BLOOMFIELD, Connecticut — Mike Wolf, the owner of the Bloomfield Bicycle Shop says he has seen a lot in the 68 years he has been involved with his family business, the Bloomfield Bicycle and Repair Shop.
But never anything like the surge of sales he has seen since the Covid-19 pandemic hit Connecticut. Because bike shops were allowed to stay open, Wolf says his business has boomed over the past two months, with people buying all sorts of bikes. "In all the years of being in the bicycle business," Wolf said. "Nothing, nothing is even close to this."
Wolf, an 80 year old great grandfather who still bikes himself, said the social distancing aspects that cycling brings have helped get more of his products out the door. "It's crazy we can't keep bikes in stock, we get a shipment and people walk in and say "I'll take that one, they don't even care what care what color it is."
In Avon, Paul Stephan, who has owned Ridgeline Bicycle Shop for the past eight years said that business has been strong since the Covid crisis ensued but that there is now a shortage on actually getting bicycle inventory, and especially, bikes under $2000.
"It's definitely been a buying boom but now there is a shortage boom," Stephan said. Both bike store owners agreed that the health benefits of biking coupled with social distancing aspects all play in the increase in sales. Wolf added, "the way to feel good is on a bike."
