More and more people are using the bike: The corona pandemic is giving bike dealers an unprecedented boom. The industry could emerge stronger from the crisis after a bad start to the season.
Leipzig / Berlin (dpa) - From late afternoon, it builds up in Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse in Leipzig. But that's not because of the traffic, but because of the long line of people in front of the Bike Department East.
"Land under", bike shop owner Gerd May describes the situation since the reopening on April 20. Because a maximum of 20 customers are allowed to be in the shop at the same time due to the distance and hygiene regulations, you have to be extra patient when buying a bike. "Now everyone is coming who would have been there without Corona since March," says the boss of 25 employees who are now working with mouth and nose protection.
March and April are the most important months for the industry, comparable to the Christmas business in the rest of the trade. This year, however, the Corona crisis spoiled the start of the season: The association of German two-wheelers said that the immediate effects of disrupted supply chains and closed stores during the shutdown were also violent in the cycling industry. The loss in sales was therefore 30 to 60 percent due to the corona. Now, however, a catch-up can be observed everywhere.
"We are currently seeing an enormous run on the bike shops. Without wanting to talk about a winner of the crisis, one has to admit that the bike is experiencing a special moment," confirms David Eisenberger, Head of Marketing and Communication at the two-wheeler industry association, which represents around 100 companies in the bicycle industry.
In addition to those who had already planned to buy a new one, there were also many customers who rediscovered the bike for themselves. This is shown not least by the increased demand in the entry-level segment starting at 300 euros.
The industry has been on the upswing for some time. Last year it generated sales of 4.2 billion euros with bicycles and especially the increasingly popular e-bikes - 34 percent more than in the previous year. In addition, consumers tended towards higher quality bikes, Eisenberger said. The average price in 2019 across all sales channels was 982 euros, around a third higher than in 2018. Around 280,000 people work in the bicycle industry across Germany.
To what extent the manufacturers could compensate for the partial stoppage of production over a period of up to eight weeks is not foreseeable. Despite the painful losses at the start of the season, one is now optimistic to get away with a "black eye". However, a second wave of infection remains a risk and with it a new shutdown for production and trade.
At the traditional manufacturer Diamant in Hartmannsdorf, Saxony, production is carried out with minimum clearances and numerous other hygiene measures. Production in the plant with 500 employees did not have to be completely stopped, but short-time work was announced. "We reduced the output and of course were also affected by disturbed supply chains from Asia," reports manager Thomas Eichentopf.
He sees the trend towards two-wheelers reinforced by Corona: "We are currently experiencing a mini bike boom." The company, which has been on the market for 135 years, has never counted as many searches on the website as in April.
The e-bike retrofit Pendix from Zwickau in Saxony also reports very high demand. "The bike is a huge winner of this time," says managing director Thomas Herzog. Together with four friends, the automotive engineer developed a retrofittable electric drive for bicycles. At the foundation in 2013, they were still laughed at. According to its own statements, Pendix is today the market leader in the segment, according to ZIV the best-known retrofitter.
In view of the regulations in local public transport - keyword mask requirement - the bicycle with an electric tailwind in particular has many advantages. Even the ADAC motorists' club believes that bicycles will gain in importance alongside the car for private transport.
But whether it actually emerges as a crisis winner depends primarily on the infrastructure, says the Service and Bicycle Association, which also represents the specialist trade. "Infrastructure is the key to success," says managing director Albert Herresthal. Quick solutions like the "pop-up bike lanes" in Berlin would have to be permanent.
The Allgemeine Deutsche Fahrrad-Club (ADFC) also praises the idea of setting up cycle paths almost overnight using construction site beacons and colored strips. Düsseldorf also wants to follow suit, says ADFC spokeswoman Stephanie Krone. The most important consumer association of cyclists fears "after the end of the contact restrictions" an unexpected flood of car traffic "if many people prefer to put their car back on due to the restrictions in public transport. According to this, Germans made around 32 million trips by bus, tram or train in 2019. Every day, mind you. If only a fraction of it is driven by car again, there is a risk of super congestion.
Instead of sending the wrong signal with a car premium, car traffic must finally make way for bicycles and if at all a mobility premium should be put on the way for everyone - the associations surveyed agree.
Bike Department East Leipzig
Trade association VDZ
Two-wheeler industry association
Diamant Fahrradwerke
Pendix
Association VSF
General German Bicycle Club ADFC
Figures bicycle industry