Nov 15, 2009
Study quantifies benefits of recreational road rides in America
A new study by Bikes Belong found that more than 1 million Americans
participated in recreational road ride events in 2008. Nearly two-thirds of the
2008 rides were tied to causes big and small. The average ride raised nearly
$12,000 for charity, with some of the bigger rides bringing in tens of millions
of dollars. In 2008, nearly $200 million total was raised through these rides.
Bikes Belong surveyed U.S. recreational bike-event promoters in order to
estimate the size, number, and direct economic impact of these rides in 2008,
and also to learn more about how these events benefit communities and causes
nationwide. The study was limited to non-race, on-road events that occurred in
the U.S. in 2008, including events such as century rides, family fun rides,
major charity rides (e.g. LIVESTRONG Challenge), and public bike tours (e.g.
RAGBRAI).
The total revenue from these approximately 1,700 events topped $240 million,
with riders spending nearly $140 million on food, lodging, and other purchases.
These results show that recreational rides are important to the communities that
host them, the causes they support, and the bike industry nationwide.
The bike industry also gains from recreational riding events. These rides often
serve as “gateway” events that introduce people to bicycling. Participation in
recreational road rides is nearly 20 times the number of registered bike racers
in the U.S. In 2008, the average participant in Iowa’s RAGBRAI ride spent $950
on bicycle purchases specifically for RAGBRAI and $179 on bike clothing and
accessories for the ride. That’s a total of more than $19 million spent annually
on bicycle products for a single event.
Sports participation is usually not about competition. This study shows that athletics is all about people getting out, having fun and doing it for a purpose. It also demonstrates that recreational opportunities build better communities.