It seems that the great national bike boom which began during the first
Covid lockdowns looks set to continue as more and more people take to
two wheels on entry-level or lower-value bikes.

That’s according to specialist cycle insurer Bikmo – the company’s data
for 2021 shows that the number of claims made increased by eight percent
from the year before, and that 57 percent of claim pay-outs were for
bikes and gear worth under £500.

Those figures represent a huge shift from 2020, when the highest
percentage of claims (33 percent) were in the £1,000 to £2,500 bracket.

The number of commuter bikes, including e-bikes, dealt with by the
insurer also increased significantly during 2021, which Bikmo says is
down to people returning to their places of work, and seeking “a more
sustainable and convenient way to do so”.

Of course, as the popularity of cycling continues to rise, so will the
number of thefts – stolen bikes and gear accounted for 53 percent of
claims in 2021, up from 48 percent in 2021.

“2021 was another huge year for cycling, as more people got out and
experienced the convenience and joy of travelling by bike,” Bikmo’s CEO
David George said.

“As cycling continues to soar in popularity we will inevitably see
thefts continue to rise as the dominant reason for cycle claims.

“However, with the increase in both long-life tracking technology such
as the AirTag and electric bikes that can both power and store tracking
devices, we hope the UK will follow the experience of the Netherlands
where up to 80 percent of tracked bikes that are stolen are recovered.”

https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-15-march-2022-291073#live-blog-item-32487

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Spike