Domromer

I don't post too often here but I had such a amazing experience I thought I should share it. Lately I've been trying to buy a new commuter bike, so I've been doing the rounds to all the local bike stores to see what they have. Today I decided to drive up to Corvallis and have a look. There are 5 good bike stores all within walking distance of eachother.

I stopped in the first store and there was maybe 8 bikes on the floor, all high end road bikes and mountain bikes. I asked the owner about commuters and he said he can't buid them up as fast as he's selling them. One side of the shop was literally covered in unbuilt bikes in boxes. It was the exact same story in the other stores. Lots of 2k road bikes but not any commuters. All the owners said the same thing, they were either sold out or couldn't buid them fast enough.

I have never seen so many people buying bikes. Usually I'm not one to agree with the Republicans but I don't think any amount of bike advocacy could get people on bikes as fast as high gas prices have. In this case it seems letting the free market change things really did work.

I wish it wouldn't have taken the $4 gallon of gas to get more people riding, but at least they're riding. I'm hoping these new riders stay riding. Maybe with all these new commuters there will improvements in the bicycling infrastructure across the country.

bragi

I've noticed the same thing in Seattle, but not to such an extreme degree. I bought a new touring bike earlier this summer, and have been going to bike shops a lot since then, in order to get it arranged exactly to my liking, and have been kind of surprised by what I've seen:

1. Bike shops are absolutely mobbed by people wanting to buy reasonably-priced commuter-type bikes. Road bikes and touring bikes are selling out, too, but not as fast as entry-level hybrids. Mountain bikes, I've noticed, are still pretty abundant. Maybe people have decided that they don't need full suspension to get to work or to the coffee shop...

2. It's been really difficult to get the parts I want (pedals, shoes, racks, etc.) Bike store employees seem really surprised by this, as well as me, since I've not experienced this before.

3. Service departments have been so busy lately I've just been doing all the work on my bike myself; which has been a bit of a problem, too, because the tools I need are sold out, too, dammit...

grayloon

Not happening to that great of an extent in the Houston area, not if the five shops I've frequented in the last week are any indication. There's a bit of boomlet in comfort and hybrid bikes, but I've wondered if some are buying them "in case of" similar to what happens during hurricane season. Of course, when its been near 100 degrees for several weeks...102 today in parts of town...the lust for a bike sort of dies. Bike sales for the high end road bikes and mountain bikes remains pretty good, but that's the standard trade.

donnamb 

My LBS is closed for 2 weeks. They sold nearly all their bikes and are not getting a new shipment in until the middle of this month.

On the plus side, they were able to give all their employees a paid vacation.

bmclaughlin807

Now THAT'S sweet.

coldfeet

And your LBS is Clever Cycles isn't it? If you weren't such a nice lady I could get really jealous.


P.S. when i first read the title of Todd's blog post " Clever Cycles closing down" I just about had heart failure.
Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch. ( The selling out bit I mean )

donnamb 

Yep.

MnHillBilly

Business is so steady at my lbs, they're almost too busy to provide the good service we're used to - last few trips in for accessories and to test a Trek Lime were disappointing from the sales staff p.o.v. And the wrenches hardly had time to take a break, the manager constantly going back and forth to ask if they could build a such-and-such for so-and-so who's still in the building.
What I'm noticing in my neck of the woods though, is that there are more people buying bikes for recreation - but not so much to use as commuters or to replace the car to run errands. Lots and lots of cruisers and Lime-type "fun" bikes - people getting nostalgic for the bikes of their youth - but I don't see hoardes and hoardes of people commuting and getting groceries to match the speed by which the bike shops are selling out of bikes, so it leaves one to wonder if this is a long-term thing or if people are just looking for a cheaper thing to do on the weekend for a little while. Either case is a good thing - but we're far from being able to declare that gas prices have changed minds here.

coldfeet

No need to be embarrassed, Happy, yes.

Where does that quote in your sig come from?

MadeInItaly

I live in Long Beach NY. Everyone and I mean everyone is on a bike. I do all my own work on my bikes. I don't have a guide to cut forks and was putting a steel fork on my Colnago master. So off the the LBS I go to get it cut. Not only are bike flying out the door. He tells me there is a 2 week wait on service. Thank god he had a park guide and the local hardware store had hacksaw's.

MadeInItaly

It took 7.50 a pack for me to quit smoking. Sometimes we are moved to make the right choices for odd reasons.

Anthony87

I visited a Bike Shop in Tulsa and noticed most of the hybrids and road bikes were missing from the racks. This came to my surprise considering most of the hybrids and some road bikes start to go on sale towards the later half of the summer.

Domromer

I walked into clever cycle before and saw no bikes, it was just hip urban city type bike clothes and lots of accessories. Where do they keep the bikes? Is there another location?

mconlonx

The great part about this is that there will be another bunch of used bikes for sale at significant discount in 3-5 years, in 10 there will again be plentiful garage/yard sale bikes, and in 20 you'll be able to pick up a decent 00's commuter for chump change at Goodwill. Bike boom? Yay! Bike bust? Yay!

sykerocker 

First they have to start riding and get into some kind of physical condition. At which point, the idea of commuting becomes a lot more practical.

Doing a couple of blocks in the neighborhood after dinner is a wonderful starting point. Just increase the distance a few hundred yards every night and pretty soon the rider is able to comfortably ride the equivalent distance of a one way commute.

And it's only then that the concept of actually commuting by bike will emerge.

It'll take time. Just because we're already doing it doesn't mean everyone else is going to be able to follow immediately.

Domromer

I predict in about 3 years I will be filling my garage with fixies bought of CL for $25 each. I then save them for 10 years until the next fixie craze.

grayloon

Do you really believe that's a good long-term investment strategy?

donnamb 

When were you there? The bikes are in the back, but there haven't been much of them lately.

Someone on teh internets. I wish I knew his/her name.

Domromer

I think I was there in May. I should be up there again this weekend. Do you know if they are open now?

donnamb 

Not until the 11th.

Domromer

Can't be much worse than real estate.

donnamb 

swbluto

I've noticed that as well. I was told any basic quick repairs would take up to 10 days. I thought , I'll do it myself(I went to another bicycle shop, though, to true my rear wheel and the turn-around time was a day: much better). It helps that I have the tools of my father, who has performed many repairs on his bikes of years past, so tools are not really hard to come by.

grayloon

All depends on the market and kind of real estate.

folder fanatic

I am from the Los Angeles area and this is what is going on here. From Folding Bikes West's own Website:

Our LA Area Store
"Opened to much acclaim June 16th at 221 Main Street in El Segundo, CA and saw its stock sold out within 48 hours."

I myself have visited this store on it's opening day. Even the proprietor was suprised at the amount of sales and interest her little shop brought. Here is my own post-with photos-on what happened then:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=442422&highlight=

I do not think that this a fluke or a temporary craze. I think of it as a part of a whole picture. People are really suffering. With the combinations of Forclosures or the threat of it, doubling or tripling up in housing in some places, job losses, tight credit, and other woes are creating a void in people's life. One of the prized things in people's lives is the ablility to get around in order to make a living or simply to be with others.