Bike Shops Say Demand Has Left Them Peddling for Inventory
Lance Reese is the owner of Yakima s Bearded Monkey Cycling shop but there s not a lot of bikes for sale in his bike shop Today. Reese says the COVID-19 pandemic placed an unprecedented demand on bike shops not only in Yakima but around the country. Owners of bicycle stores throughout the state say they re concerned about a shortage that s left racks without bikes at many stores.
Reese says he sold a years worth of bikes in the first month of the pandemic and right now he doesn t expect to see inventory to return to normal levels in his store until 2023. Reese says the reason for the demand is all about the pandemic. When the pandemic started last year he says he couldn t keep bikes in the rack and they re still tough to come by with many on back order. Reese says it s not just the bikes but also bike parts that are in demand and tough to find. Simple things like bike seats and parts for older bikes are a rarity because o