Membership

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Bicycle Association membership

Why join the Bicycle Association?

The Bicycle Association (BA) is the national trade association for the UK cycle industry, bringing together member companies across the sector: suppliers, retailers and service providers. Join the Bicycle Association for:

Representation

For representation, political and commercial.

Knowledge

To access unique knowledge, insights and market data.

Support

To benefit from our support services and initiatives.


Representation

Political

Your membership of the BA brings you representation at decision-making levels generally unavailable to you as an individual company. The BA works on the UK cycle industry’s behalf with Government, and we have particularly close relationships in the Department for Transport both politically (to Ministerial level) and with senior officials. We also provide policy-making input across the political spectrum.

The BA’s successful approach is to be a ‘trusted advisor’ to Government, putting the industry perspective and making the industrial case for long-term provision for cycling infrastructure, and industry support. This approach works very effectively alongside the more campaign-focused advocacy of our partners in the Walking and Cycling Alliance.

In 2020 a significant success was achieved with the DfT’s “Gear Change” policy document, which promised £2 billion investment in cycling over the next four years. The focus is now moving to delivery of advocacy priorities at local and regional level, leveraging our Market Data Service to quantify the jobs and economic benefits of growing ccycling and the Local Bicycle Economy.

Below you can read more about our advocacy activities, and our policy priorities for 2022.

The Bicycle Association’s advocacy programme

The Bicycle Association, powered by Investors in Cycling, works with Government and advocacy partners to promote sustainable growth of the UK cycle market and industry. Click below to read more.

Commercial

The BA also works hard to ensure that the UK industry has a seat at the table internationally when matters affecting the industry are discussed – not least to provide early intelligence on upcoming developments.

At an EU level we are members of both Cycle Industries Europe (CIE) and the Confederation of European Bicycle Industries (CONEBI), and are represented at the UN in Geneva via the World Bicycle Industry Association (WBIA).

Our technical experts also attend standards development meetings at the British Standards Institute, CEN and ISO, where the safety standards for bikes, e-bikes and accessories are written and revised.

We work in other forums and form additional partnerships to support our work as necessary, for example working with police and security bodies on cycle theft, and with organisations working on sustainability issues as we develop our own resources in this area.

Structured to represent the industry

The Bicycle Association is structured to represent all of its member companies, while remaining flexible to reflect the differing needs and priorities within our membership.

Some companies will join specifically to benefit from the BA’s technical, market data and other specific services. They, along with all BA members, are always invited to provide input via meetings and the BA team at any time. And where the BA is developing a Government consultation response, for example, input is always requested from the full membership.

Leadership Group

BA members who wish to be seen as advocacy leaders in the UK cycling industry sit on our Leadership Group.
Current members are:

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CSG logo
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CSG logo

The Leadership Group acts as a governance board for Investors in Cycling which powers our advocacy programme, and participating companies all agree to contribute time, resources and funding over and above their BA membership.

Please contact us if your company would like to add its influence in this important forum.

Retailer Forum

To strengthen the representation of retailers within our programmes, the BA has formed an Independent Retailer Forum, comprising twelve retailers from around the UK, and representing the different business sizes and models that exist in this diverse sector.

The BA convenes its Independent Retail Forum on a regular basis to establish a direct relationship between retailers and the advocacy activities of the BA.

Please contact us if you are interested in becoming involved in this forum as a retailer .

Investors in Cycling

Working together to grow cycling

Over 1,000 companies support the advocacy work of the Bicycle Association, from the largest global brands to the smallest local retailers. They all play a vital role as Investors in Cycling – helping the industry shape a powerful advocacy message for infrastructure investment to get more people cycling.

Become an Investor to join the industry effort to grow cycling, and in recognition, to benefit from exclusive products and services.


Knowledge and information

Market data

BA members have access to a substantial set of data sources included in membership (see below). They also have the exclusive opportunity (at extra cost) to access the BA’s Market Data Service.

