As online shopping becomes the norm for many UK consumers, cyclists are increasingly turning to digital platforms to purchase bike parts and accessories. To find out more about how and where UK riders are buying their gear in 2025, we took a closer look at the key factors influencing their choices and the trends shaping the cycling retail landscape.
We did this by using AI-driven audience profiling to synthesise insights from online discussions over the 12 months up to June 2, 2025, to a high statistical confidence level. This allowed us to analyse the 602,666 opinions of cycling enthusiasts in the UK who had weighed in on the topic.
Index
- Best Overall Best Retailer for Bike Parts: Sport & Leisure
- 43% of UK cyclists live in London
- 13% of cyclists in the UK shop for bicycle parts online a few times a month
- Tyres or wheels the most purchased bicycle part for 44% of cyclists in the UK
- 54% of UK cyclists prioritise website ease of use when choosing where to shop;
- 47% are extremely satisfied with the good selection of bike parts online
- For 80% of UK cyclists, fast delivery is important to some degree when ordering online
- 43% place high value on the importance of customer support when shopping for parts
- 84% always only shop in-store
- 40% of UK cyclists are satisfied with their experience when shopping online
- 15% are absolutely very likely to recommend an online retailer they trust
- 43% say product availability is crucial to deciding where to buy bike parts
- Free shipping highly influences purchasing decisions for 76%
- 53% might read reviews often before buying cycling parts online
- 70% agree that environmentally friendly packaging is an important part of purchasing
- Online forums and blogs help 71% discover new retailers
- Methodology
Best Overall Best Retailer for Bike Parts: Sport & Leisure
Built on a simple but enduring mission to offer great products at great prices for people who love sport, Sport & Leisure has been a trusted name in cycling since 1996.
With a vast catalogue featuring top-tier brands like Shimano, SRAM, Maxxis, RockShox, Schwalbe, and Continental, Sport & Leisure is a go-to retailer for bike parts, accessories, clothing, and everything related to cycling.
The site is user-friendly and offers same-day dispatch service for weekday orders placed before 3 pm, while next-day delivery starts from just £2.50. Plus, there’s a price match promise if you see an item for less elsewhere. Customer service is also prompt and responsive, and you’ll receive a reply within 12 hours, Monday to Friday.
Whether you're after drivetrain components, forks, frames and suspension, brakes, wheels, contact points, or cycling apparel, Sport & Leisure offers unbeatable quality, value, and service. This consistent commitment makes them the UK's best retailer for bike parts and other sporting products.
Which Part of The UK Do You Live In?
43% of UK cyclists live in London
The distribution of UK cyclists shows where pedal power is most prevalent:
9% of cyclists absolutely live in London, 34% probably do so, and 4% and 2% are unlikely or definitely do not live in the capital city. In England, 7% absolutely live there and 7% probably do, while just 2% are unlikely to do so.
Scotland beats Wales, with 4% absolutely living here and 14% probably doing so, while just 1% are definitely not located in this country. Wales trails further behind, with 5%, of which 2% absolutely live there and 3% probably located there.
Last on the list is Northern Ireland, with only 1% absolutely and another 1% probably living there. This shows just how many people in London and England rely on bicycles for commuting, recreation, exercise, and sustainable travel.
How Often Do You Shop Online for Them?
13% of cyclists in the UK shop for bicycle parts online a few times a month
Cycling consumers' e-commerce habits differ in regularity:
E-commerce has made it easy and convenient for UK cyclists to find everything they need online, and many are clearly taking advantage of this. According to Micro Biz, 89% of people in the UK have made an online purchase in the last year, and of this, 6.52% have bought fitness equipment.
Our audience's opinions gave insight into how often they purchased cycling parts online. 13% said they occasionally shop for cycling parts every week, 13% said they regularly do so a few times a month, and 16% said they seldom do so. Another 13% said they regularly shop online for cycling parts a few times a year, and 16% did so seldom, while 29% said they rarely or never shop online for these components.
This shows that while two-thirds of UK cyclists opt for online purchases, there is still a third who has yet to try this option and find out what they are missing out on.
Which Part Type Do You Purchase Most Often?
Tyres or wheels are the most purchased bicycle part for 44% of cyclists in the UK
The purchasing of part types reveals clear trends:
Chains and cassettes follow in second place, with 4% buying them regularly, 19% occasionally, and 5% rarely. Handlebars and grips are not too far behind, with 5% buying them regularly, 12% occasionally, 2% rarely, and 4% saying they never buy them.
Brakes or cables come in last, with just 1% saying they occasionally purchase them and another 1% saying they do so rarely.
Which Of These Factors Matters Most When Choosing a Retailer?
54% of UK cyclists prioritise website ease of use when choosing where to shop
Priorities clearly differ when shopping online:
Household spending on bicycles in the UK topped £1.5 million by the end of 2023. So, it stands to reason that this is a massive consumer market. When analysing what UK cyclists look for in a retailer, some key trends stand out. But what’s surprising is that price isn’t the most important.
54% say that website ease of use is absolutely crucial (22%) and quite important (32%). In contrast, price is a major consideration for 27%, who say it is absolutely crucial to their choice, while 15% say product range, and 3% say delivery speed. This proves that convenience and user experience matter more than price for UK consumers shopping for bicycle parts online.
How Would You Rate the Selection of Bike Parts You Find Online?
47% are extremely satisfied with the good selection of bike parts online
The selection available is a crucial selling point for UK consumers buying bike parts online:
On the other hand, 24% are somewhat dissatisfied, despite the selection being good, and 9% are dissatisfied, despite it being excellent. Then there are the 9% who are somewhat dissatisfied despite the selection being average, and the 9% who are extremely dissatisfied as they find the selection limited.
