Worldwide Bike Shortage Hits Maine

Who would have thought?

The COVID-19 pandemic has been responsible for a lot of negative things, but who would have predicted this?  Makes sense, though.

Walk into any superstore in the area and look at the bike section.  It's bare!  The photo above was taken at Walmart in Ellsworth just last week.  There's certainly not much to choose from there.

When the pandemic set in earlier this year and families went into self-quarantine they obviously needed exercise and something to do, so they bought bicycles.  A lot of them.  Major retailers reported many sales of four to five bikes at a time, to one person.

So now apparently there's a world-wide shortage of bicycles.

Bicycle, bicycle, bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle, bicycle, bicycle - Bicycle Race, by Queen.

The surge in demand created for mostly bicycles priced well under $1000 created empty sections in stores like Walmart, but why haven't they been restocked at this point?

Yup, you guessed it.  Most affordable bikes are made overseas in China, and besides dealing with nasty COVID-19 effects over there like businesses and seaports shutting down, trade relations between our two countries isn't exactly great with a tariff war going on and all.

There are nine-million bicycles in Beijing.
That's a fact,
It's a thing we can't deny - 9 Million Bicycles, Katie Melua

So if you're looking for new and affordable bicycles for the family to get a little exercise  and hit the trails with during the warm summer months here in Maine, you may have to wait a little while.

How could I forget to mention
The bicycle is a good invention - Bicycle Song, Red Hot Chili Peppers