It’s a New Year for cycling, but what have the last 12 months taught us? We found our favourite and the most culturally important statistics and facts about cycling, published in 2014.

Start 2015 with cycling and bike knowledge in abundance, with these fantastic statistics and facts.

• 87% of adults walked or cycled at least once a month in 2012/13. 15% cycle, and 86% walk at least once per month, statistics from the Department for Transport suggest [source].
• 85% of 5-10 year olds own or have use of a bicycle, the highest percentage of any age group [National Travel Survey, England: 2013 – source].
• The prevalence of cycling in England (at least once a month) reduced from 15.3% to 14.7% in the year to October 2013 compared to the previous year [source].
• The local authorities with the highest proportion of adults cycling at least once per month (2012-2013) were [source]:
  1. Cambridge (58%)
  2. Oxford (43%)
  3. Isles of Scilly (35%)
  4. Richmond upon Thames (34%)
  5(=). York (27%
  5(=). South Cambridgeshire (27%)
  7. New Forest (26%)
  8. Norwich (24%)
• 16.9% of adults in the UK are cyclists, with the average participant cycling 48.9 times in the past year. One fifth of the 8,741,000 UK cyclists ride at least once per week. The stats show that that cycling is the third most participated sport in the UK, behind swimming and running. Significantly, cycling has a high percentage of u18 participation (22%) [November 2014 – source].
• In a survey of 4,500 adults, 41 per cent admitted a lack of basic bike maintenance skills such as puncture repair or adjusting brakes [July 2014 – source].
• Cyclists made up six per cent of all fatalities on the road, with 109 killed in 2013, an eight per cent decline year-on-year [2013 statistics – source].
• Mintel has published its latest cycle market figures, placing the UK’s bicycle sales at £745 million in 2013, up 14 per cent in five years from £639 million in 2008 [April 2014 – source].
• Cycling makes up 2% of all trips, but on average we are cycling further at a total of 49 miles a year, up 28% since 2002 [National Travel Survey, England: 2013 – source].
• The average price of a bicycle in the UK is just £233 [April 2014 – source].
• 90% of bike buyers cite petrol prices as a reason for their purchase [source]
• Cycling for 60 minutes a week halves your risk of heart disease [source]
• Average number of UK road casualties per year [source] –
  Cycling: 4400
  Motorcycling: 5900
  Walking: 6800
  Cars: 35,700

We hope you had a wonderful time over the festive period and are ready to get back into training for the year ahead! Tweet us your exercise and cycling plans at @UKBikeBus!