Industry News

Bike Hub 2022: Year in Review

By Bike Hub Features · 70 comments

The year has flown by, and once again it’s time to look back at the past 12 months on Bike Hub.

2022 saw events picking up again, and the chronic supply chain shortages that have plagued the industry slowly stabilising.

Here’s a look back at 2022 on Bike Hub by the numbers.

Headline Numbers

Unique visitors
1.5 million

Pageviews
43.5 million

Average visit time
 6 min 35 sec

Total time spent on Bike Hub by all visitors
74 years & 237 days

 

Member statistics

New Members in 2022
15 652

Total Members (All time)
183 830

image.pngAge and gender split for our platform users in 2022

image.png

Classifieds Activity

Adverts listed
67 792

Total Listings Value
R 826 million

Leads Generated
187 127

Advert Views
21 million

Average value of items listed

  • All Categories – R 12 165
  • Full Suspension Mountain Bikes – R39 227
  • E-Mountain Bikes – R 83 900
  • Hardtail Mountain Bikes – R 10 520
  • Road Bikes – R 26 111


So, how much of that sells?
Sales figures rely on sellers telling us once their bike has sold, but many unfortunately don’t do this.
We estimate total sales between R400 and R500 million for 2022, based on:

  • R237 million in value was actively reported as sold
  • A further R508 million of inactive ads received no feedback on sold status
     

 

Search rankings 

Classifieds searches are a great indicator of a brands popularity, and perceived second-hand value. This year we’ve seen some changes on the leaderboard:

  • Specialized have maintained a long run at the top of the podium but dropped slightly from 23.6% to 22.7% of searches;
  • Trek have gained impressive momentum, moving from third to second spot, with a massive increase from 9.7% to 13.7% of searches – knocking Scott into third place;
  • Giant and Cannondale have held steady in 4th and 5th place respectively.
     

Classifieds searches by brand 2022 vs 2021

image.png


Value by category

The chart below shows the classified category breakdown in Rand value. A mind blowing R826 million worth of product has been listed in the classifieds during the course of 2022. Bikes make up the lion’s share at R605 million, followed by e-bikes at R63 million.

A breakdown of adverts per category: the block size is based on the Rand value of the listings.

image.png

 

Bike Hub Pay

At the end of 2020, we launched Bike Hub Pay, a secure payment service which protects buyers and sellers.

Since then we’ve helped over 4,000 buyers and sellers to trade safely with over R20.4 million in successful transactions.

image.png

 

Forum Activity

New topics
2 419

Replies
54 490

Topic views
2 721 503

Our goal has always been to provide a platform for passionate cyclists to share knowledge, trade goods, debate, and celebrate the sport we love. Over the past few years our team has worked tirelessly to keep the forums relevant, and welcoming to newcomers.

We’re stoked to see events holding their own in the Top 10 most viewed and replied to threads, it’s a sign of a healthy post-Covid landscape for all of us.

Even better: the staple, “Where has your bike taken you today?” thread which celebrates the incredible places bicycles can take us, is the number one most replied to thread in 2022.

Here’s to many more two-wheeled adventures in 2023!

Top 10 Most Viewed Topics(Created in the 2022 period)

  1. Absa Cape Epic 202261 437 views
  2. Assaulted by fellow cyclist- Cradle 6 November57 973 views
  3. UCI XCO World Cup 2022 Season50 338 views
  4. does anyone know this fraud @ysteryeti (Lionel Hennessy)48 335 views
  5. Incident Total garage on Malibongwe48 103 views
  6. 2022 Virgin Active Ride Joburg40 226 views
  7. Bike boom – is it over?31821 views
  8. Loadshedding solutions30 471 views
  9. Should e-bikes be allowed in Cycle Tour and other Races25 544 views
  10. The PRO Gravel Thread 22 225 views

Top 10 Most Replied-to Topics

  1. Where has your bike taken you today?2 545 comments
  2. Tour de France 20221 262 comments
  3. Cape Town Cycle Tour 20221 141 comments
  4. UCI XCO World Cup 2022 Season735 comments
  5. Absa Cape Epic 2022703 comments
  6. Boast about your latest purchases here…668 comments
  7. 2022 Virgin Active Ride Joburg602 comments
  8. The Classics536 comments
  9. Loadshedding solutions506 comments
  10. The “I need something you might throw away” thread 418 comments

Stolen Bikes

Not the most positive data, but our stolen bikes register gives an indication of bike theft rates year on year. Here you can see that theft from a vehicle, and from the home have increased noticeably since 2021.

