How Many Bicycles Are There in the World? (Surprising Answered)

There are approximately 1 billion bicycles across the globe. That means there is about 1 bicycle for every 8 people. 

Cycling enjoys a significant amount of popularity all around the world. That popularity is only going to continue to rise. 

Cycling is beneficial for both you and the environment. It provides a time-saving alternative for navigating congested roadways.

How common is it? How many people have bicycles? Continue reading as we explain it step by step.

Number Of Bikes In The World And Per Country

The total number of bicycles around the world is broken down by country.

There are around 1 billion bicycles worldwide, and 830 million are located in ten countries. The remainder of the world has approximately 170 million bicycles. 

#CountryPopulationBicyclesBikes per Person
1The Netherlands16,652,80016,500,0000.99
2Denmark5,560,6284,500,0000.81
3Germany81,802,00062,000,0000.75
4Sweden9,418,7326,000,0000.64
5Norway4,943,0003,000,0000.61
6Finland5,380,2003,250,0000.60
7Japan127,370,00072,540,0000.57
8Switzerland7,782,9003,800,0000.49
9Belgium10,827,5195,200,0000.48
10China1,342,700,000>500,000,0000.37
  • There are approximately 500 million bicycles in the China.
  • There are approximately 100 million bicycles in the USA.
  • There are approximately 72 million bicycles in the Japan.
  • There are approximately 62 million bicycles in the Germany.
  • There are approximately 40 million bicycles in the Brazil.
  • There are approximately 30.8 million bicycles in the India.
  • There are approximately 23 million bicycles in the Italy.
  • There are approximately 23 million bicycles in The Netherlands.
  • There are approximately 22.3 million bicycles in the Indonesia.
  • There are approximately 20 million bicycles in the United Kingdom .

One in every 19 people purchase a new bicycle each year. In 2021, 17–20 million bicycles were purchased by customers. 

In 2004, China accounted for 58% of the total production on the global market. By 2005, China had seen a 16% increase in the number of bicycles it produced. 

Imports from China account for 86% of all bicycles sold in the United States. In 2021, China built 76,300,000 bikes 2021.

More than 330 million people are living in the United States. There are approximately three people for every bicycle. It also has 100 million bicycles and 7000 bike stores. 

However, there are only 52 million bikers, which indicates that there are around 2 bikes for every rider.

This suggests that many bikes need to be used or that many cyclists have more than one bike.

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Which Country Has the Most Bicycles? 

China is the country with the most bicycles.

China is home to about half of the world’s bicycles. This is not surprising as the country is popularly called the ‘automobile kingdom.’

China has an estimated 450 million bicycles. In terms of sheer number, no other country comes close.

However, when compared to the population, Denmark has more bicycles.

Denmark has an estimated 23 million bicycles. It, however, has a relatively tiny population of 17 million. That means Denmark has about 1.3 bicycles per person.  

Are There More Bikes Than Cars in the World?

No. Around the world, there are more cars than bikes.

There are approximately 1.5 billion cars in the world. The precise number of bicycles in the world has yet to be determined. 

However, it is estimated that there are about one billion bicycles worldwide. This means that there are more cars around the world than bicycles. 

With that being said, several European countries have more bikes than cars.

Some of these countries include :

  • Denmark,
  • Germany,
  • France, and
  • Spain.

How Many Bikes are in China?

China has an estimated 500 million bikes.

The bulk of the population of China lives in large cities. These cities are home to some of the worst traffic congestion in the world.

Cycling offers a substantial number of advantages in many parts of the country.

It is difficult and expensive to own a car in China. Also, there needs to be more space available for parking.

On the other hand, bicycle riders often have the right of way at crossroads. This is because the roads are made to accommodate bicycle traffic.

China is getting a better handle on its traffic by encouraging the use of bicycles. They are also creating an atmosphere that is friendly to them.

How Many Bikes Does India Have?

As of 1990, India had 30.8 million bicycles. A more recent figure number could not be ascertained at the time of writing this article.

That being said, bicycle sales in India have grown. This is due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to recent statistics, about 18 million bicycles were purchased in 2019-20.

How Many Bikes Are Made A Day?

Every single day, around 364,000 bicycles are produced in countries all over the world. 

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That’s 15,000 bicycles per hour, which translates to four bicycles per second. 

Around 100 million bicycles are manufactured each year. Approximately 47,670 are sold each day.

Which City Has the Most Bicycles?

The City of Beijing in China has the most bicycles in the world. It will have an estimated 13 million bicycles in 2022.

Although Beijing has the most bicycles, it is not the most bike-friendly city. That honor belongs to a different city.

Utrecht in the Netherlands has that honor. It has been determined that the city encourages cycling the most.

The score suggests that approximately 51 percent of the city’s residents ride bicycles regularly.

The city of Münster in Germany comes in at number two on the list. According to the index, a city in Germany has a low rate of fatalities associated with cycling. 

It also scored well because it frequently hosts events encouraging people to ride bicycles.

The port city of Antwerp, Belgium, was ranked third on the list. It is one of the places where it is the least expensive to buy and own a bike. 

In addition, it has a city-wide bike-sharing program. Approximately there are 4,000 different routes for cyclists to choose from.

How Many Cyclists Are There in the World? 

In 2020, it was estimated that 44.5 million people worldwide cycle.

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Up to half of the world’s population can ride a bike. In China, 37.2% of the population rides bicycles regularly. 

In Belgium and Switzerland, 48% of the population are cyclists. In comparison, about  60 percents are cyclists in Finland and 57 percent in Japan. 

The Netherlands holds the title of the country with the most bicycles in the total population. 

In addition, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Denmark, have a large number of cyclists. 

Conclusion

There are currently close to one billion bicycles in circulation across the globe. China has a greater number of bicycles than any other nation. It has about 450 million bikes. 

Only ten nations account for 83% of the world’s bicycles. China alone is responsible for 45%.

The Netherlands has only 2.3% of the total bikes in the world. However, it has the highest number of bikes per capita. 

It is expected that by 2036, there will be more bicycles than automobiles. Will that happen? Only time will tell.

5/5 - (2 votes)

I’ve been riding (bicycles) my entire life and am passionate about everything that comes along with it. I wouldn’t call myself a true “roadie”. I’m just a guy that loves riding because of the pure joy it brings.

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