South West bike shops battle stock shortage

South West bike retailers are asking for the community to be understanding with a stock shortage heading into the Christmas season.

An uptake in cycling habits combined with the pandemic has left bike shops across the nation struggling to get stock.

MaD Cycles workshop manager Chris Deeks said the pandemic saw an 80 per cent increase in demand for bikes as more people picked up cycling.

“Kids, women and elderly have all been getting into the sport,” he said. “People have been scrambling for bikes — I’ve even had customers ask to by my own.”

However, the boom comes with a price — delays and less stock.

Mr Deeks said COVID-19 had caused manufacturing delays in countries like China, meaning shipments were late and certain bikes were hard to get hold of.

“I think WA forgets we’re still in the middle of a pandemic,” he said.

“Factories are affected which in turn makes my job harder.

We’re just asking people to try not to get frustrated and to be understanding.

Bunbury Cycles part-owner Darryl Shields said the shortage was a worldwide problem and estimated there had been a three-fold increase in demand for bikes.

“The big thing at the moment is there’s a shortage in the bikes that are the typical Christmas presents — bikes between $400-$1000,” Mr Shields said.

“Suppliers are at the mercy of the manufacturers.

Manufacturers before COVID were at 95 to 97 per cent capacity and then if demand has increased by three fold it’s just not going to work.

“What’s happening now is bikes are being made and distributed but they’re being rationed or you’re being put into a waiting list.”

Mr Shields likened the situation to the toilet paper buying craze: “bikes land and they’re all spoken for.”

He said the shortage seems to be up until at least next August.

“People have been disappointed, but at the moment there’s an understanding of the reason.”