"Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

For discussions about bikes and equipment.
Jdsk
Posts: 24636
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

"Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by Jdsk »

"Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret":
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59386433

Jonathan
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by simonhill »

It's all about a town called Agueda in central Portugal. I was a mere 22 Kms away on my current tour.

What is more remarkable given the quote I will paste below, is that you don't see many bikes in Portugal. A few roadies, but very few utility. I blame the cobbles (or setts).

"Portugal is the largest manufacturer of bikes in the European Union, a fact many people outside of the country might not know. Last year, more than 2.6 million bikes were made in Portugal, according to official EU figures."
Keezx
Posts: 490
Joined: 20 Dec 2014, 10:44am
Location: The Netherlands

Re: "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by Keezx »

simonhill wrote: 25 Nov 2021, 8:49pm
"Portugal is the largest manufacturer of bikes in the European Union, a fact many people outside of the country might not know. Last year, more than 2.6 million bikes were made in Portugal, according to official EU figures."
Apparently the Portugese themselves don't ride them......
The average Porugese still considers bikeriding as a poor man's activity..... :P
PDQ Mobile
Posts: 4659
Joined: 2 Aug 2015, 4:40pm

Re: "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by PDQ Mobile »

Keezx wrote: 27 Nov 2021, 10:07am
simonhill wrote: 25 Nov 2021, 8:49pm
"Portugal is the largest manufacturer of bikes in the European Union, a fact many people outside of the country might not know. Last year, more than 2.6 million bikes were made in Portugal, according to official EU figures."
Apparently the Portugese themselves don't ride them......
The average Porugese still considers bikeriding as a poor man's activity..... :P
And yet ( I read somewhere) the Swiss spend more on bikes than any other European nation.
They ride them too.
Is there a correlation?
UpWrong
Posts: 2409
Joined: 31 May 2009, 12:16pm
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire

Re: "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by UpWrong »

Presumably it's cheaper to make bikes in Portugal than in Switzerland.
PDQ Mobile
Posts: 4659
Joined: 2 Aug 2015, 4:40pm

Re: "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by PDQ Mobile »

UpWrong wrote: 27 Nov 2021, 5:19pm Presumably it's cheaper to make bikes in Portugal than in Switzerland.
I'm sure you are correct.
Though the Swiss did make bikes in some numbers at one time at least and they still make some components, AFAIK.

My correlation question was really, "does having a lot of active cyclists make a country wealthier?"
UpWrong
Posts: 2409
Joined: 31 May 2009, 12:16pm
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire

Re: "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by UpWrong »

Or "cycling is mainly a leisure activity for the middle classes"? In terms of bikes sales perhaps?
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by simonhill »

Rather strangely as I got close to the Spanish border the number of utility cyclists increased enormously. I think I saw more yesterday in and near the border town of Villa Real de Santo Antonio than on the rest of the 7 week trip.

Good job my next (COVID possible) trip might well be to Spain - just across the border.
Jdsk
Posts: 24636
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by Jdsk »

"Why one firm is banking on carbon fibre bikes in Europe":
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61082317

Jonathan
User avatar
simonineaston
Posts: 8003
Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
Location: ...at a cricket ground

Re: "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by simonineaston »

click bait topic title - but I knew from the get-go it wouldn't be Bristol... ;-)
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
mattheus
Posts: 5044
Joined: 29 Dec 2008, 12:57pm
Location: Western Europe

Re: "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by mattheus »

Least helpful thread title in a looooong time!

:)
Dingdong
Posts: 966
Joined: 22 Apr 2022, 4:59pm

Re: "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by Dingdong »

mattheus wrote: 6 May 2022, 10:44am Least helpful thread title in a looooong time!

:)
Agreed, very hard work
Steve X
Posts: 254
Joined: 14 Apr 2021, 7:47am

Re: "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by Steve X »

UpWrong wrote: 27 Nov 2021, 5:46pm Or "cycling is mainly a leisure activity for the middle classes"? In terms of bikes sales perhaps?
In the UK, I think this is very much the case. I wonder what percentage of cyclists use bikes as a regular form of transportation as opposed to a Leisure pursuit.
Carlton green
Posts: 3645
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by Carlton green »

Jdsk wrote: 25 Nov 2021, 12:24pm "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret":
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59386433

Jonathan
Thanks for posting this, it’s new and welcome information to me. An easy and interesting read.

From the article:
Mr Miranda says that while Portugal's bike industry is "known for its quality", it also benefits from offering its European customers much shorter supply chains than rival manufacturers based in Asia. Portugal is further helped by the continuing tariffs put on Chinese bike imports in to the European Union.
These extra fees or duties currently stand at up to 48.5% for standard bikes, and as high as 79.3% for electric ones.
As both a consumer and someone who supports European manufacture I welcome high import tariffs on Chinese goods. Buying from China might be necessary at times but buying more locally helps to keep jobs here for ourselves, our children and our neighbours. We’re fools to exchange a better future for cheap imported products today.
Steve X wrote: 7 May 2022, 8:25am
UpWrong wrote: 27 Nov 2021, 5:46pm Or "cycling is mainly a leisure activity for the middle classes"? In terms of bikes sales perhaps?
In the UK, I think this is very much the case. I wonder what percentage of cyclists use bikes as a regular form of transportation as opposed to a Leisure pursuit.
I suppose that this is a bit of thread drift. The interest in cycling continues to grow and not just as a recreation, what’s holding cycling back most is road safety and after that maybe distance (we now live much further from work places and shops, etc., than we used to). Whatever, it doesn’t really matter what people ride or why they cycle what’s important is that they do; there’s strength in numbers and that strength supports us all.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
Jdsk
Posts: 24636
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: "Why this city is Europe's best kept cycling secret"

Post by Jdsk »

Carlton green wrote: 7 May 2022, 8:28am
Steve X wrote: 7 May 2022, 8:25am
UpWrong wrote: 27 Nov 2021, 5:46pm Or "cycling is mainly a leisure activity for the middle classes"? In terms of bikes sales perhaps?
In the UK, I think this is very much the case. I wonder what percentage of cyclists use bikes as a regular form of transportation as opposed to a Leisure pursuit.
The interest in cycling continues to grow and not just as a recreation, what’s holding cycling back most is road safety and after that maybe distance (we now live much further from work places and shops, etc., than we used to). Whatever, it doesn’t really matter what people ride or why they cycle what’s important is that they do; there’s strength in numbers and that strength supports us all.
There's an interesting Dutch categorisation.

(I'd prefer it to be a description: a rider could be in more than one box at once, and in different boxes at different times.)

Jonathan

Image
Post Reply