Bikes sales in the Netherlands are up after years of decline, figures from bike retailers organisation RAI Vereniging and motor trade organisation BOVAG show.

Some 957,000 bikes were sold in 2017, 3.2% up compared to the previous year. One in three of bikes sold was an electric bike.

The sale of new bikes had been going down steadily since 2007 until the introduction and subsequent popularity of the e-bike. In 2017 294,000 electric bikes hit the road compared to 89,000 in 2007. More than half of turnover in the sector is generated by electric bike sales, BOVAG said.

Traditional bikes are still popular, however, and account for a market share of 42%, or 399,000 bikes sold. The average amount of money spent on a new bike was €1,020, €10 up on last year. Fast pedelecs, which can reach speeds of up to 45 kph were also more popular than last year, with sales up by almost 1,000 to 4,572.