Retail

Boost to cycling sales sees Halfords upgrade profit expectation

UK's biggest cycle retailer celebrates strong end to 2024, with sales growth of 13 per cent led by cycling

Brompton bike factory approval a “dark day for nature”, says wildlife trust – while also slamming “puzzling” lack of car parking spaces

The folding bike brand says it will create a new wetland habitat as part of the planned “eco-friendly” headquarters and factory, but campaigners argue “nature has been sidelined… for a company with well-documented financial instability”

“E-bikes are not illegal”: BBC hit with more complaints about “misleading and damaging” Panorama e-bike episode, as cycle shop owner says: “Finding a wolf in sheep’s clothing should not be a reason to attack sheep”

“The safety of road users is the most important thing, but highlighting danger should not involve the misrepresentation of an important and fast-growing sector increasing the amount of healthy, eco-friendly travel”

Brompton CEO warns chancellor removing tariffs on Chinese bikes could “kill” folding bicycle brand

Profits at Brompton plummeted by over 99% in 2024, the bike brand's chief now warning that removing tariffs would flood the UK market with "sophisticated, well-organised and well-resourced" Chinese competitors

Bicycle lights brand closes after 35 years, citing “political winds” and “decline” of US manufacturing

Light & Motion has ceased operations after more than three decades in business, highlighting the "challenges of being a US manufacturer"

Drone Brompton Drone: War in Ukraine delays folding bike brand’s new e-bike launch – because supplier was busy building drones for British Army

“It was making stuff for drones, and they needed a lot of drones, and therefore we got bumped down the list”

Factor issued cease-and-desist letter from Colombian steel bike brand over “misleading and confusing” Scarab design

Scarab has called on Factor to stop using the name and beetle logo as part of promotional materials for its new Ostro Vam colour scheme, claiming that customers have assumed the launch marks a collaboration between the two brands

New £100m “car-free” Brompton factory set for green light – despite bike brand’s profits collapsing by over 99%

If the project, which has already been delayed by two years, is approved by councillors next week, it will then be sent to housing secretary Angela Rayner, due to concerns that the factory poses a flood risk

Raleigh suffers £30 million loss in 2023 despite sales increasing by 3.5%, with “material uncertainty” potentially casting “significant doubt” over business – but directors claim iconic British brand is in “strong position”

The British bike manufacturer was reported to be dependent on “non withdrawal of existing funding and additional financial support” from parent company Accell Group, which itself posted a loss of €390 million in 2023

“The bike industry will not get better this year”: Brompton profits nosedive by over 99% amid “really sad state of affairs”

The folding bike brand’s profits fell from £10.6m in 2023 to just £4,602 last year, as total bike sales dropped by almost 7,000 and operating costs increased

Cyclists warned about fake Rapha site offering “too good to be true” deals

The recently-created raphacycling-sale.shop site is purporting to offer massive discounts of “50-90%” and has already fooled some would-be customers – but simply appears to a credit card-collecting scam

Owner of custom bike specialists Spoon and WyndyMilla enters liquidation, after falling demand and rising costs put business in “impossible position”

“This is an incredibly sad day for everyone involved,” Spoon Group director Andy Carr said, describing the bespoke bike company’s liquidation as “necessary” but “wholly regrettable”

Rocky Mountain restructures to avoid bankruptcy

But continues as usual.

GT Bicycles to pause new releases and lay off staff, but iconic American brand not shutting down and “will continue to sell bikes”

The decision has been taken by GT’s parent company Pon Holdings — also the owner of brands like Cannondale, Cervélo, and more — just months after it expanded its team from eight to 23 employees

David Millar’s cycling clothing brand CHPT3 enters liquidation and ceases trading immediately

Appointment of liquidators comes just months on from brand's major release of the Transit urban commuter shoe, a statement confirming the liquidation now all that appears on CHPT3's website

DealClincher x Wahoo Black Friday takeover! Wahoo Kickr Snap down to just £164.99, big savings on refurbished smart bikes, Speedplay pedal prices slashed + more

