Gas prices leading to higher bicycle sales across Missouri

Bike There-Walk There bus in Kansas City

According to an article on KOMU TV, Columbia:

Pump prices put sales in overdrive at this bike shop.

"Compared to last year we're up about 25 percent." said Eric Bunch of Tryathletics bike shop.

To gauge spending drivers are looking for a cheaper way to commute.

"I'm looking to get a new bike to do more commuting riding to and from work, " said Bunch. "when they come in the store they say I want to get a bicycle because I want to get more fit and then one of the next things the almost always tell me is, I also want to think about riding to work to save on gas."

And bike shops say the sticker shock has more and more drivers trading in their stick shift for a ten speed.

Meanwhile Fox 2 in St. Louis covered the increased bicycle sales at Big Shark Bicycle Company, owned by MoBikeFed Board Member and Bicycle Business Liaison Mike Weiss:

Americans drove an estimated 4.3 percent less in March of 2007 than in March of this year. So how are they getting from here to there? A lot of them are riding their bikes. In fact, bike shops all around the country are seeing sales soar. That includes the "Big Shark Bike Shop" in University City. Owner Mike Weiss talks about the up trend.