# Most popular Raleigh bike of 2017



## Cycleops (13 Dec 2017)

According to an email I received today from Raleigh their most popular bike of 2017 was this, the Stow-e-way:






If they are telling the truth it might offer a ray of hope for strapped bike retailers and perhaps a shift in the type of bikes people are buying towards electric.

https://www.raleigh.co.uk/stow-e-wa...bBv8LQV09YF_Y35c8szdctV-_s7gsA&_hsmi=59302963


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## I like Skol (13 Dec 2017)

Perhaps the Raleigh product line-up should not be considered representative of the general cycling sector retail proposition? I for one would think their typical customer profile is skewed very heavily towards a particular area of the market and using their [Raleigh's] sales figures as an indicator of trends for the whole UK bike sales industry would be misleading and probably misrepresentative of reality.


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## Milkfloat (13 Dec 2017)

I just see it as another reason why Raleigh continual to fail.


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## Pale Rider (13 Dec 2017)

There's no doubt ebikes is the only growth area of bike sales.

Everything else is in decline.

However, ebikes sell in such tiny numbers that even if sales double year on year it doesn't have a great deal of impact.

That may change.

In places such as Germany and Holland the ebike share of the market is about 30%.

Looks like the UK share is about 12%.

No guarantee the UK will follow Germany and Holland, but it does look like UK sales are on an upward trend.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...-going-electric-could-revolutionise-your-ride


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## raleighnut (13 Dec 2017)

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc....co.uk/team/&usg=AOvVaw2VCZauT3hL-F-sX5-cf55s


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## SkipdiverJohn (18 Dec 2017)

Thing is bikes are durable goods. Once you own one/enough bikes then that's it, you aren't buying more, unless one gets crashed or stolen. It's really only the fashion-obsessives who keep buying new models just because they are new. No-one else really cares so long as they get you from A to B. I've owned a good number of bikes but only ever bought two new ones in 47 years. All of my current ones bar one were obtained second hand. I would not dream of buying a brand new bike at retail price when I can get a decent used one for 10% of the price. The sheds, garages and gardens of this country are awash with millions of mainly cheap bikes and outright BSO's bought by people who rarely even ride them. There's plenty out there to go round. 
Just don't see the appeal of e-bikes personally. Sort of defeats the object of having a bike if the physical effort is removed and you don't get any exercise.


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## sight-pin (18 Dec 2017)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> Just don't see the appeal of e-bikes personally. Sort of defeats the object of having a bike if the physical effort is removed and you don't get any exercise.



You do get exercise as you still need to pedal, then once your speed is above 15.5 MPH their is no assist at all to riding a much heavier bike.


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## Cycleops (18 Dec 2017)

That's the consumer society for you. Some are very happy to buy a new bike every two or so years, just as they would a car, but hey don't complain they're supplying you me and others with cheap bikes. The boom may now have come to an end as major retailer Evans have posted a 70% fall in profits and others are suffering a similar downturn.

Me and you may not see the appeal of ebikes but we're not going to be the ones buying them, they're for the person doesn't want to pedal too much but doesn't want an oily noisy moped. Its a huge market in Europe and is set to expand here too.


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## glasgowcyclist (18 Dec 2017)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> Just don't see the appeal of e-bikes personally



It opens up cycling to a lot of people who might otherwise be unable to power a bicycle entirely under their own steam. It also allows mobility for people with disabilities that might otherwise prevent them from taking to two wheels..


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## raleighnut (18 Dec 2017)

glasgowcyclist said:


> It opens up cycling to a lot of people who might otherwise be unable to power a bicycle entirely under their own steam. It also allows mobility for people with disabilities that might otherwise prevent them from taking to two wheels..


Or 3 wheels.


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## glasgowcyclist (18 Dec 2017)

raleighnut said:


> Or 3 wheels.



