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It's a well needed boost for the trade that's had a crap couple of years, but I'd agree it feels short-term. On top of COVID we've also had glorious weather for 2 months that helps, not so fun cycling to work in November. Unless the practicalities of cycling are seriously funded and improved (more bike lanes/ less cars/ facilities at work/ crack down on thefts) then I can't see it lasting. The roads all ready feel more threatening than they did 3 weeks ago.
roadwarrior
@Oliver Schick
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/may/23/two-wheels-good-bike-sales-soar-as-uk-takes-to-cycling
As usual, hopeful stories are being told based on the bike trade's economic performance. This is something I like, too, but I'm still wary as to whether it will last. Pretty much the same stories were told the last time public transport was compromised, which was after the 7/7 bombings and things went back to 'normal' soon. People stormed the bike shops on the day to get home and continued to cycle while public transport was unavailable, then quickly returned to using public transport when restrictions were lifted. Obviously, the pandemic is different, but what the two things have in common is that the underlying reason for cycling is negative. Some people will already have wanted, positively, to try out cycling and think that now is their opportunity, but most, I think, will be doing it only while they can't do what they would rather do. What basically happens is that there's a brief growth surge, and some new people will certainly stick with it, but that surge doesn't/can't last and flattens off. In a time when cycling was generally declining it's probably a shot in the arm, but we'll have to see what the long-term effect of it is going to be. As of now, I am still sceptical, and hope I'm wrong.