The possibilities of this being a viable explanation is as good as nil. Take a look at the famous movie "Ladri di Biciclette" (The Bicycle Thief), you will then understand that bikes were the mainstay of transportation and they were comparatively expensive and nobody would spend the money and let it sit around. There was simply no market for "duplicate" bikes or not necessary bikes in the 30's. With austerity measures during the war, the use of a bike only became even more important, with many of those lucky enough to own a car switching back to bicycle use. One simply would not forego the use of a bike.