Cycling success is just the business

9:00pm Thursday 21st August 2008

Comments (2)   Have your say »

CYCLE shops in Swindon are expecting a boom in sales as Britain’s Olympic cyclists keep bagging golds.

Trader Ivor Read at Red Planet Bikes, Old Town, expects bike sales to soar even though the school summer holidays are drawing to a close.

The Wood Street shop owner said: “Although this time of year is a quiet period as everyone is away on holidays, I am expecting sales to rise towards the end of august.”

Britain’s athletes have already taken 16 gold medals at the Bejing Olympics.

But Mr Read, 46, says the athletes are doing more in the long-term for the country than winning the Olympics.

“The focus on cycling in the Olympics has definitely brought about an increased public awareness of it as a sport,” he said.

“We have sold more fitness bikes recently than mountain bikes, which used to be more popular.” Mr Read said that a similar boost in bike sales came about after the Cycling World Championships held in Manchester in March.

He also said an increase in awareness of green issues and fitness had also helped boost sales as commuters got on their bikes.

“Since environmental agencies made a big push to get everybody cycling to work, our commuting bike sales are on the up,” he said.

A recent Government strategy to get people cycling to work by offering them incentives has also affected the cycling industry.

Cycle to Work is a tax incentive that aims to reduce air pollution and improves riders’ health. The scheme allows employees to benefit from a long-term loan of bikes and commuting equipment such as lights, locks and panniers completely tax-free.

Mr Read said the scheme has been popular in Swindon due to the rising cost of fuel and congestion.

Fellow trader Harold Mitchell, of Mitchell’s Cycles in Shrivenham Road, has been selling bicycles for 40 years.

He agreed that cycling has become a booming business in recent years although he believed it was largely down to escalating travel costs.

He said: “I believe that although the Olympic cyclists are raising awareness, more people are cycling for their health and for the environment these days.”