Commuting - AP article: Gas prices knock bicycle sales, repairs into higher gear

"Commuters around the country are dusting off their old two-wheelers — or buying new ones — to cope with rising fuel prices, bicycle dealers say."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080511/ap_on_re_us/work_bikes

I like being part of 1% I really hope it doesn't become too popular then we'd have grid lock on the MUP's.. :-o

My car just spent two weeks in a body shop - correcting a bad repair done a year ago. The work was free, and the owner was worried that I would hit him for rental car fees. Hell no! What a great reason to kick off the warm weather commute season!

Gas was $3.37 a gallon when I brought it in. Gas is now $3.55 a gallon. When I got back in the car, it took me a few moments to regain my bearings. What a great feeling, to be more comfortable on a bike than in a car. Saved $40 those two weeks and rewarded myself with a super cheap Nashbar jersey and a new drivetrain for the main ride.

While I have seen more bicycles, the MUPs and streets are not overflowing with rookie commuters.

Win-win.

My car just spent two weeks in a body shop - correcting a bad repair done a year ago. The work was free, and the owner was worried that I would hit him for rental car fees. Hell no! What a great reason to kick off the warm weather commute season!

Gas was $3.37 a gallon when I brought it in. Gas is now $3.55 a gallon. When I got back in the car, it took me a few moments to regain my bearings. What a great feeling, to be more comfortable on a bike than in a car. Saved $40 those two weeks and rewarded myself with a super cheap Nashbar jersey and a new drivetrain for the main ride.

While I have seen more bicycles, the MUPs and streets are not overflowing with rookie commuters.

Win-win.

I think in all likelihood as the gas crunch continues we will see more experienced riders on the roads first until desperation drives all the yahoos (the completely inexperienced-have almost no business on a bicycle-or-a-car-for-that-matter) to start riding.

A potential negative in this: bike prices and related accessories will go up. :(

I'd like to see more people riding bicycles on the streets, experienced commuters and "rookies" alike. At a time where global warming and dependance on fossil fuels have become unavoidable issues, I'm all for people deciding to make positive changes. There's simply no room for riding a high horse, or a high saddle for that matter.

I think in all likelihood as the gas crunch continues we will see more experienced riders on the roads first until desperation drives all the yahoos (the completely inexperienced-have almost no business on a bicycle-or-a-car-for-that-matter) to start riding.
Those are the ones out their now around here. I'm not sure if it is just spring or if they are actually out there because of $$. I actually think the recreational riders who ride on the road are keeping in their cars for now because they have the $$ not to mind the gas price upswing.

If we are really going to see more people on the road I worry about safety of all these folks riding any way they feel like it and potential backlash from local governments to get bikes off the road becuase of the hazard they are creating. :twitchy:

A potential negative in this: bike prices and related accessories will go up. :(

If biking ever gets reallly popular, just the opposite. There is A LOT of room for savings due to economies of scale in bicycle production.

I really hope it doesn't become too popular then we'd have grid lock on the MUP's.. :-o

I do. Cyclists will then realize its more efficient to use streets, thus creating more cyclists in said streets.

If biking ever gets reallly popular, just the opposite. There is A LOT of room for savings due to economies of scale in bicycle production.

That's for sure. Right now the best way to sell stuff at a high margin is to put a sticker on it that says "for bicycles." The fact that you can go to the home center and buy parts for lights, for instance, spend a few hours building them yourself and still save a ton of cash even if you value your time at $20/hour means that there's room for a market. If the market becomes big enough, competition will start pushing prices down.

A potential negative in this: bike prices and related accessories will go up. :(

The volume of sales could do the opposite and cause prices to go DOWN :D

Wishfull thinking?

EDIT

Hey! You beat me to it! :p

My bike was the only one all winter here at work. Then I started noticing more and more as the weather turned nice. Now it's rained for the past couple days,and once again my bike is by itself. Wimps.

I was one of those people that bought a bike last week to start commuting to work.

In terms of gas, the whole idea of substitute goods is brought up. Gas for cars is expensive; gas for bodies is cheaper (well, in monetary terms). Wonder what the threshold will be until we start seeing a noticeable difference on the roadways.

I was one of those people that bought a bike last week to start commuting to work.

In terms of gas, the whole idea of substitute goods is brought up. Gas for cars is expensive; gas for bodies is cheaper (well, in monetary terms). Wonder what the threshold will be until we start seeing a noticeable difference on the roadways.

I'd imagine gas would have to hit $10 a gallon or something just outrageous first. If bicycle commuting increased by 100%, that would still be only a ~1% change in the fraction of people driving.

Finally I was glad today to see this article on cnn http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/news/0805/gallery.real_people_gas/index.html !! Always used to read articles on how gas prices are going up, and how you should drive at 55 mph to get best mileage, or give up food to save on gas, or stop washing your clothes and save laundry money to buy more gas, but NEVER read anywhere suggesting give up 4 wheels and take up the 2 wheels !! Today I read this on cnn, and then saw this thread !! Thats good.