Peddling to Pedalers

The two-wheelers were out this summer and in noticeable numbers. Light posts all over downtowns were locked with more bikes than last year. Local bike shops have seen an increase in sales during this summer of the $4 gallon and the $50 tank.

Excerpt:

At the Ann Arbor Cyclery on Packard Street, sales are up 27 percent from this time last year, said owner Jon Kieft.

Just recently, the 2009 bicycle models became available. But before that, customers were finding it more difficult than usual to get a bike in both the exact model and color they wanted, Kieft said.

Sales, are "stronger than usual because people are trying to avoid the cost of gas," Kieft said.

Bike shops all over the country tell similar stories. New bikes designed mostly for work commuters have been the hardest to keep in stock. The high cost of gas and a general desire to save money in uncertain economic times have also brought in customers asking mechanics to tune up old cruisers that have gathered dust for years.

Read the entire article here.
Enjoy this story? Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.