This groundbreaking service reports retail sales, covering bikes, parts, accessories and services, in granular detail.
Specialist data consultancy SMS operates the service for the BA, ensuring absolute confidentiality for data providers, and providing an easy-to-use online dashboard for data service users.

Having accurate, timely and highly detailed market data transforms business decision-making for BA members of all sizes from IBD to multinational. It also delivers major benefits in our work to influence Government policy to properly support cycle industry growth: sales data allows us, for example, to directly report the effectiveness of policy measures to support e-bikes.

As with all BA programmes it is operated on a not-for-profit basis.

Reports and analysis

As well as offering flexible dashboard-based access to BA members, the BA’s Market Data Service produces in-depth reports targeted at the investor community (but also available to BA members at discounted rates). As well as a series of annual reports covering sales data from 2018 onwards, one-off reports are produced to provide topical insights.

The Bicycle Association’s Market Data Service

Unprecedented access to timely, granular UK sales data is now possible for BA members (at additional cost). Click below to find out more.

Exclusive market intelligence

Access to the following data sources is included at no extra cost with your BA membership

  • Quarterly imports/exports reporting, with BA analysis. This is based on customs data and can provide reasonable ‘whole market’ estimates where imports dominate the UK market. Because it is based on tariff codes, only totals for bikes and e-bikes are included, with no break-down into sub-categories possible.
  • Heavily discounted access to annual CONEBI BIMP (Bicycle Industry Market Performance) reports which detail bike and e-bike sales and production across the EU. BA members can also access past reports (up to the 2020 edition) free of charge. From 2021 the reports must be purchased from CONEBI but BA members benefit from much reduced rates.
  • Insights and opinions of the BA team, who between them have a wealth of industry experience. We are here for members so please do just ask us.
  • Current and past BA imports/exports analysis reports, and CONEBI BIMP reports up to the 2020 edition, can be downloaded from the member’s area of the BA website – you will receive log-in details when you join the BA.
  • BA members benefit from access to summary info from reports produced by the Market Data Service

Full access to the BA’s Market Data Service (MDS) is available at additional cost.

The BA as a think-tank

Our retail-audit sales data is even more valuable when integrated with other datasets to produce even more comprehensive insights.

We are developing this approach both to help subscribers and to support our advocacy program with government, who increasingly see the BA as a “think tank” with valuable insights as well as a trusted advisor when it comes to policy.

The 2020 Covid Impact Report, for example, combined MDS data with DfT transport usage statistics, HMRC import data, GDP, weather, consumer behaviour, and more.

Now, as well as integrating public datasets we are also looking at partnerships and other private data sources.
This will bring members unparalleled insights, and our advocacy colleagues even more powerful tools to back up our lobbying.

Technical support

Many BA members see the Technical Service as a key benefit of membership. The Technical Advice Service for BA members offers one-on-one advice on all regulatory, compliance and technical matters, included with your membership. Excellent contacts and a deep knowledgebase allow us to provide swift and authoritative advice on everything from tariffs to fatigue testing, plus early intelligence on standards development, anti-dumping, Brexit, safety issues and more.

Comprehensive technical support

A key benefit for many companies is the BA’s technical support, covering both compliance issues and early intelligence on regulatory change. Click below to read more.


Business support projects and initiatives

Theft and security

Cycle theft is a significant barrier to cycling growth: the industry loses many customers who never return after a theft. Also, it’s a huge issue for retailers who may be targeted by professional thieves.

A cycle parking hardware quality, security and installation standard was published in 2021. This is the result of a project initiated by the BA in 2018 as a result of public and member concerns about the number of cyclists lost to the industry as customers after not replacing stolen bikes. We continue to work for its adoption as an official aid to procurement.

A UK national cycle registration scheme is also under consideration, following detailed proposals developed by the BA and subsequently adopted by a wider coalition aiming to tackle cycle crime, including Police leads. We are optimistic that this will be funded and move to full implementation in 2021.

Additionally, the BA is investigating whether there is scope to improve the process of reporting of bikes stolen from bike shops or other measures to address this significant issue for retailers.