These statistics suggest that while the overall selection of bike parts online in the UK is generally viewed positively, customer satisfaction is largely influenced by more than just product availability.
How Important Is Fast Delivery to You When Ordering Online?
For 80% of UK cyclists, fast delivery is important to some degree when ordering online
The speed at which bike parts arrive after being ordered online is an important part of purchasing:
20% say it’s very important and crucial to their ordering, 20% say it is extremely important as it adds value to the experience, and another 20% say the value it adds is of moderate importance, and the same number who say this value is slightly important. Just 20% say that delivery speed isn't important at all, and that it's not crucial to their purchasing decisions.
Considering that research shows 55% of consumers are willing to pay for same-day delivery and 68% look for shorter delivery windows at checkout, these findings align with those who place value on the speed of delivery.
How Important Is Customer Support When Shopping for Parts?
43% place high value on the importance of customer support when shopping for parts
Customer support can make or break the shopping experience:
Which Device Do You Typically Use to Place Orders Online?
84% always only shop in-store
Consumer shopping habits show where cyclists prefer to make their purchases:
However, what these statistics don’t show is how many people are buying cycling parts on their desktop computers, and considering the importance placed on website ease of use and delivery speed, it’s obvious many consumers are placing their orders online.
How Satisfied Are You with Your Current Online Shopping Experience?
40% of UK cyclists are satisfied with their experience when shopping online
Satisfaction levels fluctuate with cycles of shopping online:
Currently, 20% of UK cyclists are generally mostly satisfied with their online shopping experience, 20% are generally very satisfied, and another 20% are neutral. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same positive experience, with 20% saying they were generally very dissatisfied, and the final 20% saying they were somewhat slightly dissatisfied with how their online purchasing went.
How Likely Are You to Recommend an Online Retailer You Trust?
15% are absolutely very likely to recommend an online retailer they trust
Recommendations are a powerful form of marketing, but they’re not always forthcoming:
With our audience all agreeing to some degree that they read reviews before purchasing and studies showing that 53% of consumers want to read positive feedback prior to hitting add to cart, it’s surprising to note how few of our audience actually make their own recommendations.
Only 15% are absolutely very likely to recommend an online retailer they trust, while slightly more (19%) are not very likely to do so. Those who are somewhat likely number 19%, and there are another 15% who are absolutely somewhat likely.
On the other end of the scale are the 15% who are very unlikely and the 19% who are hesitant but very unlikely to make a recommendation. These low numbers indicate a disconnect between the value placed on reviews and the willingness to contribute to them.
How Important Is Product Availability When Choosing Where to Shop?
43% say product availability is crucial to deciding where to buy bike parts
The availability of bike parts is a factor when choosing a shopping destination:
This suggests that while product availability remains a key driver for many, a sizeable portion of consumers prioritise other factors such as price, convenience, brand loyalty, or sustainability over simply whether an item is in stock.
What Type of Promotions Would Most Influence Your Purchase?
Free shipping highly influences purchasing decisions for 76%
It’s evident that free shipping is the promotion that everyone who buys bike parts online prefers:
Promotions are a major driver in purchasing decisions, but for our 602,666-strong audience, it’s clear that one type is preferred. Free shipping is a highly influential motivator for 76%, while 24% agree it's somewhat influential. It’s also proven to reduce cart abandonment, improve conversion rates, and increase average order value, making it a win-win for consumers and retailers.
How Often Do You Read Reviews Before Purchasing?
53% might read reviews often before buying cycling parts online
Reviews play an integral part in guiding consumer decisions:
How Important Is Environmentally Friendly Packaging to You?
70% agree environmentally friendly packaging is an important part of purchasing
Sustainability is growing in importance across the UK:
However, 31% said that they strongly agreed it was not important, showing that there’s still work to be done in reinforcing how crucial sustainable packaging is for reducing environmental impact and encouraging more responsible consumer behaviour.
How Do You Usually Discover New Retailers?
Online forums and blogs help 71% discover new retailers
Two resources stand out for finding new cycling retailers online:
For cyclists on the hunt for new retailers, online forums and blogs are evidently the most useful. 56% always use these resources to find new retailers, and 15% do so often. There are numerous UK cycling podcasts, and the popularity of this format is on the rise, so this aligns with current trends.
Search engines play a minor role, too, with 13% saying they always use them and 3% saying they do so often, while social media has 9% who always rely on it for this information. Word of mouth has very low engagement levels, with just 2% always using it, while ads or sponsored content are just as minimal, with 2% saying they occasionally use them to point them in the direction of new places to shop.
What is interesting here is how few rely on word of mouth (WoM), as historically, this has been an excellent way for cyclists to pass on information. However, with an increase in UK cycling podcasts and forums, WoM now takes a different format;
These insights highlight how buying bike parts online is evolving with rider preferences. In 2025, UK cyclists are making informed choices based on convenience, service, and sustainability. The market is shifting to meet these demands, setting new standards for how riders maintain and upgrade their bikes.
Methodology
Sourced from an independent sample of 602,666 UK opinions of cycling enthusiasts across X, Reddit, TikTok, LinkedIn, Threads, and BlueSky using Artios. Responses are collected within a 50% confidence interval and a 5% margin of error. Engagement estimates how many people in the location are participating. Demographics are determined using multiple features while preserving privacy. Results are derived from opinions expressed online, not actual questions answered by people in the sample.
About the representative sample:
- 53% of the UK audience identifies as male and 47% as female.
- 62% are between the ages of 35 and 64.