Originally Posted by
Tom Bombadil
"The biggest growth area in road cycling is actually sportive riding. Sportives are one-day, long-distance challenge rides aimed, for the most part, at older, more affluent amateur riders, many of them entrepreneurs and executives."
Now according to my LBS- Their "New" customers are the type of person that for years has worked locally but always used their cars or Public Transport for their commute. They have realised that Bikes are quicker round town and the cheapest form of transport for the short trips that they can use.
This seemed to start at the beginning of the year when gas prices started to rise- but the surprising thing is the number that have stuck to bikes as a mode of transport. In the past- he has had many attempt cycling only to give up. This year- those new cyclists have stuck to it and are even coming back for better bikes.