Canberra bike sales soar with shops facing supply issues

Sales at Pushys bike store sped up dramatically as people were forced into lockdown and gyms closed down.

"That's been incredibly consistent since then," manager Nick Haisman said.

"Particularly over Christmas we were twice as busy as what we were in previous years. So, demand just went right up but then supply went the other way.

"All the factories closed globally. Everyone everywhere wants bikes but Australia's not a priority."

Demand has spiked across the country with Australia set to hit a record high of 1.75 million bicycle imports in a 12-month period.

Bicycle industries Australia general manager Peter Bourke said the Covid-led demand for bikes has brought on a 50 per cent increase in sales nationally.

"It seems Australians voted for bike riding during COVID and visited bike shops with the entire family, leaving with new bikes for everyone or getting their old bikes from the shed repaired and ready for riding," he said.

"Those supply chain issues in 2020 that caused significant shortages of stock across the board are still being felt with very low floor stock available nationally and long wait lists, something that will take many months to resolve but makes this new record all the more remarkable."

Mr Haisman said supply issues at the Fyshwick store have started to ease, and were most acute late last year.

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"There was a patch over Christmas, actually, where we couldn't get kids bikes, which is the main seller over that period of time," he said.

He said the stores main brand, Giant, had low supply and ordering what they wanted was out of the question.

"Rather than us putting in orders for particular bikes it became a matter of you guys can have these bikes ... We just get what we can," Mr Haisman said.

ABS data shows the previous bike import record in 2014-15 was 1.4 million, which had been falling to 1.1 million in 2019-20.

Sales of parts have also increased 50 per cent, ABS data found.

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