Freddie Mercury's Bicycle Race Turns Real 42 Years On

ANEESH PHADNIS RAM PRASAD SAHU SHINE JACOB ARUP ROYCHOUDHURY TAMAL BANDYOPADHYAY SUDIPTO DEY JOYDEEP GHOSH Freddie Mercury’s bicycle race turns real 42 years on ISHITA AYAN DUTT excitement around bicycles and you as gyms continue to remain shut. It’s Kolkata, 19 July are talking to a 57-year-old man,” COVID NO SPOKE good to see women also joining in,” said Pankaj M Munjal, chairman IN THE WHEEL FOR said a professional cyclist. Bicycle, bicycle, bicycle and managing director, Hero Motors The new entrants to the cycling I want to ride my bicycle, bicycle, Company (HMC). PEDAL PUSHERS arena are either gym goers trying to get bicycle... Hero has a 43 per cent share in the | Hero has seen 50% increase their dose of cardio, or people cooped 16-million Indian bicycle market. in demand for premium bicycles; up at home wanting to catch a breath Freddie Mercury of the British HMC plants are working overtime, demand for e-bikes shot up by of fresh air with some physical activity rock band Queen penned the song at about 110 per cent. “We are working almost 100% after lockdown thrown in. Either way, cycling just Bicycle Race in 1978 inspired by on Saturdays and Sundays,” he said. | Decathlon Sports India has seen got a fresh lease on life. Tour de France, the famed multiple Small wonder, given it had A spokesperson for Decathlon stage bicycling race. But 42 years later, orders for 500,000 bicycles in June, more than 45% cent year-on-year Sports India (DSI), the Indian arm of the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed compared to actual sales of 350,000 growth in sales in June and July the French sporting goods retailer, everyone into singing the same tune. bicycles in June 2019. The order flow | Standalone stores have manifold said, “‘Online bikes’ keyword search From gym fanatics craving for daily for July is along similar lines — and increase in demand has grown over 80 per cent (internal exercise to commuters looking for all of it is for India. and external). On our platform, it is alternatives to public transport, they “After lockdown, we witnessed | Fastest selling segment is the ~20,000-70,000-price band the highest searched keyword.” all want to ride a bicycle. 50 per cent increase in demand for And it’s translating into sales. In the The bicycle fever that gripped the premium bicycles, while the demand shows that more urban consumers are which is largely urban-centric. past two weeks, online sales of bikes for world since the pandemic is spreading for electric bikes shot up by almost using bicycles for recreation, physical “I have never seen so many people DSI have increased 2x, specifically for fast in India. Sales have surged, 100 per cent,” said Munjal. activity as well as for short-distance cycling in the Maidan (a 400-hectare the sports segment of road bikes. In orders are pouring in, and stores “The surge is noticeable in the commute,” said Munjal. open green space in the heart of Kolkata) June and July, DSI has seen more than are already feeling a shortage. premium, semi-premium, and The fast-selling segment turned out area in the mornings. It seems people are 45 per cent year-on-year growth in “I have not seen this kind of recreational bike category, which to be the ~20,000-70,000-price band, just catching up on their fitness regime bicycle sales. Turn to Page 8 > d t n Freddie Mercury’s... - “We are already facing some big shortage in - stock,” the spokesperson said. n It’s not just DSI — with 76 stores in India — h that’s feeling the gap in demand and supply. f Standalone stores are seeing the same demand d pattern. One of the larger cycle stores on e Bentinck Street in Kolkata’s business district said it was difficult to meet the surge in o demand. Since the beginning of June, sales d have increased 200 per cent and at the pre- e mium end, the growth is even higher. “I even - sold some cycles that were priced upwards of ~1 lakh. That’s unusual for Kolkata,” a store- d owner said, adding, “Some stores are even d taking advance bookings.” s The excitement is infectious. The forgotten A. bicycles rusting in garages have found their - way back on the roads. DSI said the spare parts business was unprecedented. It’s a glob- s al trend, though. Hard: .

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