Wahoo is offering Black Friday savings of up to 40% across a range of products, including the Kickr Snap turbo trainer, refurbished smart bikes and indoor cycling accessories

road.cc Cyber Monday cycling deals live blog: Proviz jackets from just £29.99; £520 road bikes at Halfords (and they’re even cheaper at Decathlon); Half-price Kask Mojito helmets; £49 Rapha Core jerseys; Big Garmin and Bryton deals + loads more

It's that time of the year again! Come check out some of the best cycling bargains to be had (we may earn affiliate commission if you make purchases by clicking links to retailers on this page)

DealClincher x Pearson Cycles Black Friday special! Save up to £2,000 on Pearson On And Off e-gravel bikes with carbon frame and range extender

There are some big savings to be had this Black Friday, but perhaps few as big as Pearson’s eye-catching discounts of up to £2,000 on its cutting-edge e-gravel bike range

No discounts! Bike shops boycott Black Friday as majority of independent bike shops ‘believe event negatively impacts their businesses’

Association of Cycle Traders reports 69% of independent bike shops to avoid Black Friday discounts as local businesses "caught between rising operational costs and the pressure to match unsustainable online discounts"

DealClincher x Zwift Black Friday takeover! Take 20% off Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE with our exclusive Black Friday code, down to £959.99

Upgrade your indoor cycling setup with big savings from Zwift, including the Zwift Ride smart bike, plus discounts on Zwift Play controllers, accessories and apparel. Don't miss out

Wiggle administrator reveals beleaguered cycling retailer made £10.4m profit during administration

Heavy discounting and clearance promotions led to £41m in sales in the year since Wiggle entered administration, Mike Ashley's Frasers Group buying the brand's intellectual property for £3m at the start of 2024

DealClincher x Engwe Bikes Black Friday takeover! Up to £800 off Engwe e-bikes and the chance to win your money back on your order

Grab some big savings on Engwe Bikes across their e-bike range, plus some exclusive discount codes, mystery gift boxes and a chance to win back your entire order value

Will the ride quality be as silky smooth as his dribbling skills? Lionel Messi reportedly set to launch £10,000 custom bike

The Barcelona legend is apparently teaming up with an unnamed “world-class” pro cyclist to create his first high-end bike. Which means only one thing: a rival Cristiano Ronaldo bike is just around the corner, too

DealClincher x Balfe’s Bikes Black Friday takeover! 44% off Shimano groupsets, save over £2,300 on the Trek Domane SL 7, better than half price helmets and shoes + loads more

Balfe's are bringing you huge savings on brands like Specialized, Shimano, Castelli, Garmin and loads more for Black Friday. Don't miss out

Cycling clothing brand Assos takes legal action against UK fashion giant Asos

Online fashion retailer Asos had previously paid £20m to settle a trademark dispute, although the reason for the latest legal action is not yet clear

“Post-Covid bike market remains very challenging, particularly for standalone stores”: Long-running bike shop “no longer commercially viable”, closes after 35 years in business

Alpine Bikes to close in Aberdeen despite "extensive efforts" to adapt, as owners highlight ongoing challenges facing the bike industry in recent years

Endura posts huge £14m loss after “large reduction in sales” and inventory “impairment” – first time Scottish cycling brand has been in the red since 2019

“We have confidence that the merits of cycling will ensure that the global market for such products will remain robust long into the future”

“Survive until 2025… if we can get to the end of this year, we’ll be okay”: British bike manufacturers hoping to make it through industry woes

Years since Covid have seen numerous cycling businesses disappear, from big players and major distributors to smaller independents, with many of those who have survived posting huge losses

Shimano sales down 12% in 2024, but cycling components giant points to “signs of progress”

Manufacturer reports income in its bicycle division is down a quarter on 2023 amid ongoing inventory woes and a challenging economic picture

Halfords says new premium bike range is a hit – but cycling market remains challenging following “UK’s wettest spring since 1986”

Despite the continuing headwinds facing the cycling industry, Halfords says its “controlling the controllables” strategy is going to plan