Bicycling has become an alternative to automobile transportation for many residents in the Phoenix metropolitan area due to high gas prices, amplifying sales in the bicycle industry.
The U.S. bicycle industry earned $6 billion in 2007, a $0.2 billion increase from 2006 when its sales were $5.8 billion, according to the National Sporting Goods Association.
The Chandler branch of the Performance Bicycle chain has seen a 20 percent increase in bike sales this past year and a heavy increase in the past six months, said store manager Lance Vett.
“People come in so they can start riding bikes to and from work,” said Sam Zinkand, sales associate for Performance Bicycle. “We have some employees who don’t even own cars.”
In the past year, more than half of Chandler’s Performance Bicycle customers have come into the store to repair old bikes and one-fourth come in to purchase new commuter bikes, Vett said.
In 2005, when the average price of gas rose to around $2.80 per gallon, 19.8 million bikes were sold, according to the National Sporting Goods Association. Between 2006 and 2007, 36.4 million more bikes were sold as gas prices rose from an average of $3.20 to $3.80.
Ben Solliday, a senior at Dobson High School in Mesa, rides his bike seven miles three to four days a week to and from work. Solliday said he saves $23 weekly by riding his bike and not having to pay for gas.
“I’ll stick with a bike till I at least go to college,” Solliday said.
Although some people are starting to choose a bike over a car, others will pay the high gas prices for the perceived guarantee of timeliness that comes with driving a car.
Amber Bianco, also a senior at Dobson High School, lives less than a mile from school and work but said she would not even consider purchasing a bike.
“It would crunch my time if I biked to work and school,” Bianco said, “I like being able to get to places in a faster time.”
