COVID-19 caught everyone in the cycling industry off-guard.
Shutdowns, lockdowns, and physical distancing left many people without their normal outlets for recreation and physical activity. Parents scrambled to find activities to do with their suddenly homebound children. In cities, fears of surface contact and cramped buses, subways, and trains left many seeking alternative forms of transportation. All of this culminated in an unprecedented spike in demand for bikes. It happened everywhere and all at once. And then, suddenly, there were no more bikes.
“The supply chain couldn’t keep up with the demand,” says Jeff Faulds, Bike Department Manager at Wild Rock Outfitters (and former OEM Sales Manager at Shimano Canada). Jeff went on to explain that this was on top of a gap in supply that had already been created by numerous factories in Asia closing for weeks as they dealt with their own COVID-19 outbreaks.
“The result was a gap in the North American supply right as COVID-19 landed here,” says Jeff. “This combined with the spike in demand resulted in the perfect storm for bike shops across the continent.”
I spoke with several local bike shops about the impact this had on their businesses and the story was pretty much universal.
Once the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic became apparent, most local shops halted operations and/or cancelled their orders, if they could. A move some might later regret but, despite being declared an essential service, the path forward was riddled with uncertainty. However, only a couple of weeks later, the mood shifted and shops began re-opening. It became clear that this was going to be a big year.
After scrambling to secure more inventory, staffing challenges quickly surfaced and, in many cases, owners had to step in, spreading themselves thin, to assist with increased workloads or fill the void left by employees who weren’t able to return to work.
Dan Yang, co-owner of Dream Cyclery, shared stories of working 12-16 hour days and his business partner commuted from Toronto to their Peterborough location every day to help keep the doors open there.
Ben Logan, owner of Fontaine’s Source for Sports, said that they had to add another mechanic to their crew as they faced 2-3 times their normal repair workload. “This lasted for 3 months,” says Ben. “The work environment was fast-paced and stressful, despite only allowing one customer in the store at a time for much of that period.”
This was the situation for most shops as they entered what was already sure to be their busiest time of year. Mere weeks into the pandemic, while still managing their own personal and professional anxieties around re-opening, figuring out their new normal, and surviving life in the trenches of small business, they faced a surge in demand that they were completely unprepared for.
The high-end bike market was mostly unaffected, but the entry- and intermediate-level supply dried up quickly. Kids’ bikes sold out everywhere. Prices in the used market jumped and people, in turn, looked to repair or upgrade bikes that they already owned. This further stretched the resources of local shops.
Tegan Moss, Executive Director of B!KE, lost 75% of her regular volunteers and, as a result, had to reduce their capacity from 5 workbenches down to 2. “We were turning people away,” she explains. “Both new customers and ones that have been with us for years.”
As the parts supply dried up, several shop owners shared stories of spending hours per day more than usual searching for alternative suppliers online, often still coming up short.
Staples like floor pumps, tubes, and chain lube, all dwindled in supply. Items that repair shops rely on for their day-to-day activities, such as spray bottles and rubber gloves, disappeared from shelves as other businesses began increasing their sanitization efforts.
For stores that already had inventory or gambled early, it has been a banner year. But, without a doubt, it’s been a trying time for everyone across the entire industry.
Now that most of the Province has entered Phase 3, things are beginning to calm down. There are more activities for people to do and the pressure is lifting. However, the impact of the past few months on the supply chain is still being felt and likely will be for months.
This month’s trail tip: Dropping your heels helps lower your center of mass and can improve both traction and stability. Experiment with this for riding corners, steeps, and technical terrain. A dropper (or manually lowered) seatpost is beneficial here.
A Singletrack Mind by David D’Agostino
