The Netherlands may have an estimated 23 million bikes for its 17 million plus inhabitants but Dutch manufacturers actually make very few two wheelers, according to new figures from European statistics agency Eurostat.

Last year, 14.7 million bikes were built in the European Union, a 10% rise on 2021, but the Netherlands comes in ninth place on the list of EU manufacturers.

Portugal heads the list with 2.7 million bikes, followed by Romania (2.6 million) and Italy (2.5 million). In the Netherlands, Dutch bike makers produced some 415,000 bikes while Estonia and Ireland built no bikes at all.

Dutch bike manufacturers tend to be specialised makers for niche markets. And according to the RAI road users’ organisation, most bike frames used here are built abroad while assembly and painting takes place in the Netherlands.