BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — We’re not even one week into spring and already bikes are rolling off the shelves. As soon as that nice weather arrived last week, tons of people started stopping by shops like Campus WheelWorks on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, where they're gearing up.
“We’re already starting to sell out of bikes, parts are gonna be hard to get, so we’ve tried to hoard as many parts early in the season as we can,” said Patrick Meszler, Shop Manager.
They're already seeing a non-stop flow of customers there and at their new location on Niagara Street which opened earlier this month, according to management.
"There’s a lot of people getting out and riding backs that I think don’t and wouldn’t normally ride bikes," said Meszler.
And the regular riders are coming in to get their bikes tuned up. If you haven’t yet, you should.
"It’s better to get into the shop early because by July, we probably won’t be able to get almost any repair parts," said Meszler.
It’s the same situation at Bert’s Bikes on Niagara Falls Boulevard in the Town of Tonawanda.
"We’ll have product, but it’s not staying in the stores very long," said Jim Costello, General Manager, Bert's Bikes.
Bert's sold 13,000 bikes last year, up 20-30% from year's past.
"And we’re on pace to do a little more than that this year if we can get supply," said Costello.
ANOTHER BIKE SURGE:
— Taylor Epps (@taylor_epps_) March 24, 2021
We’re not even one week into spring and bikes are already selling out at shops in WNY!🚲
Tune into @WKBW out the best way to get your hands on one. pic.twitter.com/SbRnHPSko0
These shelves are usually full of bikes, but they’re selling 500 to 600 bikes on weekends between all of their stores. If you’re looking to buy, Costello says finding the exact model you want could take some digging.
"We’re getting resupplied every week, so what we don’t have this week, we might have next week," said Costello.
And in order to keep up with the demand, they’re looking to hire more workers.
"We look for sales, bike assembly and services, some of the stores are looking for service, we’re opening a new store in Lancaster, so we’re looking for a full team over there," said Costello.
They need at least 20 additional people to help keep things moving this spring. You can apply online, click here.
