PORTLAND, Maine — Fitness junkies locked out of gyms, commuters seeking to avoid mass transit, and families going stir crazy during the coronavirus pandemic are fueling a boom in bicycle sales.
In the U.S., bicycle aisles at mass merchandisers like Walmart and Target have been swept clean, and independent shops are doing a brisk business and are selling out of low- to mid-range “family” bikes.
The trend is mirrored around the globe, as cities better known for car-clogged streets install bike lanes to accommodate surging interest in cycling.
The shortage will take some weeks, maybe months, to resolve itself, particularly in the U.S., which relies on China for virtually all of its bicycles.
