Economic Stimulus, Bicycle Style

So are you looking for some good news in the economy? Look no further than the bicycle business. Step right this way! There are many signs that the bicycle industry is doing very well, thank you. And it looks to be continuing.

There are lots of reports popping up now about last year and how the cycling industry fared. The term, "record year" keeps popping up, all without the drastic falling off in the latter part of the year that the rest of the economy suffered. I know the bike shop I work for did really well last year too. But that was last year, what of the future, what about now?

Well, I think that the signs I'm seeing point to a healthy year. Maybe not better than last year, but certainly on par with it. For one thing, the shop I work for has been busy. We experienced upticks for every month so far this year over last, and this month is going really well too. In fact our road bike selection, which was busting at the seams just a month ago, is decimated and we had to re-order to fill in inventory already. Repairs have been steadily increasing too.

So, that's just one shop, right? Of course, there are several areas that are not doing as well on the retail level, and I've heard about that too. Certainly there will be some shops that struggle and some will close their doors for good. So why all the optimism?

Well, the company reps I have talked to all seem cautiously optimistic. The over riding attitude seems to be one of "it looks okay, but we aren't sure yet". I think that a collective sigh of relief is going to be the next thing I hear in the industry. Again, maybe not a growth year, but certainly a steady one.

Then there may be more instances of companies caught being cautious, like the one I heard about last night. I received an e-mail in regards to some questions I had about an upcoming product, but I found the other news I received to be rather intriguing. The e-mail stated that the company in question was so busy that every shipment of product received in was already pre-sold and there was little to no inventory left in their warehouse to ship to orders coming in. The comment was something to the effect that they couldn't believe their sales performance in the face of this recession. "Slammed" was how the e-mail described their business now.

While I'm no economic expert, I can stick my head out the window and see what the weather is like with the best of them. I think it is looking pretty fair out there, with peeks of sunshine breaking through. I suspect the cycling industry is in for some fair weather sailing in 2009.

Economic Stimulus, Bicycle Style

So are you looking for some good news in the economy? Look no further than the bicycle business. Step right this way! There are many signs that the bicycle industry is doing very well, thank you. And it looks to be continuing.

There are lots of reports popping up now about last year and how the cycling industry fared. The term, "record year" keeps popping up, all without the drastic falling off in the latter part of the year that the rest of the economy suffered. I know the bike shop I work for did really well last year too. But that was last year, what of the future, what about now?

Well, I think that the signs I'm seeing point to a healthy year. Maybe not better than last year, but certainly on par with it. For one thing, the shop I work for has been busy. We experienced upticks for every month so far this year over last, and this month is going really well too. In fact our road bike selection, which was busting at the seams just a month ago, is decimated and we had to re-order to fill in inventory already. Repairs have been steadily increasing too.

So, that's just one shop, right? Of course, there are several areas that are not doing as well on the retail level, and I've heard about that too. Certainly there will be some shops that struggle and some will close their doors for good. So why all the optimism?

Well, the company reps I have talked to all seem cautiously optimistic. The over riding attitude seems to be one of "it looks okay, but we aren't sure yet". I think that a collective sigh of relief is going to be the next thing I hear in the industry. Again, maybe not a growth year, but certainly a steady one.

Then there may be more instances of companies caught being cautious, like the one I heard about last night. I received an e-mail in regards to some questions I had about an upcoming product, but I found the other news I received to be rather intriguing. The e-mail stated that the company in question was so busy that every shipment of product received in was already pre-sold and there was little to no inventory left in their warehouse to ship to orders coming in. The comment was something to the effect that they couldn't believe their sales performance in the face of this recession. "Slammed" was how the e-mail described their business now.

While I'm no economic expert, I can stick my head out the window and see what the weather is like with the best of them. I think it is looking pretty fair out there, with peeks of sunshine breaking through. I suspect the cycling industry is in for some fair weather sailing in 2009.

