The Cycling Cycle Has Peaked
August 11, 2013 2 Comments
The Tour de France turned 100 years old and the past 3 years hasn’t seen a continental European winner.
There are cycling shops everywhere now selling accessories that cover your toes. And since when should bikes cost $6,000?
Too many middle aged men are wearing lycra and hobbling around coffee shops in cleats.
A plethora of local cycling events have popped up.
Heck, everyone knows what peloton means !
Newspapers feature cameos with business executives asking them about their favourite weekend routes.
The stock price of Shimano has nearly tripled and Giant’s has quadrupled over the past few years.
And there is no shortage of cycling touring holidays and charitable events involving the riding of bicycles.
I’m not saying that people will stop riding their bikes or that the sport will cease to exist but popularity usually wanes once its reaches a plausible saturation peak but especially when the hoard of “late adopters” embrace it.
I nearly bought an expensive bike and lycra yesterday, but I stopped myself. If I was an owner of a specialist bicycle store I would probably sell and look for the next trend.
Do you remember how marathon running, tennis, golf & yoga all become very popular aided by technical improvement in the equipment used?
Maybe it’s golf’s turn again?
rob zdravevski's blog 
You may well have a point about cycling reaching some kind of plateau – I think it’s great to see so many people getting out and riding these days but i too have my feelings about the kit people are wearing: http://ragtimecyclist.wordpress.com/2013/08/09/cycling-team-kit-leave-it-to-the-professionals/
I had a mate recently extolling the virtues of toe covers, apparently there is a very specific set of weather conditions which make them indispensable! I think i’ll keep my money in my pocket on that one.
Pete, Firstly I’m glad that, as a cyclist, that you didn’t take offence to my post. I too, am an advocate for bucking this sedentary existence by getting outdoors to exercise.
Cycling’s popularity reminds when people who normally didn’t play golf in the 80’s and 90’s, took it up, bought expensive equipment and even paid $20,000 for memberships on the Gold Coast.
So, I look at these trends and try to see how they can be interpreted from an investing perspective.
regards,
Rob