It's Time to Get Involved.

Relevance to Generation Z: For the many people stuck at home, biking is a great option to exercise, get some fresh air, see a city or town from a new perspective, and stay away from high-risk places like pools or gyms. 

Because of the pandemic, sales of bicycles have increased—leading to many new cyclists on the roadways in cities like Paris and London. 

For businesses like Brompton Bikes, based in the UK, COVID-19 has meant an increase in sales. Managing director Will Butler-Adams reported that the business has had to use extra stocks from the preparation for BREXIT to meet the demand. The company has been giving back to the community as well, raising £375,000 ($490,000) for healthcare workers in the UK to commute without riding public transport options such as buses. Brompton supplied 800 bicycles to more than 3,000 workers, boosted production by 30%, and plans to hire 200 more workers in the coming months.

Beyond the benefits recognized by businesses, major cities have been adding cycling lanes and other street additions for the growing amount of cyclists. Paris, along its Rue du Rivoli, reportedly added hundreds of kilometers of pop-up bicycle lanes. London, as well, added a bicycle path along Hyde Park. Additionally, fitness apps have cited spikes in riding in American cities like Houston and Los Angeles.

The question remains over whether this “bike boom” will last. General manager of Full Speed Ahead Europe (a bike chain), Edoardo Girardi, states, “it’s unlikely that this demand will keep up.”

- Tia MacDonald

Source: BBC