Indeed!
(I've given myself a slap)


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## Deleted member 23692 (18 Dec 2017)

Nice to see they used a Nottingham location for the photo


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## SkipdiverJohn (18 Dec 2017)

raleighnut said:


> Or 3 wheels.



I can kind of see more point to having an e-trike rather than an e-bike, because the 3 wheeler could be rigged up with a box on the back and used as a utility to lug heavy shopping around etc if the rider doesn't drive. In that case the extra battery weight would be more justifiable. I do find it strange people will swap out all sorts of components on a 2-wheeler to save a few ounces here and there but will then happily lug around several pounds of battery and drive hub.
My personal view is e-bikes will ultimately prove to be a bit of a fad and once the first generation ones start incurring high maintenance costs associated with failing batteries etc, their riders will either go back to conventional bikes or get something with an engine in it. 
One of the main benefits of cycling is that it can be pretty much free transport if the rider wants to make it so by obtaining cheap used bikes and harvesting spare parts off junkers. 
This is one of the appeals of basic 26" rigid MTB's, and MTB-derived commuter hybrids. You can pretty much swap any part from bike to bike, so long as the gear counts are compatible. None of the nonsense you now get with expensive road bikes especially carbons - where a lot of the bits are specific to that brand of bike and are not interchangeable with anything else. That just facilitates rip-off pricing for replacement bits.


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## sight-pin (18 Dec 2017)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> I can kind of see more point to having an e-trike rather than an e-bike, because the 3 wheeler could be rigged up with a box on the back and used as a utility to lug heavy shopping around etc if the rider doesn't drive. In that case the extra battery weight would be more justifiable. I do find it strange people will swap out all sorts of components on a 2-wheeler to save a few ounces here and there but will then happily lug around several pounds of battery and drive hub.
> My personal view is e-bikes will ultimately prove to be a bit of a fad and once the first generation ones start incurring high maintenance costs associated with failing batteries etc, their riders will either go back to conventional bikes or get something with an engine in it.
> One of the main benefits of cycling is that it can be pretty much free transport if the rider wants to make it so by obtaining cheap used bikes and harvesting spare parts off junkers.
> This is one of the appeals of basic 26" rigid MTB's, and MTB-derived commuter hybrids. You can pretty much swap any part from bike to bike, so long as the gear counts are compatible. None of the nonsense you now get with expensive road bikes especially carbons - where a lot of the bits are specific to that brand of bike and are not interchangeable with anything else. That just facilitates rip-off pricing for replacement bits.



Personally for me as i have lung disease an ebike means i can get up local hills without stopping where i would normally have to stop 4 or 5 times severely out of breath. One hill I've never dared to take before, i can get 40 MPH on the descent


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## Pale Rider (19 Dec 2017)

Dogtrousers said:


> Just out of interest what exactly does that mean? (Just in case I'm misinterpreting it)
> 
> Does it mean that for every £100 spent on new bicycles, £12 was spent on new e-bikes? (and €30 out of every €100)
> 
> Tis higher than I would have thought in the UK.



I suspect that is what it does mean, ebikes being generally more expensive than push bikes.

All the figures are fairly broad estimates, but there's no doubt the growth area is ebikes.

About five years ago the only ebike I saw on my travels was the one I was riding, now I see an ebike or two on most rides.

Last time I was in the Lake District there was almost as many ebikes around Windermere as push bikes.


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## Pale Rider (19 Dec 2017)

I agree Doggers, ebikes are not as visible as the figures suggest they should be.

The estimates are just that, and there's no doubt makers are keen to put a positive spin on sales because ebikes are their only growth area, and handily are also high ticket.

Outside charging is a thought, although I'm not sure if it is needed.

The lumpy down tube or carrier batteries you will have seen on ebikes give a range of roughly 40 to 50 miles - enough for the majority of users.

Charging after every ride is not such a problem because, like push bike rides, the majority of journeys begin and end at home with an overnight gap in between.


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