More people take up cycling because of the coronavirus pandemic, and bicycle sales go through the roof
- The Covid-19 pandemic has boosted demand for bicycles, with people using them to commute, for exercise instead of going to gyms, and to get some fresh air
- With financial incentives being offered to buy bicycles, and more bike lanes and car-free zones being created, proponents of cycling see the change lasting
Keen to stay fit and keep clear of infection, commuters around the world have turned to bicycles to get around during the coronavirus pandemic. The surge has lifted cycle sales sky high and given long-time biking advocates new hope.
Bike shop owners in the Philippine capital of Manila say demand for bikes has been stronger than at Christmas.
In India, the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has advised states to promote non-motorised transport, including cycling, to prevent transmission of the coronavirus. Singapore’s cycle sales are growing and cyclists have taken advantage of the city state’s lighter traffic to ride in fresh air, free of potential infection.
The orders have kept on coming, with reports of empty bike racks at dealers and long waits for resupply across Europe and North America. While Giant’s factories in Taiwan kept rolling, many of their facilities in China had to temporarily shut down when the virus first spread from Wuhan.