The bicycle is an inherently western, European invention, but has grown into a global consumer product that is a near omnipresent feature of contemporary global society.
First invented in Germany the early ‘bicycle’ evolved into the velocipede in France in the 1860s and was transformed into the modern bicycle in England with the invention and production of ‘safety bicycles’ in Coventry. The already developed sewing machine industry in Coventry shifted production to bicycles in the late 19th century and became the global hub for bicycle manufacturing. In 1871, 70% of the global cycle industry was concentrated in the Midlands. By 1886, there were 248 cycle manufacturers based in Coventry alone.
However, production shifted out of Coventry in the post-war period and became much more globalised. Today, the largest producer of bicycles is China, which has an estimated 450m bicycles on its streets. Popularised and promoted by the People’s Republic after 1949, China accounts for just over 60% of contemporary global bicycle production. Chinese manufactures produced 80,430,000 bicycle’s in 2005, of which roughly 65% were exported.
The global market for bicycles is expected to grow from $45bn in 2016 to $62bn in 2024, with the majority of the estimated $7bn increase coming from the sale of electric bicycles.
Therefore, while bicycles are globally consumed and produced, the cycle industry is currently, and has always been, concentrated in one region, whether that be the British Midlands or the Far East.
References:
<https://gbtimes.com/short-history-bicycles-china>
<https://www.statista.com/statistics/740346/global-bicycle-market-size/>
<https://www.transport-museum.com/visiting/cycle_pioneers_1868_to_1900.aspx>
<https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/coventy-bicycle-industry-history-15526405>