Posts Tagged ‘Covid-19’
New School Year Brings Big Shift to e-Cargo Bikes
Melbourne, Victoria Victoria’s cargo bike community is making a mass migration to motor assistance, if the experience of Melbourne store Cargocycles is any indication. In recent weeks, the Brunswick East store has averaged three enquiries a week from conventional cargo bike owners looking to make the switch to e-cargo bikes. One in three of those…
If You Read Nothing Else Read This! Bike Supply… The Sequel
From conversations with various industry members over recent weeks it seems that, after a brief respite, bicycle stock supplies are tightening again – just as we lead into our busy summer season, potentially leading to a bike shortage in Australia. Right now, some of the biggest questions on most Australian bicycle retailers’ minds include, ‘When…
Vietnam Shut Down Impacts Australian High End Bike Supply
When you think about bicycle and component manufacturing countries in Asia, chances are that your list would start with China, Taiwan and perhaps Japan. But Vietnam has become an increasingly important production hub over recent years. This has been partly as a way for global brands to avoid the ‘anti-dumping’ measures imposed upon Chinese manufacturers…
Why Has Global Shipping Become So Chaotic and Expensive?
If you’re a wholesaler, you know first-hand that shipping prices have gone through the roof since covid hit. If anything, the situation is getting worse, not better. It’s not just the price that’s problematic. There are long delays, fewer ships sailing to Australia and New Zealand and our ports are chocked with empty containers while…
10 Tips to Help Your Store Through Lockdown
As we compile this article during the second half of August 2021, more bicycle shops in more states and territories face tougher restrictions than at any time since the start of Covid restrictions in Australia 18 months ago. Here is a brief summary, focusing only on the restrictions specifically related to the bicycle industry. In…
Letter from America: January 2021
What a year! And that’s an understatement. But with 2020 inching toward it close it’s time to attempt a forward look for 2021. It’s sort of a tradition among the press — this sometime feeble annual attempt to prognosticate about the future. In this case more specifically about the future of cycling in the U.S.…
Eurobike Postponed… Again! Plus Other Expo Updates
Eurobike, arguably the world’s leading bicycle trade show, has been postponed for a second time. The show is traditionally held during late August/early September, but postponed until 24th to 26th November in the hope of allowing time for Covid to recede. Unfortunately, things are now getting even worse in Europe and it was inevitable that…
What Impact Will Covid-19 Have on Your Business?
Things have certainly been moving fast since my March newsletter. What was already a major concern is now a full-blown global pandemic. Every day, the situation is changing, so there’s little point in discussing the latest news within this article. Instead I’m going to project forward and try to help you get a picture of…
Bicycle Commuting Might Grow Due to Coronavirus
The global coronavirus pandemic is developing so quickly that no-one, including those in positions of authority, can accurately predict what is going to happen next. But with each day it seems more likely that one consequence for larger cities will be at least a temporary increase in the percentage of commuting trips done by bicycle.…