Wednesday News And Views

Raleigh Rainier Bits: Some of you might remember that I had gotten a Raleigh Rainier single speed cyclo-cross bike awhile ago. Well, almost all of the bits and pieces are here now. Almost! A few key things are yet to arrive and then the build will commence. Documentation in photos will be provided!

Trans Iowa Tire Survey: The Ritchey Design sponsorship of Trans Iowa V5 required me to put out a call to all on the roster to get their tire size to me so the tubes Ritchey wants to provide, (one to each person on the roster) will fit the bikes they are going to use. Well, so far I have 46 people out of 75 responding and the tire size that seems to be the most popular so far is 700 X 35mm. I guess that means that if your tire blows out, chances are good that you could mug a nearby competitor for one of their wheels and it might fit!

Oddly enough, only two responders are riding 26 inch wheels.

You have until January 31st to get me the tire size you are using for T.I.V5 if you are on the roster and have not responded yet. If I do not hear from you, I will assume a size of 700 X 35mm and be done with it. Also, if you have come up against something that prevents you from coming to T.I.V5, please let me know! Hit me with an e-mail because I have a few anxious people yet on The Waiting List. Thanks!

Signs Of Slowing Down?: The buzz around the industry is that some companies are quietly laying off some employees, some are planning on cutting back a bit, and overall a general quietness blankets the cycling industry. I think that in some ways this shows that there are some smart folks running some of these companies. While cycling in general enjoyed an up year in '08, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that maybe things might not be as rosy in '09. Cutting back or at least holding course seems to be the prudent thing to do for now. perhaps this spring, when the weather breaks, we'll see how 2009 is going to go, but until then, it seems as though everyone is holding their breath.

No Slowing Down Here Though! Plans are being laid and things are in the pipeline that should prove to be the makings of a very busy spring here at Guitar Ted Laboratories. It's going to be really interesting with some of the products coming in for Twenty Nine Inches and some other changes in the making. Stay tuned! It certainly won't be boring here!

Wednesday News And Views

Raleigh Rainier Bits: Some of you might remember that I had gotten a Raleigh Rainier single speed cyclo-cross bike awhile ago. Well, almost all of the bits and pieces are here now. Almost! A few key things are yet to arrive and then the build will commence. Documentation in photos will be provided!

Trans Iowa Tire Survey: The Ritchey Design sponsorship of Trans Iowa V5 required me to put out a call to all on the roster to get their tire size to me so the tubes Ritchey wants to provide, (one to each person on the roster) will fit the bikes they are going to use. Well, so far I have 46 people out of 75 responding and the tire size that seems to be the most popular so far is 700 X 35mm. I guess that means that if your tire blows out, chances are good that you could mug a nearby competitor for one of their wheels and it might fit!

Oddly enough, only two responders are riding 26 inch wheels.

You have until January 31st to get me the tire size you are using for T.I.V5 if you are on the roster and have not responded yet. If I do not hear from you, I will assume a size of 700 X 35mm and be done with it. Also, if you have come up against something that prevents you from coming to T.I.V5, please let me know! Hit me with an e-mail because I have a few anxious people yet on The Waiting List. Thanks!

Signs Of Slowing Down?: The buzz around the industry is that some companies are quietly laying off some employees, some are planning on cutting back a bit, and overall a general quietness blankets the cycling industry. I think that in some ways this shows that there are some smart folks running some of these companies. While cycling in general enjoyed an up year in '08, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that maybe things might not be as rosy in '09. Cutting back or at least holding course seems to be the prudent thing to do for now. perhaps this spring, when the weather breaks, we'll see how 2009 is going to go, but until then, it seems as though everyone is holding their breath.

No Slowing Down Here Though! Plans are being laid and things are in the pipeline that should prove to be the makings of a very busy spring here at Guitar Ted Laboratories. It's going to be really interesting with some of the products coming in for Twenty Nine Inches and some other changes in the making. Stay tuned! It certainly won't be boring here!

Winter Blahs

<====Notice the rack? It's a hint as to what is coming in the spring....

