Bicycles scarce in Chch shops

Press, 9 April 1979, Page 28

Bicycles scarce in Chch shops

Christchurch residents wanting to buy bicycles to beat possible petrol bans will find that stocks are low in cycle shops. The recent upsurge in the popularity of bicycles, especially' 10-speed tourer models, has posed problems for New Zealand manufacturers. Mr K. Mason, of Aranui Cycles, said that he was unable to keep up with orders for 10-speed models such as those made by A. C. Healing and Company. Other conventional cruisers were also scarce. Mr D. Renouf. assistant manager of the Armagh Street branch of Smith’s City Market, said that good racing bicycles were a status symbol these days. The trend to ride these

types of bicycles had caughi on in Europe and in th* United States several yean ago, and had now conie tc New Zealand. “The petrol shortage ha: accelerated the demand foi cycles as a mode of transport. Nine out of 10 peopl* who want to buy cycles want the racing models,” he said “Manufacturers were no! geared up to the demand." The popularity of mor* conventional bicycles was declining, and manufacturer! were concentrating on producing racing models at th! expense of other models. Mr K. Guthrey, of th* Cycle Trading Company, Ltd at the corner of Manchester Street and Armagh Street, said that one of the big problems was getting the bicycle! produced in the Nonh Island down to the South Island, Disruptions such as the ferry disputes were hampering supplies. “The ordering system means that we get only a small allocation at a time,” he said. In “The Press” the “bicycles sell” advertisement columns are longer than at the corresponding time last year. Fony advertisements offered second-hand bicycles last Saturday. Several persons said that they had sold their bicycles after receiving four or five offers.