“Outside” Magazine thinks the “Bike Boom” may be here to stay. I have my doubts.

[XXtwindad]

https://www.outsideonline.com/242013...gear_fix#close

Interesting read. I hope the premise is correct. But as a long-time personal trainer, I have my doubts. In my experience, people who undertake a particular regimen (running, cross-fit, cycling etc...) that’s tied to a particular fitness goal (usually losing fat) rarely succeed. The motivation waxes and wanes.

There’s no mechanism for gauging whether the uptick in people buying new bikes fell in love with the sport, which is ultimately what’s sustainable. Put another way, enjoying biking for how you feel, rather than how you look. is the determining factor for longevity.

The one aspect of cycling that probably is sustainable is for utilitarian purposes, such as commuting.

Blair Clark, president of Canyon’s U.S. division, thinks the surge is durable. “Two big trends we see are people who either returned to the sport or discovered it for the first time and are really falling in love with it, paired with a constantly growing adoption of the bicycle as transportation,” he says. Americans, he adds, “are finally waking up to the transformative power of bikes for transportation, not just recreation.”

Indeed, Sorensen says that utility bikes may see sustained growth. As workers return to offices, they may still feel most comfortable with socially distant commutes rather than public transit. In general, he expects more add-on sales from those new riders. “How big, I don’t know,” he says. “But I don’t think it’s going to go back below where it was in 2020.”

I certainly hope I’m wrong, and the trend continues. The more cyclists, the better.

Other (particularly) in the industry, have any thoughts?