Screenshot 2022-12-15 at 15.02.33.png

 

General Trends 

We noticed the following changes and trends in 2022.

  • Average prices are rising, Up 16% vs 2021.
  • As a result of the supply chain crisis local bike shops are embracing second hand sales, and the value of trade-in as a sales tool
  • E- bikes continue their meteoric rise in popularity
  • Overall demand is slowing down after 2020/2021 Covid boom
  • Off the back of a noticeable and sustained marketing drive Trek is gaining market share
  • Events have bounced back


Whether you bought or sold in the Classifieds, read articles or discussions, added your two cents or started a conversation on Bike Hub in 2022 – thank you!
 

All stats for the period 15 December 2021 – 14 December 2022.

Comments

Nick

Dec 15, 2022, 9:37 AM

And importantly, the most active forum users for 2022 are... 🍿

Top 10 Topic Starters:

  1. OVERDRIVE  44
  2. Steady Spin  20
  3. Ruben Hechter  17
  4. The Ouzo  16
  5. love2fly  12
  6. Shebeen  12
  7. JJDT   11 
  8. mecheng89  11
  9. Stephan  11
  10. esCape-ist  10

Top 10 Comment Posters:

  1. ChrisF  1 929
  2. DieselnDust  1 744
  3. Frosty  1 718
  4. The Ouzo  1 312
  5. 'Dale  1 113
  6. Hairy  1 061
  7. Jewbacca  1 050
  8. MORNE  993
  9. Steady Spin  857
  10. Shebeen  825 
El Duderino

Dec 15, 2022, 9:44 AM

3 minutes ago, Nick said:

And importantly, the most active forum users for 2022 are... 🍿

Top 10 Topic Starters:

  1. OVERDRIVE  44
  2. Steady Spin  20
  3. Ruben Hechter  17
  4. The Ouzo  16
  5. love2fly  12
  6. Shebeen  12
  7. JJDT   11 
  8. mecheng89  11
  9. Stephan  11
  10. esCape-ist  10

Top 10 Comment Posters:

  1. ChrisF  1 929
  2. DieselnDust  1 744
  3. Frosty  1 718
  4. The Ouzo  1 312
  5. 'Dale  1 113
  6. Hairy  1 061
  7. Jewbacca  1 050
  8. MORNE  993
  9. Steady Spin  857
  10. Shebeen  825 

Almost 2000 comments, @ChrisF , are you employed, sir? 

throttles

Dec 15, 2022, 9:54 AM

9 minutes ago, El Duderino said:

Almost 2000 comments, @ChrisF , are you employed, sir? 

Thing is there's still 16 days left of 2022, he'll probably get close to 2500 🤣

babse

Dec 15, 2022, 10:07 AM

21 minutes ago, El Duderino said:

Almost 2000 comments, @ChrisF , are you employed, sir? 

Each of those posts are at least 3 scrolls long... respect 😆

Eugene Oppelt

Dec 15, 2022, 10:09 AM

Proud consistent contributor of the "Where did your bike take you today?" fred. 🤩

babse

Dec 15, 2022, 10:20 AM

6 minutes ago, 'Dale said:

Proud consistent contributor of the "Where did your bike take you today?" fred. 🤩

such an influencer with your content... perfect fit for ambassador for some big brand 😶

117

Dec 15, 2022, 10:23 AM

14 minutes ago, babse said:

Each of those posts are at least 3 scrolls long... respect 😆

Hahahaha.... He does use...

