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Bicycle Sales Boom

3K views 60 replies 41 participants last post by  mtbfree 
#1 ·
Stores are cleared out of bicycles right now. Box stores are emptied. Local bike shops are swamped with business. This is great for our love of bicycles and for the industry.

Now what happens when covid19 restrictions are lifted and people go back to normal life? Will they still continue to ride or will the bicycles sit for years? Will local trails and greenways be packed full of cyclists?

What is the future ?
 
#3 ·
I'd guess the future is likely similar to the past. A large portion of people that buy bikes have the best intentions but they ultimately end up collecting dust in the garage.

Hopefully it gives a solid boost to the good local bike shops... they're a dying breed.
 
#6 ·
Stores are cleared out of bicycles right now. Box stores are emptied. Local bike shops are swamped with business. This is great for our love of bicycles and for the industry.

Now what happens when covid19 restrictions are lifted and people go back to normal life? Will they still continue to ride or will the bicycles sit for years? Will local trails and greenways be packed full of cyclists?

What is the future ?
Well, after they've ridden their new bicycle during pandemic times, the bicycle will return to the garage for a healing period of 1m to a year, at which time its collected dust and has gotten in the way enough that it is then moved to the backyard shed. Then after a year or so, those new bicycles will be put up for sale, if not stolen from the shed in the meantime.

In the meantime, we know where the government relief monies are going.
 
#24 ·
I'm going to guess that they'll be used through the summer, put away in winter, and then never ridden again.

However, there will likely still be a small percentage that discover that they really love it and will continue to ride.
 
#10 ·
Order your bicycle parts, tools, chemicals online, stock up so the delivery charge is worth it. Beats standing in the LBS line with more % of strangers around. Same notion as to not hit the drive thru for Starbucks, the more people that dont touch your stuff the better, less people around you the better.

I like to give my money to local businesses, so there are a few stores that have online websites with good product selection. Buying a bike, really need to sit on it and ride it.
 
#11 ·
i wonder if there are numbers on what price range? I assume most bikes are sold to people that just now start riding around the neighborhood. So i assume those are $500 bikes.

The people that buy better bikes already had the idea. Wth the economic uncertainty i would even think the high priced bike sales are down.
 
#16 ·
i wonder if there are numbers on what price range? I assume most bikes are sold to people that just now start riding around the neighborhood. So i assume those are $500 bikes.

The people that buy better bikes already had the idea. Wth the economic uncertainty i would even think the high priced bike sales are down.
My local LBS said their sales are double from this period of time one year ago. And they are a Trek dealer, and moving a ton of Treks, and not just entry level bikes. I'd say a lot in the $1500-$3000 price range. Not to mention all the accessories and service work they are doing. Their employees are working 60-70 hour weeks...and not complaining about it.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
#12 ·
I see a lot of people riding and out. I see a lot of people riding on what look to be rarely-used bikes. This is great.
 
#13 ·
Whatever gets people out riding in the "fresh" air the better.

People don't want to bother with going through the hassle of buying used, going to a strangers house, and all that nonsense. Better economic choice for them to do that, maybe not as big a risk factor though when considering standing in line at the LBS, how many ppl etc etc etc.
 
#15 ·
Yes sales are very good right now.. some shops around here are sort of bummed because they are working 2x times harder than normal but making about the same money because the bikes they are selling are low priced bikes.. not the $4-8K bikes they sell more of in normal times.

who knows.. hopefully and likely some percentage of people will stick with it.. on the few mtb trails that are open I haven't seen a lot of new riders... out on the street riding around the neighborhood yes.. way more new people riding ..but on the trails not so much.
 
#19 ·
Well, I've personally purchased 3 new bikes since this pandemic started, so I'm doing my part. I waited in line at the Trek SuperStore in San Diego for almost 3 hours to get in there because they were the only one that had and XS Fuel Ex. Their flagship store looked like it had been robbed there were so many empty racks on the walls. At one point employees were telling people in line that there were no bikes available for less than $1k and not a single person left the line. Meanwhile when I went to order my other daughters bike from TrailCraft there was a notice on their site that due to high sales volume it could be a week before your bike shipped. I think it took about 7 days for my daughters bike to ship, indicating that even such a small, niche bike seller is slinging bikes out the door as fast as he can. Meanwhile, I went to a shop in Poway to buy a new frame and they literally had a huge stack of bike boxes out on the sidewalk in front of the store. I spent 20 minutes outside of a different Trek dealer and watched half a dozen new mountain bikes roll out the door. For many of us this is our extended "rainy day" but for the bike shops it seems that it's just raining money. Hopefully some of them can use this time to get their heads well above water.
 
