Haryana: Bicycle sales increase in region as cycling becomes new passion among people

AMBALA/YAMUNANAGR: The sale of bicycles especially imported mountain and road bikes recorded a jump as cycling has become a new passion of the people during the lockdown due to Covid-19, who are now pedaling long distances in groups in the region.

Some bicycle dealers told that the demand has increased and people are spending money on imported road and mountain bikes of the premium categories and as of now, they are not able to meet the demand due to improper supply.

Sumeet Gupta from Yamunanagar-based cycling group Cyclo Buds said, “Our group has been cycling from last about 3 years and we pedal a distance of about 20-25 kilometers in a day on a regular basis. We are witnessing an increasing trend among masses and more people are indulging in cycling as institutions like gymnasiums are closed due to Covid-19. People who want to stay fit are doing cycling. During the weekdays, we pedal a distance of about 20-25 km within the city areas, and on the weekends, we go for long distances rides between 50-70 km outside the city.”

A dealer Sanjeev Sethi of Colors Cycle from Model Town, Yamunanagar said, “The demand for premium cycles including mountain and road bikes has suddenly increased during the lockdown and the companies are not able to supply as per demand. The companies are saying that manufacturing has been hit due to a shortage of labour and Covid-19. The supply is also hit due to international transport restrictions. The customers are demanding bikes of imported brands like Firefox, Raleigh, Frog, Kross, Suncross and others. The demand is there for cycles of brands like Hero and Hercules too.”
“The companies were prepared with cycles for kids as every season after the results of students are announced the sale goes up for them. But this time, the demand has increased for cycles for adults who are showing interest in cycling to stay fit during the Covid-19 times”, said Sethi.
Another dealer Rajesh Mehndiratta of Yuva Autonation, Model Town in Rewari who exclusively deals in Firefox bikes said, “There is no doubt that the sale and demand for mountain and road bikes has increased during the lockdown. We had never expected that such a boom would happen in cycle sales in this time period. The supply has been hit due to issues like labour shortage and transportation obstruction. Even Hero Cycles plant in Ludhiana is supplying after a waiting period of about 1.5 months to 2 months due to labour shortage.”
Vishant Monga of Sheel Cycles in Karnal said, “The foreign companies are not able to meet the demand as they are out of stock and the Indian companies are also not manufacturing at the required scale due to certain issues. The companies had not expected that the stock would be cleared at that speed during the lockdown and now the restrictions due to Covid-19 are an obstruction.”