Bicycle Sales Boom in US

LAS VEGAS, US ( Oct 5) – No, it has nothing to do with rising fuel prices or environmental issues. It’s all about an ever increasing traffic congestion problem and with growing worries on obesity. That’s why bike sales in the US are booming. This was said by US bike industry expert Jay Townley at this year's Interbike Show that ended last Friday in Las Vegas. He stated that more Americans now use the bicycle as an alternative means of transportation because the average speed in US cities is currently lower than 11 mph. That bikes are used for transportation is also reflected by the type of bikes Americans are buying. According to reports in the US trade journal Bicycle Retailer that quoted dealers it is said that: “Hybrid sales are amazing. We’re selling a ton of them these days.” The boom in bicycle sales is regarded as the highest in 32 years. Not since the oil crisis of 1973 have bicycles been sold in such large numbers. According to Townley, sales in 2004 totalled some 20 million units. About 2005 he said that it again will be a record year with sales growing toward the 21 million units mark. Next to Hybrid bikes, also custom bikes are best sellers. On distribution channels, industry expert Townley mentioned that Internet sales are making a huge progress, even to such an extend that it could lead to a break in the conventional supply chain in the near future. That the current boom in bikes doesn’t go unnoticed by other than the US suppliers was also reflected by this year’s Interbike Show. The annual dealer event in Las Vegas had more international exhibitor’s than probably ever before with an Italian pavilion while there was also an European village. For a complete report on Interbike 2005, see Bike Europe’s October edition.