Noida-based Anubha Verma took to cycling during lockdown last year. She started with her son’s bicycle to gauge if she wanted to keep at it. She started solo with a nudge from her cousin, and went on to find a cycling group that helped turn that interest into passion. After a month, she invested in her own geared bicycle and all the equipment that cyclists swear by! Hers is not a standalone case. India was never known as a cycling nation because of the potholes, traffic and most of all, pollution. Cycling was primarily a means of transport for the financially weaker section. But during lockdown, it became extremely popular among many middle and high-income groups across cities.
This has naturally led to a boom in the bike business. Sukanta Das, CEO, Firefox Bikes shares, “Our business clocked a 2X growth last year (2020-21) and we continue to grow at the same rate this fiscal. Our online sales through our website has seen a 10X growth. We are investing in our digital offering for seamless online customer journey, both sales and service. The demand for bikes is coming largely for adult bikes- MTBs and Hybrids and we expect this trend that started during the lockdown last year to continue for the next two years.” Most bike dealers, even those who have been in business for the past 40-50 years, have not seen such an unprecedented growth in the bicycle market. Some of them have been struggling to meet the surging demand.
https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.489.0_en.html#goog_379298810
Delhi-based Suresh Sinha started a cycling group in June 2020. “We were tired of the monotonous routine during the pandemic with no outings and no workout. With work from home, the work-life lines were blurring. I started cycling with my neighbours as it allowed social distancing while being together and it gave us all a sense of community bonding. Gradually more people joined us and today we are a group of 60 people.”
Goregaon-based Kritika K started slow but now is a part of long cycling tours. “When I started, there was a lot of nostalgia and I thoroughly enjoyed my rides but then I also signed up for brevets. I also ride with my family and it’s the most exciting part of our day.”
The cycling boom
The boom is not only happening in India but worldwide. A historic number of people have taken to cycling in the past two years, something that is allowing people to get some sort of exercise, fighting pollution and also acting as an efficient mode of transport. Most importantly, it is a fun activity at any age.
While the cycling boom is at its peak, many worry that once things go back to normal, this enthusiasm will begin to fade simply because Indian cities are not bike friendly. But if the right efforts are put in place, the time is not far when we will indeed see people cycling to shorter distances instead of using their cars. But for that to happen, there is a need for dedicated bicycle lanes to make it safer and also a more viable option for travelers.
