[SDCBC] Gas prices knock bicycle sales, repairs into higher gear

[Philip Erdelsky]

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      http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080511/work_bikes.html?.v=2

A text-only version is appended.

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AP
Gas prices knock bicycle sales, repairs into higher gear
Sunday May 11, 1:07 pm ET
By James Macpherson, Associated Press Writer
$4-a-gallon gasoline knocking bicycle sales, repairs into a higher gear, 
dealers say

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) -- Four-dollar-a-gallon gas is good for business -- if you 
run a bike shop. Commuters around the country are dusting off their old 
two-wheelers -- or buying new ones -- to cope with rising fuel prices, bicycle 
dealers say.

"Everyone that comes in the shop is talking about the gas prices," said Barry 
Dahl, who opened Barry's Bikes in Bismarck in April. He sold more than 50 
bicycles in the first month, double the projections in his business plan.

Teacher Joyce McCusker of Herndon, Va., owns a bicycle for the first time in 
years. She bought it last month and uses it to make the eight-mile trip home 
from work. A friend drives her pickup to take McCusker's daughter home from 
school.

"I'm still using fossil fuel," she said. "In two years, my goal is to ride 
both ways, every day through the year."

About 18 million bicycles have been sold annually in the U.S. over the past 
few years, accounting for about $6 billion in annual sales, said Fred 
Clements, executive director the National Bicycle Dealers Association in Costa 
Mesa, Calif.

Bicycle shops across the country are reporting strong sales so far this year, 
and more people are bringing in bikes that have been idled for years, he said.

"People are riding bicycles a lot more often, and it's due to a mixture of 
things but escalating gas prices is one of them," said Bill Nesper, spokesman 
for the Washington. D.C.-based League of American Bicyclists.

"We're seeing a spike in the number of calls we're getting from people wanting 
tips on bicycle commuting," he said.

The League of American Bicyclists is promoting Bike-to-Work Week this week and 
Bike-to-Work Day on May 16. Nesper said he expects a record number of people 
will be pedaling this year.

There's almost nowhere for the numbers to go but up: The group says less than 
one-half of 1 percent of Americans ride a bike to work.

Mark Krenz, 48, is giving it a try. The Bismarck auto-parts store manager 
recently spent $750 on the 24-speed bike and is building up his mileage to 
prepare for his hilly commute.

"In this business, everybody is constantly talking about how to save gas," 
Krenz said. "I bought a bike because I figure it's a good way to save money, 
get in shape and save wear and tear on my pickup."

Rocky Schell, owner of Val's Cycle in Minot, said this may be one of the best 
years in the history of the shop, started by his father in 1960.

It's seeing a spike in the number of tuneups and repairs, which had been 
declining for the past 15 years. Schell said he's also selling lots of bike 
trailers designed to haul children -- customers are using them for groceries 
instead.

A big percentage of Schell's customers haven't been on a bike in decades.

"I'm seeing more people my age or older coming in," said Schell, 51. "The 
college-age kids to 30-year-olds aren't the ones coming in. They still want to 
drive."

Dahl, the Bismarck bike shop owner, said he's worked several on "dusty and 
rusty" bicycles that hadn't been ridden in at least 25 years. He said many 
families have told him that that they intend to go on a bicycle tour this 
summer instead of driving somewhere for vacation.

"Millions of people have bicycles hanging in the garage and they're getting 
them down and riding them," said Rebecca Anderson, advocacy director for Trek 
Bicycle Corp. "People are looking at the bicycle as more than just a toy."

The Waterloo, Wis.-based company last year started a program called One World, 
Two Wheels to promote bicycles for transportation and recreation. Anderson 
said that about 40 percent of trips by car are 2 miles or less -- "a habit for 
some people to get in a car and drive just a few blocks."

Clive Greenberg, a salesman at Metro Bicycles in New York City, said spin 
cycling classes at health clubs, where people use stationary bikes for a 
workout, also are spurring bicycle sales.

"It's pretty interesting, a good majority of middle-age people involved in 
that spinning craze at the gym used to come in and buy cycling shoes," he 
said. "Now they are getting on real bikes."

Engineer Dale Heinert said he's been seeing more fellow bicycle commuters on 
his daily trek to work in downtown Bismarck.

Heinert, 56, started cycling to work when the price of gas began skyrocketing 
-- in 1973. But that isn't the only reason for choosing pedal power: "It's a 
stress-reliever," he said.

Steve Stelton, 47, of Bismarck, was inspired by Greg LeMond's 1986 Tour de 
France victory and has been commuting year-round ever since. He said he's 
physically fit because of it and has saved "a ton of money on gas."

Stelton, a printer, doesn't let North Dakota's cold, windy weather slow him 
down. He said he's ridden to work on snow-covered roads when the wind chill 
temperature was 40-below zero.

"If you waited for a bluebird day to ride to work in North Dakota," he said, 
"you'd never do it."