Pendle Bike Racks enjoys sales boost from cycling boom

A combination of lockdown staycations and rising fuel prices is set to see Pendle Bike Racks double its sales this year.

The Nelson-based company, founded in 1988, manufactures bicycle and tricycle carriers for vehicles and has seen a huge increase in demand in line with the rising popularity of cycling in the UK.

The enduring staycation trend and increased sunshine over the last couple of months have seen ‘fair-weather cyclists’ boosting the numbers of people enjoying the cost and health benefits of this means of travel.

In addition, rising petrol and diesel prices have helped make cycling a more attractive option for shorter trips, with the Department for Transport estimating that 71 per cent of all journeys made in England in 2020 were under five miles.

Capitalising on this trend, March 2022 represented the company's best sales month on record - four times the sales volume of March 2021 - on the way doubling its annual sales revenue.

Now the company is hoping that National Bike Week, which runs from June 6 to 12, further boosts demand for its product line.

Chris Smith, managing director of Pendle Bike Racks, says: "People can save a huge amount of money by choosing to cycle to work, go for their shopping, undertake exercise, or to visit family and friends. Their horizons have been broadened during lockdown (out of necessity from wanting to stay fit and relieve stress) and more folk now appreciate the freedom and cost benefits that cycling brings.

“We predict another summer of people using their bikes to enjoy the countryside at weekends, riding on holiday and for having a greener, healthier commute to work. Britain has so much to offer in terms of cycle routes and areas of natural beauty. We’re lucky to have anticipated the cycling trend and to have been able to help people get more enjoyment from their bikes by taking them further afield."