The Bike Industry is throwing a party, are you invited? (Xpost from Commuting)
 

I just finished posting an article about Interbike and new products for transportation cycling: http://austinbikeblog.org/?p=880.

It looks like there are a few interesting products including a new more moderately priced Civia product line. It also looks like Xtracycle and cargo bikes are really starting to take off.

Do you think this a lasting trend or are we going to go back to getting lost in all the performance bike crap?

I think that depends on us (the bike savvy minority) and the public at large. If gas prices crash you can kiss this new trend goodbye as more of the initiated public will stay car heavy.

If gas prices crash but you can no longer get financing for a new car, where does that leave us?

There would be more people buying mopeds or scooters like many other countries.

Take a look at Cuba...lots of early and mid-fifties American cars are still running around. Uruguay used to be the same, inflation made it difficult to buy a new car. Cars will not die if gas is cheap...under 5-6 bucks...and they can be kept on the road. Good time to become an auto mechanic if that happens, or to own a salvage yard.

Cuba and American cars:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/27/au...es/27MILL.html
http://tommyimages.com/Stock_Photos/...ican_Cars.html