FEW NEW BICYCLES

Chronicle (Levin), 3 May 1947, Page 4

FEW NEW BICYCLES

SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN . PRIGE EXPECTED

Tbotigh thfeie' are unlimit^a supplies of ffiicycle tyres availabie/. the outlook for those wiib r'e^ulhe 'iifew* niachihes is far frorh bright. Though loeal shops haffe a few new modeis in stock, they •epo^iythat future supplies will b'fe Britain, from which the majoj|ity e/f ..bicyeles ' dre( b,b%ihed, is ' reported to hafe cut dowri expoi-t by 75 per cent. Shortage of ste§l tubing and industrial troybles m Brifain dire' , said to be' tlie redsong'for tliis restrictipn. dbihme'htmg oh tne sifuatidh - yesierd^y; i local agdht sdid ^that incomplete machines . were arriving in New Ze'aiafld; piit the paris were difficult to obtdin ih Ne^f zealand. He* had been tihsbbie ih accept them. !Few parts for bieyeles were being- manufactured in New Zealand, and supplies from Britain were. meagr.e.- . Prices High The price. of bicycies has riseh eonsiderably; A machine which edst £-10 .bfe'fore .ihe w^r is sellhig now at £18,- and there is a repoft ciretflating ih the.cycle trade ih '^felimgiori, that the price of new bicycies iha^' rlse to £25 or £30. . Detpite ihe' fact that fabuloiis ;bf"iees ar'e .seihg obtained fdr seeb'iid harid niathines in .the citih§} a local . sec'bhd hand dealef qiioted iocai pfiees . as rangirig froni £5 . to' £10, depending on cohaitioh. Spcirt's modeis were fetching up . to £15. , Used machines were' difficult. t'o b'Btain, he added, and at the time pf interview, he had none ih his shop. Thfe demaric! for iised bicycies, he said, was v'efy..kfeen.