and 25% snowboarded.
* A quarter of riders are spending between $1,000 and $2,000 every year on their hobby and a further 29% in the region of $2,000 to $4,999. 19% said they would spend between $5,000 and $5,999 on their next bike and 17% between $4,000 and $4,999. That’s a lot of cash possibly earmarked for the brands later revealed to be in the competition for spend.
* The appetite for carbon fibre runs high at nearly half of all consumers tilted toward that option, versus 25.8% for aluminium Aligning with this, the greatest portion of respondents (16.8%) wished to make their bike lighter as a priority. With bike prices generally having risen, consumers may end up paying more for less on near-future models years in respect of supply chain costs affecting retail prices.
* In respect of shortages in the market at present, consumers most commonly expressed difficulty getting the tyres (22.8%), derailleurs (21.2%), cassettes and chains (each 23.55%) and the complete bike desired (21.8%.) Overall 41% of respondents currently had a part they could not track down.
Brands driving the market, now and in future
* There are subtle differences between brands owned presently and intention on future purchases. It can fairly be said that the market leaders are Specialized, Santa Cruz, Trek, Transition and Giant, though future buying intention shift favourably for Santa Cruz, Commencal, Norco and Canyon, to name a few.
* A crucial topic for the enthusiast mountain biker, Pinkbike addresses the suspension market well in its study, finding that consumers overwhelmingly favour FOX Factory goods at 46% of intended future purchases of front forks, versus 30.5% for Rock Shox. Marzochhi and DVO fall into third and fourth at just 3.8% and 3.5%, illustrating a clear brand preference in the mass market.
* When it comes to dropper posts used in the MTB market Rock Shox edges Fox at 16% and 14%, respectively and competition is less of a two-horse race.
* Drivetrain is of course a familiar story, with Shimano’s XT the drivetrain of choice amongst 21% of the marketplace and SRAM’s GX Eagle preferred by 13.2%. The cheaper GX is well regarded as an entry to 12-speed at 10% of responses.
Electric Bike attitudes
* Far from the dismissive attitude of old, E-MTBS are now broadly welcomed by consumers; just 7.23% told PinkBike “they’re horrible”, though 28% did vote “not for me, but I understand the appeal.” All other feedback was broadly positive, though as other studies show, the suggestion that they are too expensive remains at the forefront for 13% of consumers who would like to own one.
* Once more, Specialized has a pronounced lead in the marketplace thanks to its Turbo efforts. At 29.96% of respondents, it’s significantly ahead of the nearest competition, Trek, at 8.6%. The top ten is rounded out by YT Industries, Orbea, Santa Cruz, Norco, Commencal, Giant, Merida and Canyon.
To view the MTB market findings in full head here.
