| A number of businesses in Tayside have already fallen foul of the ongoing economic crisis, as more and more consumers are being forced to limit their spending, but it appears the bike industry could come through fighting.
Sales are up on this time last year in a number of the area’s bike stores, and an increasing number of workers are continuing to make use of the Department of Transport’s tax-free bike purchasing initiative, Cycle to Work. A one-off payment of between £300 and £500 can purchase a good quality adult road or hybrid bike, which, if cared for, can last as long as ten years.
Compared to the thousands of pounds it costs to buy, run, insure and tax a motor vehicle every year, it has come as no surprise to many in the cycle business that two wheels are fast becoming favoured over four.
“Our bike sales are up two-fold,” said Bryn Williams, one of the partners at Nicholson’s Cycles, on Forfar Road. “With the financial crisis in full swing many people are struggling to run their cars and using a bike is very economical, as well as being good for both our health and the environment.
“A lot of people who’ve been in the shop have been looking for a long term investment, so have gone for higher price models that will last longer.”
In particular, Mr Williams said he’s seen a big increase in road bike sales, as more and more people chose to cycle to and from work.
“People seem to have become much more road bike orientated again,” he said.
“For a long time we sold a lot more mountain bikes and hybrid models but recently, especially with the Cycle to Work schemes offered by many local businesses, road bike sales have been on the up.”
Craig Grieve, partner at Spokes of Dundee, in Perth Road, also said cycling was being seen as a “top money saver”.
“A lot of people are coming in to buy bikes through the Cycle to Work scheme, saying they hope using their bikes instead of cars will save them money,” he said.
“While many businesses are really struggling at the moment we have our head firmly above water, and I can’t see that changing in the next few months.
“The biggest change in the past year has been the increase in the sales of high quality road and hybrid bikes, as they’re a lot more road friendly and, if looked after, can last for years.”
Mr Grieve added they had also seen an increase in the number of families buying bikes. “A lot of people cannot afford to spend thousands on a foreign holiday so have been in buying bikes for all the family to take them on holiday with them in Scotland,” he said.
As one of the region’s biggest employers, Dundee City Council has been successfully operating a Cycle to Work scheme since November, 2007.
A spokesperson for the council said the scheme was working well, and a large number of employees were currently leasing bikes with the hope of purchasing them. The spokesperson added that the number of employees using the scheme did not include the many who already used their own bikes to get to and from work.
Twice a year NHS Tayside staff are also given the opportunity to apply to make use of their Cyclescheme and, since the middle of 2007, more than 400 have joined up. |
