19.5% increase in Bicycle sales [View All]

[happyslug]

Bicycle stores have been getting a new type of customer recently: former car commuters.

They've wiped the cobwebs from their dusty 10-speeds and they come in looking for accessories and a tuneup. They wander the aisles and marvel at how far bikes have come since the classic Schwinn Cruiser....

Bike suppliers are racing to keep up with the demand. By August, year-to-date bicycle shipments had risen 19.5 percent from the same period in 2004, according to the National Bike Suppliers Association.

At the bike-industry trade show in Las Vegas last month, the showroom floor displays emphasized the practical side of the sport -- racks, saddlebags, lights, locks and cold-weather gear, Mr. Clements said. Manufacturers are beginning to produce more bikes with these features built in.....

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05289/588905.stm