 

 

 

Space

 

 

 

 🔚

Ispeed_V

Dec 15, 2022, 10:39 AM

Not how I wanted to make the top ten🤪

2nd on the List

image.png.add9ff44433e7b94b4b3d3889d504006.png

Titan Racing Bikes

Dec 15, 2022, 10:57 AM

Thanks for the continued support, Hubbers 👊

Shebeen

Dec 15, 2022, 11:19 AM

38 minutes ago, FondTF2 said:

Not how I wanted to make the top ten🤪

2nd on the List

image.png.add9ff44433e7b94b4b3d3889d504006.png

interesting of the top5 viewed threads, 3 are of crime.

if you count the cost of an Epic entry as daylight robbery that would be 4.

Shebeen

Dec 15, 2022, 11:30 AM

1 hour ago, Nick said:

And importantly, the most active forum users for 2022 are... 🍿

Top 10 Topic Starters:

  1. OVERDRIVE  44
  2. Steady Spin  20
  3. Ruben Hechter  17
  4. The Ouzo  16
  5. love2fly  12
  6. Shebeen  12
  7. JJDT   11 
  8. mecheng89  11
  9. Stephan  11
  10. esCape-ist  10

Top 10 Comment Posters:

  1. ChrisF  1 929
  2. DieselnDust  1 744
  3. Frosty  1 718
  4. The Ouzo  1 312
  5. 'Dale  1 113
  6. Hairy  1 061
  7. Jewbacca  1 050
  8. MORNE  993
  9. Steady Spin  857
  10. Shebeen  825 

I though my bikehub plus subscription kept me off this second list?!

DieselnDust

Dec 15, 2022, 11:43 AM

Toppled at last whooooooopaaalaaaaaaaa

The Ouzo

Dec 15, 2022, 11:47 AM

Damn I was supposed to cut down this year.  Oops. 

Nick

Dec 15, 2022, 11:54 AM

23 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

I though my bikehub plus subscription kept me off this second list?!

Sorry, we'll add this feature in time for the 2023 list.

Steady Spin

Dec 15, 2022, 11:56 AM

Sweet! 

I'm in the top 10 of sheet talkers and sheet starters again this year 😛 😛 😛 

Congrats @ChrisF on being the top posters. Even with that very broken "enter" key on your keyboad.

NeverNotRolling

Dec 15, 2022, 12:08 PM

Seems like BikeHub are making good revenue with the BikeHub Pay feature, good stuff! I see Standard Bank has also started a similar escrow service. I'm guessing we need it more in this country with all the scammers and oil rig workers about.

Frosty

Dec 15, 2022, 12:09 PM

The number of comments appear to be down. I remember the top few were in excess of 3000 posts. Mine is probably slightly above average. Will have to go dog for the previous year-on-year stats.

SwissVan

Dec 15, 2022, 12:10 PM

38 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

I though my bikehub plus subscription kept me off this second list?!

I thought you were a Bikehub premium member?

I wonder how many premium members there are?

 

Nick

Dec 15, 2022, 12:15 PM

2 minutes ago, Frosty said:

The number of comments appear to be down. I remember the top few were in excess of 3000 posts. Mine is probably slightly above average. Will have to go dog for the previous year-on-year stats.

The forums have undergone a number of changes in recent times. Partly in an attempt to focus the conversation on cycling. We've seen a significant drop in certain measures as a result but (from our observations at least) a noticeable increase in quality.

BikeGenie

Dec 15, 2022, 12:28 PM

"brings back the comments"

fanievb

Dec 15, 2022, 12:28 PM

2 hours ago, 'Dale said:

Proud consistent contributor of the "Where did your bike take you today?" fred. 🤩

PLEASE DONT STOP 

that-70s-sho-i-love-you.gif

Frosty

Dec 15, 2022, 12:36 PM

Updated graph from 2021.

image.png.521d9f0c37b686228bd9e8b4e7e6df9d.png

madmarc

Dec 15, 2022, 12:39 PM

Bike theft stats please

Frosty

Dec 15, 2022, 12:43 PM

The number of posts per year for the top 10.
The lowest year for posts.

image.png.152ca0f878090be916f52114b21d909c.png

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