Okay, the monkey is off my back now. I actually rode in 2009. Yes........it took five days to get that done! Circumstances being what they were, it was actually my first chance to ride, and I wasn't going to pass it up, not even due to ice.

Yes, our area is covered in a thin sheet of ice, although it is receding somewhat. I did get slammed yesterday in an alley coming to work. Boy! Do I feel it this morning, Can you say "stiff"?

The Fargo has a rack now, which is a portent of things to come. I am slowly getting that plan together. More on that stuff later though.....

I see gas prices are creeping back up towards $2.00 a gallon. We didn't think it would stay cheap forever, did we? At least I didn't think it would stay there. It makes me wonder, with all of this economic turmoil, what we will see in terms of cycling for 2009. Here's a couple things I think might happen......

#1: Less attendance at races. Let's face it, a lot of people are going to "pull in their horns" this year. Cutting expenses where they can will mean less attendance at races all across America. Gas prices will have an effect here too.

#2: Less schwag in the bag: I fore see less of the goodies in race packets due to marketing budgets getting hacked. I also wonder about beer. (Yes.....I really do!) Beer gets tossed around a bit at events I go to. Less free beer and less premium brews will be seen in 2009 at events is my prediction. It'll be more like, "That'll be $2.50 for the PBR sir."

#3: More fixing up old bikes, less buying new ones: Along with the reduced spending, I see bicycle sales taking a hit too. I don't think repairs will suffer though. I think that will still be at a high level, just as it has been for the past couple of years. Repairs will be one of very few bright spots for bicycle shops this year, I think.

So those are a few things I see as distinct possibilities for '09. Well, that and Lance getting spanked on the roads of Italy this spring. I think his comeuppance is due.

You see, these are the things I think of if I don't get to ride! I suppose I need to move to Lincoln Nebraska. People are losing their technology and riding all the time. Sounds like Paradise to me!

Winter Blahs

<====Notice the rack? It's a hint as to what is coming in the spring....

Okay, the monkey is off my back now. I actually rode in 2009. Yes........it took five days to get that done! Circumstances being what they were, it was actually my first chance to ride, and I wasn't going to pass it up, not even due to ice.

Yes, our area is covered in a thin sheet of ice, although it is receding somewhat. I did get slammed yesterday in an alley coming to work. Boy! Do I feel it this morning, Can you say "stiff"?

The Fargo has a rack now, which is a portent of things to come. I am slowly getting that plan together. More on that stuff later though.....

I see gas prices are creeping back up towards $2.00 a gallon. We didn't think it would stay cheap forever, did we? At least I didn't think it would stay there. It makes me wonder, with all of this economic turmoil, what we will see in terms of cycling for 2009. Here's a couple things I think might happen......

#1: Less attendance at races. Let's face it, a lot of people are going to "pull in their horns" this year. Cutting expenses where they can will mean less attendance at races all across America. Gas prices will have an effect here too.

#2: Less schwag in the bag: I fore see less of the goodies in race packets due to marketing budgets getting hacked. I also wonder about beer. (Yes.....I really do!) Beer gets tossed around a bit at events I go to. Less free beer and less premium brews will be seen in 2009 at events is my prediction. It'll be more like, "That'll be $2.50 for the PBR sir."

#3: More fixing up old bikes, less buying new ones: Along with the reduced spending, I see bicycle sales taking a hit too. I don't think repairs will suffer though. I think that will still be at a high level, just as it has been for the past couple of years. Repairs will be one of very few bright spots for bicycle shops this year, I think.

So those are a few things I see as distinct possibilities for '09. Well, that and Lance getting spanked on the roads of Italy this spring. I think his comeuppance is due.

You see, these are the things I think of if I don't get to ride! I suppose I need to move to Lincoln Nebraska. People are losing their technology and riding all the time. Sounds like Paradise to me!

