In among all the wonderful technological advances we’ve made in the world of day-to-day travel, the humble bicycle has managed to not only maintain but actually enhance its position in the British transport psyche. Participation numbers in cycling have increased just shy of 50% between 2016-2020, with over 7.5 million people having engaged in some form of cycling last year.
With sustainability in travel having come more to the fore in recent years, cycling has presented an easy and affordable method of getting about for many a Brit – not least during the lockdown period – but arguably carries just as much weight as a hobby, be it road cycling, mountain biking, BMXing or any other two-wheeled pursuit.
With that collective national interest in cycling in mind, there’s currently plenty of opportunity to not only enjoy biking recreationally but also profit from it financially. If you’re passionate about riding your bike and curious as to whether you could make a few quid while doing it, here are a few ways cycling is making money for people in 2021.
Food Delivery
The food delivery service market is worth around £8.5bn in the UK, with 11 million active users of apps like Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats across the country. Thanks to increased disposable income through lockdown and the introduction of grocery services alongside fast food delivery, the market is only getting bigger – and with that increased demand comes an increased need for delivery drivers or, in this case, riders.
Cycle delivery work is rapidly expanding alongside the wider industry growth, so there’s plenty of opportunities to get involved. Just make sure that you have the right protective equipment such as knee pads and helmet to avoid any accidents or injuries, as you’ll be running back and forth through traffic every single shift.
Blogging and Influencing
There’s an influencer market for virtually any niche you can think of these days, so it should come as no surprise that an activity as popular as cycling has a huge blogging and influencing community behind it. If you’re as passionate about social media as you are cycling, it could well come naturally to you to start creating cycling focused media. Obviously, you’ll need a lot of hard work and a decent slice of luck to get the exposure you need to make it big, but blogging and capturing your hobby could lead to bigger and better things than a simple pastime.
Maintenance and Repair
With plenty of casual cyclists out there right now, there are a significant chunk of the riding population that don’t know the first thing about maintenance and repair of their bikes. Sure, they might be able to change a tyre when needed or oil the chain, but plenty more can go wrong with a bike that can require professional help – especially in a lockdown world where many are digging their bikes out of the shed that have been doing nothing more than gathering dust and dirt for a couple of years.
If your knowledge of bike maintenance extends beyond the average person, there may be some value in offering repairs at a time when everybody is trying to get back out on the roads.
Your very Own Bike Shop
If you love bikes, what could be better than owning your own shop? The bicycle industry is massive business, with the industry supposedly worth a whopping £2.2bn at the end of 2020, with sales between March 2020 and December 2020 up 60%. With a huge new customer demographic to go at, has there been a better time get in on the action?
Of course, you’ll need the capital to start up what is a business with a rather expensive product behind it, but you can be sure to see immediate interest in a product that’s never been more at the forefront than now.
Many of us see cycling as a great hobby, but how many of us can imagine making money from it? If you fancy making your interest in life on two wheels something more than a fun activity, these ideas above offer the opportunity to make cycling a legitimate side hustle, or even a full-time income.
Barry Lachey is a Professional Editor at Zobuz. Previously He has also worked for Moxly Sports and Network Resources “Joe Joe.” He is a graduate of the Kings College at the University of Thames Valley London. You can reach Barry via email or by phone.
