New York SBDC Research Network

Want to start a bike shop? Here are some free web resources that offer industry stats and advice to get you going. National Bicycle Dealer's Association: Want to Start a Bike Shop? Bicycle Retailer & Industry News: Bike Stats (Including the 2008 Bike Stats Issue) Bikes Belong Coalition: Survey Says: High Gas Prices Are Fueling Bike Sales The Outdoor Industry Association: The Active Outdoor Recreation Report, Bicycling

Al Scher, our resident cycling geek, emailed me two interesting items this week. Both would be of interest to any clients you might have who run bike shops: From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune comes an article titled $4-a-Gallon Gasoline Knocking Bicycle Sales, Repairs Into a Higher Gear" . Bike shop owners around the country are noticing a remarkable jump in the number of bikes being bought. I haven't had a bike in years, and I'm thinking of paying a visit to a local shop. TheCyclePeople.com promotes itself as a site where 1.5 million cyclists visit often. This page is promoting a deal where owners of bike shops, touring companies, or cycling clubs can submit one or more listings - for FREE - for display for the rest of 2008. The catch is that they need to have the business' information by May 31st, 2008. So, again, if you have clients in this industry, let them know about this deal.