Retailer resilience

Retailers are vital to the cycle industry and to keeping the UK moving and healthy by bike, so the BA has acted to address market failures in a number of areas.

Consumer finance: The Bicycle Association was informed by its members that previous consumer finance offering sfor retailers were poor value for money. The BA negotiated an industry-level agreement with finance company Novuna, and makes market-leading rates available to all Investors in Cycling.

Retailer services: The Bicycle Association has arranged free professional legal and human resources advice for members, enabling retailers of all size to access industry-procured expertise when it’s most needed. From the first COVID lockdown in March 2020, as a service to the wider industry the BA has made these helplines available to all UK cycle industry businesses, free of charge:

FREE LEGAL ADVICE: Any UK cycle industry retailer or supplier wishing to access free legal advice can call Law Express on 01275 378 831, quoting “Bicycle Association”.

FREE HR SUPPORT: The BA’s free HR (human resources) support is likewise now available for any UK cycle industry retailer or supplier, from Avensure on 0800 015 50 30. Again please quote “Bicycle Association” to access the free service.

E-bike batteries collection service

The BA is working to develop a national e-bike battery collection and recycling service to remove the headache of dealing with take-back obligations for waste e-bike batteries for both suppliers and retailers, to boost recycling rates and to increase in-store safety as well. Read more…

Qualifications & training

Qualifications & training is currently focused on cycle mechanic training. The BA is working to develop further professional qualifications, including industry-specific management degree apprenticeships with academic partners. Sectoral support which we are seeking from Government might also fund, for example, a training centre or development for qualifications for more industry-specific roles, such as product or quality managers.

Sustainability, CSR, employee diversity and ethical sourcing

CSR, employee diversity and ethical sourcing are also areas in which the BA aims to support its members and the wider industry. We are developing tools and resources as part of our sustainability programme to assist the industry in progressing on these issues, and we expect to develop further initiatives in these areas in the near future.

Sustainability programme and resources

The BA is keen to support member companies developing environmental, social and ethical aspects of their operations. Click below to read more.


Additional support

Early warning & horizon scanning

The Bicycle Association is well placed to look ahead and evaluate threats and opportunities for the industry: examples include our early work on e-scooters, and on possible post-Brexit Government support for the domestic cycle industry.
Join the BA for early analysis of issues which could affect your business.

Facilitation & mediation

The BA is, as a matter of competition law, unable to get involved in commercial matters between members. However, where appropriate we use our good offices as a neutral party to facilitate discussions or to try to reach consensus on matters of industry concern.

Networking & sharing

As soon as COVID permits, the valuable in-person networking aspects of BA membership will be revived. The BA typically holds at least two full member meetings each year, plus technical meetings, sessions of the Retailer Forum and any ad hoc meetings which may be necessary. Even online, these are a welcome opportunity to meet your peers and network in a non-competitive setting.


Join the BA

2023 membership fees

The BA is a non-profit trade body working in the interests of the whole industry. To ensure that all eligible businesses can access membership at a fair rate while making an equitable contribution to the activities and costs of the Association, our membership rates are set in brackets based on business turnover.

Turnover (see below)Annual fee
Start-up (see below)£400
Up to £1 million£570
£1m – £5m£915
£5m – £10m£1715
£10m – £20m£2575
£20m to £100m£3430
£100m+£5720

For UK businesses whose main activity is cycling-related, fees relate directly to annual turnover. For mixed businesses, where UK cycling turnover is a minority of overall business turnover, we will take into account 50% of your wider turnover in addition to your UK cycling turnover in determining your fee bracket.

The start-up rate is for businesses with turnover <£500k and within the first two years of trading at the date of joining.

How to join the BA

To join the Bicycle Association please email us on [email protected], or use the web chat feature if it is available, and we will send you an application form to fill out and return by email.

Please note that as the national trade association, the BA can only admit into membership companies which are based in the UK, or which have UK-based offices/employees. Members must also sign up to the BA’s Code of Practice, and a copy is also included with the membership application form).

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask on the web chat if available, or let us know your phone number and we will be delighted to call you back. Click below for full contact details.