STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

RELATED STORIES

• Price of gas continues march to $4 level

More Bonita

• Today's traffic enforcement locations in Collier, Lee
• Palin rally creates buzz in Estero
• WCI looks to sell property

Share and Enjoy [?]

Area bicycle retailers say business in booming in the wake of gasoline prices going up on a seemingly daily basis.

With “National Bike to Work Week” in full swing, the owner of Trek Bicycle Store of Naples, on the corner of 91st Street and U.S. 41, says scores of commuters are choosing to push bike pedals instead of gas pedals.

“More people are definitely commuting by bicycle,” said Jane Avery-Du Bois, who also owns the newly opened Trek Bicycle Store of Estero in Coconut Point mall. “They’re doing it not only to save on gas, but because they’re more environmentally and health conscious, as well. Riding a bike has many byproducts that are beneficial to the environment as well as the wallet.”

Avery-Du Bois said sales are up at both of her locations.

“It’s definitely increasing,” she said. “We’ve been open for two months in Naples, and sales are definitely up from last month. They’re also definitely up from last year in Estero.”

Outrageous prices at the pump are partly responsible for the increased sales, Avery-Du Bois added.

“It’s not the only reason, but that’s definitely contributing to it,” she said. “The high gas prices are encouraging more people to ride their bikes to work.”

Avery-Du Bois said employees at her stores average 400-500 miles of bike-commuting each week.

“It’s definitely nice, especially in season when there are so many cars around,” she said. “There’s something more peaceful about going to work on a bike instead of in a car. You have less frustrations that way.”

Marilyn Cullinane of Naples Cyclery, on the corner of U.S. 41 and Vanderbilt Road in Naples, has been selling bicycles for six years. She, too, said sales are climbing.

“We had a lady come in the other day to buy a bike because she heard a rumor that gas was going up to $8 a gallon,” Cullinane said. “That’s a little ridiculous, but in general we’re getting the same comments about gas prices going up and the need to cut back for budget reasons.”

A sign in the front window of Naples Cyclery reads, “Save gas, buy a bike.”

“A lot of people are freaked out by the gas prices, and they’re choosing to ride their bikes instead,” Cullinane said. “I don’t think it’s the only reason, but it’s definitely something that has been commented on.”

Still, not all retailers are experiencing an upswing in sales.

At least, not yet.

“In wake of people leaving for season, sales are actually down,” said Al Engle, owner of Engel’s Bicycles at 27310 Old 41 Road in Bonita Springs. “We haven’t seen a significant increase due to the gas prices going up, but then again, we always slow down in the summer.”

Which isn’t to say that Engel isn’t holding out hope.

“I hope the economic stimulus package leads to more people buying bikes,” said Engel, who’s operated in Bonita Springs since 1995, and as a bicycle retailer since 1975. “Hopefully people will have more money to spend on recreation when they get their checks.”

Friday is “National Bike to Work Day.” For more information, visit www.bikeleague.org.

For more information on Trek Bicycles, visit www.trekbikesflorida.com. For more information on Pavilion Bikes, call (239) 949-0026. For more information on Engel’s Bicycles, visit www.engelsbicycles.com.

---

If you spent even some of that daily drive time pedaling instead, the rewards would be:

• A BETTER BODY:

Most weeks, seven out of 10 of us fail to get the minimum recommended 30 minutes of activity per day — partly because many of us have to fight traffic to get to the gym. The result: More than 60 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, and rates of obesity-related diseases such as diabetes are soaring. Ride your bike to work, and you no longer need to make time to exercise. Rack up just 3 hours of riding time a week, and you can slash your risk of heart disease and stroke in half. Plus, you’ll lose the gut and lovehandles — no diet required. Consult your doctor before starting any new physical activity.

• MORE MONEY:

The average annual price of keeping an automobile running: at least $3,000. The cost of running a bike for a year: less than $300. The joy of saving more than $2,000 this year: priceless.

• CLEAN AIR:

The number of communities that will fall out of compliance with the Clean Air Act is expected to triple within a decade. Motorized vehicles are responsible for 70 percent of the carbon monoxide, 45 percent of the nitrogen dioxide, and 34 percent of the hydrocarbons people produce. Riding a bike is a simple way to improve the environment.

SOURCE: www.bikeleague.org

E-mail John Osborne at johnaosborne@hotmail.com.