PARKVILLE, Mo. — For Joe Fox, owner of Cycle City in Parkville, the past few weeks have been the been the best of times and the worst of times.
On the one hand, sales are surging.
“Everyone is wanting to buy a bicycle so we’re all in the same boat,” Fox said. “A lot of people are stuck at home, and a lot of people who usually go to the gym simply can’t.”
But at the same time, because of the crippling effects of COVID-19 on the manufacturing supply-chain in Asia, Fox said he’s never had such difficulty in stocking inventory.
“Mountain bike-wise, we don’t have much in stock under $2,000 at the moment,” Fox said. “We do have a lot of gravel bikes and fitness bikes and adventure bikes in that lower range though.”
It’s the same story at bike shops all across the nation, as people look for healthy ways to stay active while also avoiding public transportation.
Market research company NPD Group said the sale of bicycles nationwide, for the month of March, easily doubled last year’s total.
Many big box stores across the land also ran out of low-end consumer mountain bikes by the end of April.
“Walmart, Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods, you’re not going to be able to walk in and walk out with a bike, it’s just not happening right now,” Fox said.
Even so, Fox and others are optimistic that the rediscovery of one of the oldest forms of transportation will hang around once the pandemic is over.
Until then, Fox said he will continue to sell bikes as soon as they roll in the back door.
“I have six bikes coming tomorrow. I anticipate selling all of them tomorrow.”
