Cycling retail has complex product data requirements — frame sizing (S/M/L or numerical 49/52/54/56/58cm), component compatibility that varies by drivetrain standard, and for e-bikes, regulatory compliance that determines whether a product can legally be ridden on UK roads. All of this needs to be accurately preserved and surfaced during migration.

Cycling product categories

Complete bikes: Road, mountain, gravel, hybrid, commuter. Frame size and colour variants. Very high-value items — freight or click-and-collect delivery.
E-bikes (EAPC): Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles. Motor wattage and speed limiting are regulated. UK EAPC rules apply.
Framesets: Frame + fork sold separately. Material (aluminium, carbon, steel), geometry variant.
Groupsets and drivetrains: Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo. Speed (8/10/11/12), brake standard (rim/disc), and bottom bracket type compatibility critical.
Wheels and tyres: Wheel diameter, rim width, tyre width (700c, 650b, 26", 27.5", 29"), and tubeless compatibility.
Cockpit: Handlebars (drop, flat, riser), stems, seatposts. Diameter standards matter (31.8mm clamp, 25.4mm clamp).
Saddles: Width (in mm), rail material, and shape variants.
Clothing and accessories: Cycling jerseys, bib shorts, helmets (EN 1078 certified), gloves. Size and colour variants.
Nutrition and hydration: Energy gels, bars, water bottles, electrolytes.

Frame size variants

Frame sizing varies by discipline and manufacturer. Two common approaches:

Alpha sizing (XS/S/M/L/XL): Most mountain bikes, hybrids, and some road bikes
Numeric sizing (49/51/52/54/56/58/60/62cm): Most road and gravel bikes, measured as seat tube length

In Shopify, frame size is the primary variant with colour as secondary. With 7 sizes × 4 colours = 28 variants, this is well within the 100-variant limit. For the inventory approach: bikes are high-value items often held in limited quantity — consider setting realistic stock levels per size/colour rather than relying on a single aggregate stock figure.

Component compatibility metafields

Component compatibility is the single most important piece of data for cycling parts. A buyer choosing a crankset needs to know it's compatible with their bottom bracket, their chainring bolt circle diameter, and their chain speed. Store as metafields:

product.metafields.cycling.speed = "12"                         // drivetrain speed
product.metafields.cycling.shifter_type = "Mechanical / Electronic / Hydraulic"
product.metafields.cycling.brake_standard = "Rim / Disc / Both"
product.metafields.cycling.disc_mount = "Flat mount / Post mount / IS mount"
product.metafields.cycling.bottom_bracket_type = "BSA / PF30 / T47 / BB386"
product.metafields.cycling.bcd_mm = "110 / 130"                 // bolt circle diameter
product.metafields.cycling.axle_standard = "QR / 12x142 / 12x148 / 12x100"
product.metafields.cycling.max_rotor_size_mm = "203"
product.metafields.cycling.groupset_compatibility = "Shimano GRX / SRAM AXS / Campagnolo Ekar"

Tyre and wheel sizing

product.metafields.cycling.iso_diameter = "622"                 // ETRTO standard (700c = 622mm)
product.metafields.cycling.wheel_size = "700c / 650b / 29 / 27.5 / 26"
product.metafields.cycling.tyre_width_mm = "23 / 25 / 28 / 32 / 40 / 47"
product.metafields.cycling.tubeless_ready = "true"
product.metafields.cycling.tpi = "120"                          // threads per inch
product.metafields.cycling.tread_type = "Slick / Semi-slick / Knobby / Mixed"

UK e-bike regulation (EAPC rules)

In the UK, electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs) are legal for road use if they meet specific criteria:

Motor power: maximum 250W continuous rated output
Assistance cut-off: motor must not provide assistance above 25km/h (15.5mph)
Pedal-assisted only: motor must only assist when pedalling (pure throttle e-bikes are classified as motor vehicles and require registration, insurance, and driving licence)
Minimum age: 14 to ride an EAPC

E-bikes that don't meet EAPC criteria are mopeds under UK law. Selling them as e-bikes without disclosure creates legal liability. Store e-bike regulatory data as metafields:

product.metafields.cycling.motor_power_w = "250"
product.metafields.cycling.max_assisted_speed_kmh = "25"
product.metafields.cycling.eapc_compliant_uk = "true"
product.metafields.cycling.drive_type = "Hub drive / Mid drive"
product.metafields.cycling.motor_brand = "Bosch / Shimano Steps / Fazua / Bafang"
product.metafields.cycling.battery_wh = "500"
product.metafields.cycling.range_km_estimate = "80-120"         // varies by assist level
product.metafields.cycling.charge_time_hours = "4"

Complete bikes: delivery logistics

Complete bicycles require specialist packing (partially assembled, boxed) and often buyer assembly or professional setup. In Shopify:

Freight shipping profile for complete bikes (DPD, XDP, specialist cycle couriers like APC or Interlink)
Click-and-collect option for local buyers who can collect built and tested
Consider build service as a product add-on (using Infinite Options app) — "Professional build + safety check: £25"

Post-migration checklist for cycling stores

Frame size variants consistent across all bike products
Component compatibility metafields populated (speed, brake standard, bottom bracket)
Tyre ETRTO/ISO sizing as metafield alongside common size description
E-bikes: EAPC compliance status prominently displayed
Motor wattage and speed limit metafields on all e-bikes
Freight delivery profile configured for complete bikes
Click-and-collect available for complete bikes
Helmet EN 1078 certification metafield on all cycling helmets

Migrating a cycling and e-bike store from WooCommerce to Shopify (2026)