Bicycles
How many ride a bicycle in Denmark? How is Danish cycling behaviour and cycle tourism?
Note: Below, we provide links to Statistics Denmark and others who make statistics on the subject. In some instances, the sources referred to below have content in Danish only or limited content in English.
How many are cycling and how far?
That can be answered at Danish Centre for Cycling Knowledge, which has prepared the knowledge portal The National Cycle Account (in Danish). The cycle account has collected cycle data across a wide range of sources, including the Transport Habit Survey and the Road Directorate's accident statistics, so that you can find your way around e.g. bicycle thefts, number of bicycle trips and a municipal satisfaction index for cyclists.
The Cycle traffic index of The Danish Road Directorate describes the development in the cycle traffic and is based on registrations from bicycle counting stations throughout the country.
Statistics Denmark describes in the article "Danmark på to hjul" (2022) i.a. road cycling as exercise and cycling as a membership sport.
In the national bicycle strategy “Danmark - op på cyklen!" from 2014, the Ministry of Transport has compiled figures to monitor the development in cycle traffic in Denmark since 1990. You can also read about the development in children who cycle to school, increased road safety for cyclists and the development of cycle tourism.
Who knows anything about the behavior of cyclists in traffic?
In the publication "Cyclist behaviour in signalized intersections“ from 2019, the Danish Road Directorate has looked into the road behaviour of cyclists, e.g. how many cross signalised intersections when the light is red, cycle on the pavement or use hand-held mobile phones while cycling.
Rådet for Sikker Trafik has statistics on the use of cycling helmets from 2004 onwards.
Where to find information about cycle tourism?
The Danish Road Directorate has reports on recreational cycling and cycle tourism (in Danish).
In their report "Cykelturisterne i Danmark" (only in Danish), VisitDenmark describes Danish and foreign cycle tourists in Denmark.
In a survey for Danish Cycling Tourism, YouGov has examined Danes as cycle tourists: E.g. who goes on cycling holidays, which countries we go to on cycling holidays, when Danes go on cycling holidays and who they bring along.
Where do I find information on electric bikes?
Statistics Denmark has described the Danish production and sales of electric bikes in the article "Den danske produktion og salg af elcykler" (in Danish only) from Danish enterprises in 2013-2020. Unfortunately, similar calculations for carrier bikes are not possible.
Figures from 2022 show that every eighth family will have an electric bicycle. The electric bicycle is for the first time included in StatBank Denmark's table "The families possession of home appliances by type of consumption".
In addition, Statistics Denmark has assessed the number of accidents involving electric bikes (in Danish), just as The Danish Accident Investigation Board in 2019 has published a report on "Elcykelulykker" (in Danish).
A report by the Danish Road Directorate provides an analysis of the use of electric bikes in Denmark, "Elcykling i Danmark“, from 2019, and in the memo "Viden om elcykler" from 2015, it has gathered information on electric bikes, electric cycle traffic, and behaviour of cyclists on electric bikes, safety and attitudes to electric bikes.
Where can I find information about "small motorized vehicles"?
Motorized scooters, speed pedelecs and self-balancing skateboards have become a common sight in the larger cities. In 2020, the Danish Road Traffic Authority published the "Evalueringsrapport om små motoriserede køretøjer" (in Danish), which, among other things, gives an insight into the type of accidents the vehicles are involved in. Ulykkes Analyse Gruppen, at Odense University Hospital, has recorded injuries after accidents with motorized scooters treated at the local emergency department. The result can be read in the following press release (in Danish).
[This page was last reviewed in November 2023]