The demand for bicycles in Britain has tripled in the past year. Despite the economic downturn, bicycle sales in June soared by more than 20 per cent. In July, a poll by the Association of Cycle Traders showed that 83 per cent of bike shops were experiencing an increase in sales compared to last year which confirms this upward trend.

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “All sorts of factors over the summer months conspire to boost the popularity of cycling – the trick is to turn these people into lifetime cyclists.”

According to the ETA bicycle sales are booming because:

• the fine weather is undoubtedly a factor, but with people tightening their belts cycling provides a
cheaper alternative to driving or public transport and the gym

•the popularity of the government’s Cycle to Work scheme, which offers tax-free bikes to those who intend to commute by bicycle, has taken some retailers by surprise

• the Tour de France is an annual catalyst for cycling

Be sure to protect yourself from cycle theft by taking the following simple steps:

Insure your bike – according to research only two per cent of cyclists have adequate insurance. You may be covered on your household insurance policy, but read the small print.

Buy a good lock – Aim to spend ten per cent of your bike’s value on a stout lock and make sure you use it properly – always secure the frame and do not leave the lock on the ground as it makes it easier for the thief to smash.

Whilst on the subject of cycling, James Cracknell and Rebecca Romero had to ‘abandon’ their attempt to break the Land’s End to John O’Groats tandem record, following medical advice given to Olympic individual pursuit champion, Romero, due to discomfort to her knees caused by the length of the ride.

Rebecca and James hope to try again, however in the meantime perhaps Sauce cycling enthusiasts John Twitchen and Olivia Cameron could take up the challenge – not sure how we’d ever agree on combining John’s mountain bike with Olivia’s road bike though!?

For more information on cycling events that Sauce gets involved with, please contact info@sauceconsultancy.co.uk

By Olivia Cameron

Tags: Bicycle boom, Environmental Transport Association

This entry was posted on Monday, August 24th, 2009 at 9:30 am and is filed under News Archive. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.