In The United States, Bicycle Sales Reach Rp.14 Trillion In One Month

Bicycle illustration. (Yudhistira Mahabharata / VOI)

JAKARTA - The trend of riding during the COVID-19 pandemic does not only occur in Indonesia. Uncle Sam's country, United States, has also caught a bicycle fever.

Cycling is indeed an option for people during a pandemic situation, so they don't just stay indoors. Various types of bicycles are also selling well in the market ranging from the cheapest to the most expensive.

Reporting from Bicycle Retailer, Monday, July 20, this can be seen from the NPD Group research which states that retail sales of bicycles in the US exceeded the US $ 1 billion (Rp14 trillion) mark during April 2020.

The sales increase in the April period was the highest since the company conducted research on the bicycle market in the US. NPD Group stated, usually bicycle sales in the US in April are only around 550 million-575 million US dollars.

NDP Group explained, bicycles for the category of family use at low prices showed the highest increase in sales from year to year.

Sales of bicycles as a means of supporting lifestyle and recreational purposes grew by 203 percent, mountain bikes with front suspension jumped by more than 150 percent, and children's bicycles increased 107 percent during the month compared to the same period the previous year.

Often with an increase in bicycle sales, accessory sales also grew, such as helmets by 49 percent, water bottles by 60 percent, and bicycle baskets by 85 percent.

"For too long the cycling industry has focused solely on athletes, but these results suggest that there is a broader focus, where families and startups can benefit producers. This is optimism and one of the important sports retail lessons to break out of the pandemic," said the adviser. the NPD sports industry, Matt Powell.

Not only two-wheeled bicycles, indoor bicycle products also experienced a large increase in sales. Sales of stationary bikes jumped 270 percent in April.

Dirk Sorenson, sports industry analyst at NPD said this is a unique and powerful opportunity for retailers, manufacturers and nonprofits to engage new cyclists.

Meanwhile, according to the LA Times, according to a weekly survey conducted by PeopleForBikes of 932 US adults, 9 percent of American adults say they are returning to their bikes because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The majority of cyclists also said they would continue to ride bikes even after the stay at home policy was removed. Rainer Zaechlin, owner of Menlo Velo, a small bicycle shop along El Camino, said, in the 25 years he has worked in shop management, he has never felt as busy as he is now.

Rainer said the waiting list for standard service, which usually takes no more than a day or two, now has to wait more than four weeks due to increased demand.

In addition, the available bicycles, especially those that cost less than US $ 1,500, were in short supply.