since6

I noticed it on a local trail, bikes, lots more bikes than all the Augusts of before. And, shiny, new bikes, all ages, but a lot in later years. A bike boom?

So I visited a couple LBS and found near empty show rooms, then Target and even there the cupboard was near bare. Asking shop employees, they confirmed my grandson's wait of three months to get a beginners Schwinn.

You wonder, so many new normals from Covid-19, will this change hold when choice is returned?

Will we have discovered wind and sky and the passing journey of life again?

SoccerBallXan

All the bikes are being bought however I have yet to see any more bikes being rode on the streets...

Give it a year and they’ll all be back on Craigslist!

nlerner

Nah, stored in the garage for the next 9 years and up on CL in year 10!

madpogue 

Covered in dust, with consumables drying out, listed as "like new".

rustystrings61 

My LBS is picked bare. The owner said he had ordered bikes back in January and has been told to expect to receive bikes next year. There are very few used bikes in his shop, and the inventory is the lowest I've ever seen.

scarlson 

Wait you just figured this out now?

One of the things another thread pointed out is that while a bike may be a ticket to socially-distanced freedom in spring and fall, the hot summer is a killer with or without a mask, and the average cramped urban renter or family with kids/toys would get pretty sick of storing a bike in short order as winter under a stay-at-home order keeps the less-hardy off the road.

I have only noticed an increase in riders during the "usual" times: nice days on the MUP, cool mornings full of roadies, weekends with families. I can still go for a ride when the conditions are even slightly adverse (windy, heat, evening after day's work, hint of drizzle in the forecast), and not see a soul on a bike. To me that says they haven't really caught the bug and it's a passing craze - like people say, this leads me to believe a bike bust is right around the corner. But maybe I'm being pessimistic.

ryansu

I was helping my nephew find a bike and paid $120 for a early 90s Trek 820 that 10 months ago I could have probably picked up for half that, then again I scored a 93 Univega Hybrid for $40 on Sunday but that was probably because I just happen to look when the ad was up for less than an hour. Hope the boom is still going when I finish a few projects I would like to sell.


Univega Via Montenga

Trek 820

malcala622

it's not a bike boom. Millions aren't riding their bike to work or school. The bikes you see are the one that have been sitting for 5+ years and causing shops to have a 3-4 week wait on service.

Slightspeed

I don't know where you guys are, but here in LA, on a morning ride where I might see 2 or 3 riders in past times, I'm seeing 15 or 20 recreational riders, and lots of families, commuter and even "homeless" types too, near their encampments. Lots of walkers too. Also, people seem more friendly with a wave or "hello" as you pass by. At first there was much lighter car traffic, but now its pretty normal, except for the lack of early morning and afternoon school rush. Will new riders continue, who knows ? We all had to start somewhere.

canklecat

Yeah, I don't think there was a huge sustained rush to buy new and used bikes. But the pandemic did interrupt the manufacturing and supply chain, so replacements aren't coming in to fill the gaps caused by the slight increase in purchasing during the spring.

That initial rush of enthusiasm faded as soon as the summer heat came along. I used to occasionally use part of the MUP to get from my side of town to other parts of town, and in March-April, maybe early May, the MUP was crowded. So I quit using that route. But recently I've used the MUP several times and there's hardly anyone out there. Not many real diehards who'll ride or jog in 90+F heat.

By winter most of those impulse purchase bikes will be on craigslist and other for-sale sites.

dddd

I've sold five bikes since Saturday, no problem getting the asking price.

A couple of Italian bikes with too-big frames brought $$ I never would have expected, and the hybrid and a 1980's Cannondale brought prices not seen since 2007 or so.

All this in a very weird economic environment where the price of Silver and Gold has gone through the roof in just this past week, and where the stock market continues to rally even as bigs like Starbucks are suddenly reporting huge losses.

I'd like to sell enough bikes this month to buy a new Tesla, with enough left over to take a European vacation.

SurferRosa

B17 saddles are $126 now on ebay (new, buy-it-now). For years, they used to be around $90.

beicster 

An early 90's Trek 820 would have been at least $200 here before COVID. $120 looks good by comparison to me.

gthomson

I'll chime in because I've posted similar posts in other groups about this. Great time to sell your collection but not to build it up, that's for sure. I have been trying to pick up another vintage steele ride and even though I've set notifications for any updates to the market place sites someone always beats me. They are sending an eTransfer to the seller before they even set eyes on the thing. I won't go that far unless everything is perfect in the ad. but I guess that's why I don't have another bike to show off

ryansu

I picked up this 850 in November 2019 for $20 with a flat tire and some balky shifting so perhaps that has skewed my view a bit

joesch

Just like gym memberships after New Years, new pandemic bike riders will not make it a routine.
As for the bikes, supply will then go up as demand decreases.
Bottom line, bike prices will be going down for us N+1'ers

since6

Yes, just noticed, we are deep in our bubble due to risks of age and desire to live to enjoy our hard won retirement. Our tandem on its trainer and working through the collection of classic rock n roll.

Will it fade?

Perhaps, but I think there will be a change, a meeting in the middle for many. I have grandsons that want to ride their bikes, but yes you must pry them away from their gaming. But then they have a virtual grandfather who they want to have watch them play Mine Craft for a couple hours each week, and yes they're the ones asking. As to Grandpa he fumbles to keep up, ask relevant questions, and hear cryptic explanations...but it's all good...bridges of electrons or bike paths are bridges. They cross the middle.

gomango

In reference to nlerner's post above.

Not ours.

I have never sold so many bikes in such a short period of time.

It feels great to free up so many hooks and "redistribute" the funds after the sale.

I've treated the family to a new Weber grill and I have a new Hardy fly rod to show for my efforts.

In fact, I still have $$$$ set aside.

My advice is to sell if you are on the fence about having a huge herd to maintain.

Keep your favorite bikes and get rid of the others.

You may never have such an easy time to sell again. imho