Halfords vs Merlin Cycles:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Halfords had more branded searches than Merlin Cycles among bike shops in the United Kingdom. Halfords had about 49,500 branded searches, while Merlin Cycles had 22,200. Halfords made up 14.4% of all bike shop searches we track, and Merlin Cycles accounted for 6.5%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about bike shops, Merlin Cycles appeared in two of the three answers and Halfords in one. Merlin Cycles was mentioned before Halfords in two out of three answers.
Who do people search for more?
Halfords, about 2 searches for every 1 for Merlin Cycles
Who does AI mention more?
Merlin Cycles, mentioned in 2 of 3 answers, Halfords in 1
Who does AI recommend more?
Merlin Cycles, named ahead of Halfords in 2 of 3 answers
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Top bike shops in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions, Merlin Cycles was mentioned in two out of three: in two of the three ChatGPT answers. Halfords was mentioned in one out of three: in one of the three ChatGPT answers. Merlin Cycles was listed before Halfords in two out of three answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Sigma Sports1st
Tredz2nd- Halfords3rd
Ribble4th- Merlin Cycles5th
Evans Cycles–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Tredz2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Sigma Sports2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Ribble2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Merlin Cycles2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Halfords1 of 3Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Evans Cycles0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
See every answer about bike shops
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Where should I buy a bike in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best bike shops in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which UK bike shop is best for buying a road bike online?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“bike shops”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“bike shop near me”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 22, 2026.
Is Halfords or Merlin Cycles more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Halfords and Merlin Cycles by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six bike shops we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for Halfords, Merlin Cycles. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Evans Cycles | Tredz | Halfords | Sigma Sports | Ribble | Merlin Cycles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 39% | 17.5% | 14.3% | 14.3% | 7.1% | 7.8% |
| Nov 2025 | 32.1% | 21.6% | 14.5% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Dec 2025 | 37.1% | 20.4% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 5.9% | 9.2% |
| Jan 2026 | 37.6% | 20.7% | 11.3% | 13.8% | 7.3% | 9.3% |
| Feb 2026 | 41% | 18.5% | 10.1% | 15.1% | 7% | 8.3% |
| Mar 2026 | 38.2% | 17.1% | 14% | 14% | 7.4% | 9.4% |
| Apr 2026 | 39.4% | 17.6% | 14.4% | 14.4% | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| May 2026 | 39.4% | 17.6% | 14.4% | 14.4% | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Jun 2026 | 37.4% | 20.5% | 13.7% | 13.7% | 7.3% | 7.5% |
| Jul 2026 | 39.4% | 17.7% | 14.4% | 14.4% | 7.7% | 6.5% |
| Aug 2026 | 39.4% | 17.7% | 14.4% | 14.4% | 7.7% | 6.5% |
| Sep 2026 | 39.4% | 17.6% | 14.4% | 14.4% | 7.6% | 6.5% |
Halfords sells other things too, so only its searches that name this product count here, like “halfords bikes”.
How has the Halfords and Merlin Cycles comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Halfords was ahead of Merlin Cycles in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Halfords’ share of searches among bike shops in the United Kingdom moved from 14.3% to 14.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 49.5K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Merlin Cycles’ share of searches among bike shops in the United Kingdom moved from 7.8% to 6.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 27.1K to 22.2K.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom bike shops in September 2026?
1 change
Estimated monthly branded searches for Merlin Cycles in the United Kingdom fell 18.1% over 12 measured months, from 27.1K to 22.2K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Halfords’ and Merlin Cycles’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Halfords
1 branded search term
- halfords bikes
Merlin Cycles
1 branded search term
- merlin cycles
Other head-to-heads among bike shops
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