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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