The Economy and Bicycles

If you pay any attention to the news, you are painfully aware of two things: It is an election year, and the economy pretty much is sinking rapidly. I don't get into too much if any of these sorts of things on Guitar Ted Productions, but today I wanted to touch on how this new turn of events may affect bicycles in particular.

Obviously the high gas prices and the economic atmosphere we enjoyed previously to this "fall", (yes.....a double-entendre!), were conducive to selling and fixing tons of bicycles. Now with things taking a slide backwards, how will it affect bicycle sales and repairs?

Well, the gas price pressure has been reduced for those that still have a job, or a house to live in! Right now the price per gallon here hovers just above $3.00 per gallon. ( Your mileage may vary......ha ha! I'm full of it this morning!) Anyway..........gas prices are not really going to help with bicycle sales anymore, or so it would seem.

Then you have winter coming on, which really clouds things since the bicycle industry typically slows way down now anyway. So immediate effects may be difficult if not impossible to gauge. This means it is time for some down and dirty inner-web-o-sphere speculatin'!

In my mind, this is the sign that the economy is finally going to correct itself. We have been riding in a boat full of holes, living in a house of cards, if you will, for far too long. Heck, I thought this would happen years ago. Not that I am any economic genius, but when I observed houses selling for half a million dollars in this area, (The cheapest housing market in the U.S.A. mind you) and the banks taking on 50 year mortgage loans, well......I knew it couldn't last! And I'm just a bicycle mechanic.

So, if the economy really is in a corrective mode, I'm not so sure that bicycle sales will be all that bad come spring. My take is that folks will be still looking for inexpensive ways to get around and to recreate. Bicycles still fit that bill. Folks will still be wanting to fix up those old, neglected, dusty bikes next spring. Maybe 2009 won't be an "up" year, but I'm sure t won't be a really down year either. I think the bicycle industry is actually poised to be one of the few industries that grows in 2009.

Only time will tell. At any rate, I don't plan on stopping my riding, so whatever happens I'll be pedalling on down the road........or what's left of the road.........

The Economy and Bicycles

If you pay any attention to the news, you are painfully aware of two things: It is an election year, and the economy pretty much is sinking rapidly. I don't get into too much if any of these sorts of things on Guitar Ted Productions, but today I wanted to touch on how this new turn of events may affect bicycles in particular.

Obviously the high gas prices and the economic atmosphere we enjoyed previously to this "fall", (yes.....a double-entendre!), were conducive to selling and fixing tons of bicycles. Now with things taking a slide backwards, how will it affect bicycle sales and repairs?

Well, the gas price pressure has been reduced for those that still have a job, or a house to live in! Right now the price per gallon here hovers just above $3.00 per gallon. ( Your mileage may vary......ha ha! I'm full of it this morning!) Anyway..........gas prices are not really going to help with bicycle sales anymore, or so it would seem.

Then you have winter coming on, which really clouds things since the bicycle industry typically slows way down now anyway. So immediate effects may be difficult if not impossible to gauge. This means it is time for some down and dirty inner-web-o-sphere speculatin'!

In my mind, this is the sign that the economy is finally going to correct itself. We have been riding in a boat full of holes, living in a house of cards, if you will, for far too long. Heck, I thought this would happen years ago. Not that I am any economic genius, but when I observed houses selling for half a million dollars in this area, (The cheapest housing market in the U.S.A. mind you) and the banks taking on 50 year mortgage loans, well......I knew it couldn't last! And I'm just a bicycle mechanic.

So, if the economy really is in a corrective mode, I'm not so sure that bicycle sales will be all that bad come spring. My take is that folks will be still looking for inexpensive ways to get around and to recreate. Bicycles still fit that bill. Folks will still be wanting to fix up those old, neglected, dusty bikes next spring. Maybe 2009 won't be an "up" year, but I'm sure t won't be a really down year either. I think the bicycle industry is actually poised to be one of the few industries that grows in 2009.

Only time will tell. At any rate, I don't plan on stopping my riding, so whatever happens I'll be pedalling on down the road........or what's left of the road.........