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SALT LAKE CITY -- Bicycle sales are up across the nation. Some say it's connected to high gas prices, but it appears to be much more than that.
While other businesses have been hurting, The Bicycle Center in Sugar House has been busy. Sales of many other items in this economy have been soft, but sales of bikes have been strong.
"The average bike sale has grown from a couple hundred dollars a few years ago to over a thousand dollars today, which is pretty remarkable," said Phil Blomquist, owner and manager of The Bicycle Center.
He says road bikes are popular right now. While sales of new bikes are up 9 percent in the first quarter nationwide, road bike sales alone are up 29 percent, according to Scott Jaeger, senior retail analyst with Leisure Trends Group, a Boulder, Colo.-based retail tracking firm.
"They are like cameras and phones, they get better every year," he said.
"A lot of that is attributed to these new lightweight frames they are on. They are easier to ride, more fun to be on, they are quiet, they are smooth," he explained.
Blomquist says some people use the bikes to commute to work to save on gas prices, but that's not the main reason for strong sales. He says many people just get hooked on cycling for fun, fitness, and family time.
‘There are organized rides and races about every weekend," he said, saying that pushes the bike market as well.
E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com
