14 April 2013

Good for business?

There's a lot of data around these days pointing out that cycling is good for business and that cycle-lanes drive up footfall etc

But I've been struck by how many new cycle-related businesses have started up in the past two years or so

My attempt to itemize them (much helped by this useful site) came up with:

3 new tour companies: Storybikes, Tartan bike tours and Edinburgh Bike Rides

Loads of new repair shops:  The Bike Garage,  the Bike Smith  Harts  Pedals &  Greasemonkey,

Bike sales:  A couple of  big national players -- Evans and Decathlon -- have opened up and   although the Bike Chain has sadly closed, the Bike co-op is keeping the shop open as a second Edinburgh branch.  There seem to be fewer new, independent retailers, but considering that we have a total of 14 already, perhaps that's not so surprising. One exception might be the redoubtable Laidback bikes, which  has now got a 'proper' shopfront in Marchmont. There is also a new second-hand dealer: Soulcycles.  Their website's a bit primitive, but like a lot of the newer shops, they're using facebook quite effectively to promote themselves.

Even one cafe: Ronde and two pubs:  Ventoux and Tourmalet....

Couldn't some enterprising researcher or journalist work out their contribution to the local economy, jobs, etc and quantify it for us?

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