Re: Gas prices knock bicycle sales, repairs into higher gear

> It does make me wonder, if a small bump in price to $4 is enough to
> cause changes, how much would a real price spike change?  What would
> people do at $6?  At $8 a gallon?

I think it will take $6/gallon to make a real difference, because we'll
then 
be seeing $100 fill-ups. That's something that will cause people to step 
back and wonder if it's really worth it, or if they need to drive less. 
Perhaps a lot less. And buy smaller cars. But getting people onto bikes 
isn't a done deal just because gas prices go high. This remains a 
car-centric culture. In the long run, yes, we'll see fundamental change.
Not 
just increases in numbers use mass transit, but actually demanding more & 
better mass transit, and wondering why it doesn't go where they need to.
And 
some of those people will realize that a bike, either by itself or
combined 
with bike-friendly transit, *does* go where you need to go.

But it won't happen overnight.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA


"Dane Buson" <dane@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:ovbmf5-734.ln1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> In rec.bicycles.misc Ted <nobody@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> "Four-dollar-a-gallon gas is good for business ? if you run a
>> bike shop. Commuters around the country are dusting off their
>> old two-wheelers ? or buying new ones ? to cope with rising fuel
>> prices, bicycle dealers say..."
>>
>> Associated Press article: http://xrl.us/BikeShops
>
> It reminds an awful lot of the articles we've seen at the beginning of
> summer the last two years.  Bog knows I've seen an increase in bike
> commuters the last two summers [1].  I expect lots more this year,
> especially as we get closer to STP time [2].
>
> It does make me wonder, if a small bump in price to $4 is enough to
> cause changes, how much would a real price spike change?  What would
> people do at $6?  At $8 a gallon?
>
> [1] Even more than usual.
> [2] Seattle To ****tland - the big distance ride in the region.
>
> -- 
> Dane Buson - sigdane@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> "If ignorance is bliss, you must be orgasmic."