#20 ·
Good for the bike shops! Its a positive thing.

Bikes are sold out online as well. Depending on brand, they are not available. Its not just that regular people driving the sales, the gym rats (myself) have nothing to do. I used to go to the gym 4-5 days a week to lift, do spinning another 3-4 days. I have very little gym equipment at home + my dusty hybrid. So I started riding.

It hasn't been bad riding because the traffic is way down but once they open everything back up, its not going to be pretty. We shall see how many people stick with it.

Since the majority of the bikes are made in China we shall see what the future holds. There is a giant backlash brewing about these supply chains spread across the planet. Bring it all back, it will help make the economy and create jobs for Americans.
 
#22 ·
It's weird for me. Riding where I live is not that popular, so I have always been one to preach my passion to anyone who seemed interested. Suddenly my local trails are so crowded with bikers (and hikers) that it's bordering on annoying.

I also have been getting stopped a lot by riders who have come from the closest big city (about one hour) who don't know the trail system at all and are looking for advice. I used to love those conversations, but again, this spring they are at a point of bordering on annoying.

I find myself feeling guilty that I feel that way, because I am so passionate about biking. But I hope things open back up and we return to normal soon. I have to say I liked the old normal better as far as using my local trail system is concerned.
 
#40 ·
It's weird for me. Riding where I live is not that popular, so I have always been one to preach my passion to anyone who seemed interested. Suddenly my local trails are so crowded with bikers (and hikers) that it's bordering on annoying.

I also have been getting stopped a lot by riders who have come from the closest big city (about one hour) who don't know the trail system at all and are looking for advice. I used to love those conversations, but again, this spring they are at a point of bordering on annoying.

I find myself feeling guilty that I feel that way, because I am so passionate about biking. But I hope things open back up and we return to normal soon. I have to say I liked the old normal better as far as using my local trail system is concerned.
Nah I agree. Call me an old curmudgeon but now that MTB has become the new mainstream popular activity the crowding can be annoying. On the other hand, lots of new trails are being built around here and access is better than it's ever been. So there are pros and cons I guess.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk
 
#23 ·
I was told by one shop that customers are coming in and asking for "the cheapest bike you have." they usually carry some very basic 400-500 bikes but those sold long ago and they can't keep them in stock. the warehouses are running out. so customers who expected to buy a $200 bike because they don't know what bikes cost are happily shelling out $800-900 instead.

the trails are pretty crowded. we have a lot of trails that are woven through residential areas, so there are very few "trail heads" but just places in neighborhoods where you can just drop in. lots of bros with Oakleys, tank tops, no helmets, and headphones in blasting Nickleback while blasting bind corners on department store bikes. there are also families hiking with off-leash dogs (totally illegal but never enforced) and families riding bikes in trails that are WAY over everyone's skill level. usually the parents don't wear helmets but the kids do. the trails are slowly getting wider and rock gardens are starting to get sanitized.

it's fun to point out the annoying and hypocritical aspects of this, but in the end, it's a good thing.
 
#31 ·
figuring out how to set up a bicycle so it kind of fits you is not difficult, and I would think it would be obvious to most people if their bike is set up awkward.

my favorite is grown-ass men riding 24" girls mountain bikes. if that's all you got, rock it, but there are quite a few men who seem to get stuck riding little girls' bikes in my neighborhood where I know they could afford a proper bike.

the other one is people riding road bikes that are clearly too big for them, and riding all the way down the drops all the time. pedaling with your hips at a 90 degree angle from your torso and your chin nearly resting on your stem can't be comfortable. why are humans so bad at knowing how their bodies work?
 
#32 ·
My lbs, service and sales of low end (less than $500) bikes are up 400% over last year. However, highend sales $2k+ bikes and highend accessory sales (RS & Fox Forks) are non-existent.
 
#36 ·
This is where we are at with my LBS.

We're a Trek and Giant dealer and when this started we loaded up on <$1k bikes and they're nearly all sold.

Higher end is a tougher sale because it's people who want to physically see, touch and test ride a bike before buying. Because we're operating as a webstore with curbside pick up test rides aren't possible.

It is harder work than operating a "normal" store but I do believe that when this is all done we'll still be operating in this hybrid system.

The webstore is here to stay.
 
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