Ready to ride? Check out Charlotte’s bike shops. But hurry — inventory is limited.
If you’re planning on purchasing a bike now or in the near future, get ready to act fast.
During the April COVID-19 stay-at-home order, the U.S. cycling industry saw $1 billion in sales, and bike sales increased 63% in June since the same time last year.
As a result, bike shops across Charlotte — and the country — are seeing limited inventory, which may impact holiday shopping.
“Usually it’s not an issue at all, but this year has been weird with availability. We are telling everyone to order as soon as possible or to come into the store,” Charlotte Trek marketing manager Leslie Cross said.
As the holidays approach, kids’ bikes will likely be in low stock across the city.
“We have some, but not nearly as many as we normally do. We’re trying to be up front because nobody wants to be disappointed at Christmastime. We’ve already been emailing people and posting, ‘Please start your Christmas shopping now to make sure you get what you’re looking for,’” Cross said.
In March, Cross said they weren’t sure whether they’d be able to stay open due to coronavirus restrictions. Now, the stores are finding an influx of demand.
“Ever since the gyms closed for quarantine, we’ve been seeing increased demand, and even with the gyms reopening, it hasn’t slowed down at all. We’re still playing catch-up,” Cross said. “And that’s the industry as a whole. We have so many shops across the country under the Trek name that are experiencing the same thing, so we’re at the mercy of the manufacturer there. It’s not just our store that’s low on bikes, it’s our whole company. It’s definitely been interesting.”
Whether you’re planning on getting a bike for the holidays or plan to purchase in the spring, get a head start on your shopping at these local spots:
Bicycle Sport
2916 Selwyn Ave.
Hours: Noon-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday
COVID-19 precautions: Masks are required and provided. Hand sanitizer must be used before stepping into the store.
Keep in mind for the holidays: “Come in now. Right now, we’re doing good. We have inventory. We have every size of kids’ bikes available. Once our inventory that we have here is gone, they won’t be available until after Christmas,” sales manager Carol Vails said.
BikeSource
4301-A Park Road
Hours: Noon-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday
COVID-19 precautions: Customers will wait in a line outside until appointed with a sales associate, usually only 4-5 customers in store at a time. Masks and social distancing are required.
Keep in mind for the holidays: Order as soon as possible.
Charlotte Cycles
337 Baldwin Ave.
Hours: Open normal hours (10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and noon-5p.m. Sunday) by appointment only.
COVID-19 precautions: The showroom is not fully open to the public. One customer is allowed in the store at a time with masks and social distancing. It’s recommended to bring your own helmet, but they have helmets available at the store for use. They’re sanitized before and after each use.
Keep in mind for the holidays: “For ordering, the sooner the better. Inventory is at its highest for the season probably right now,’ said Hailey Modin, marketing and events coordinator. “There will be bikes coming in every week, but the majority of our inventory is already here. If you’re buying a bike for a family member or friend, it’s nice to be able to size them directly. It’s recommended to make an appointment with the person you’re buying the bike for.”
Gear Goat XCHG
824 Lamar Ave.
Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday
COVID-19 precautions: Staff are frequently sanitizing throughout the store, especially high traffic and contact points.
Keep in mind for the holidays: “We offer mostly consignment and half bikes. We have a fair amount of new and used bikes in stock, and many at incredibly low prices,” said Ilan Paltrow of Gear Goat XCHG. “Inventory changes daily because we never know what’s rolling in or out the door.”
Giant University City
8528 University City Blvd.
Hours: Noon-7 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and 9 a.m-5 p.m. Saturday
COVID-19 precautions: The front door is locked, so customers need to ring for service. Up to three customer groups (i.e., you and a friend) are allowed in the store at a time. Masks are required. The store is wiped down extensively with sanitizer prior to opening and periodically throughout the day.
Keep in mind for the holidays: “The bicycle chain is extremely volatile. Because of that, we do not and have not accepted any special orders,” said Shane Hockensmith of Giant University City. “Product ETAs are given and we stress that ETAs are just that — an estimated time of arrival. We give all information available to the customer so they can make an educated purchasing decision. We recommend checking out website frequently for changes in inventory as well as emailing us for updates. There are many models and categories of bikes that are missing from our inventory. And some will be for a long time. But, we also have good stock on a lot of other bikes. We are very appreciative of the bikes we have.”
NC Velo Bicycles
9815 Rea Road
Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday
COVID-19 precautions: Masks and social distancing are required.
Keep in mind for the holidays: “I don’t think there will be many bikes to be bought. I think we’ll see most of the holiday bikes in the first quarter of next year,” manager James Barker said.
REI
9755 Northlake Centre Pkwy.
Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday
COVID-19 precautions: To test ride a bike, customers have to bring their own helmets. Customers are allowed inside at limited capacity, and there may be additional queuing inside the store to accommodate social distancing standards. Masks are required.
Keep in mind for the holidays: “We have a limited inventory, but a fair amount in kids’ and used bikes. We also have a light selection of city bikes. There’s an additional selection at REI.com. By ordering them now, they should be here in time for Christmas,” store manager Patti Haberstock said.
The Spoke Easy
1530 Elizabeth Ave., Suite 100
Hours: Noon-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday
COVID-19 precautions: Customers are not allowed into the shop at this time. All repairs are accepted on the patio. If you’re looking for accessories or a new bike, they will be brought out to you. A mask must be worn once you enter the patio. There are sanitizing stations on the patio. All bikes are sanitized before being returned to customers.
Keep in mind for the holidays: “Bikes should be ordered as soon as possible,” said Dread Fiyah, owner of The Spoke Easy. “Bikes this year will be hard to come by, and bikes between $300 and $1,000 are going to be the hardest to get. So the sooner you start looking the better.”
Trek
12194 Johnston Road, 10129 Perimeter Pkwy., 146 Mooresville Commons Way
Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday
COVID-19 precautions: Capacity limits vary by store, but usually Trek tries to keep capacity around 20%, or proportionate to the number of staff members, so that there’s one person helping each customer. Masks are required inside.
Keep in mind for the holidays: Inventory is low for popular models, and delivery isn’t guaranteed in time for Christmas. Order as soon as possible, visit a store or call to check availability.
Ultimate Bicycle
1432 W. Morehead St.
Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday
COVID-19 precautions: No more than 10 people in the store at a time. Masks are mandatory. Hand sanitizer stations are available, as well.
Keep in mind for the holidays: “Order sooner than you would’ve last year. We put in a very large backorder for a bunch of kids’ bikes, which typically are bread and butter for the holidays, and we have a bunch of those here. The best time to start is right now. I know that those bikes are going to go fairly quickly,” store manager Mike Ester said.
Uptown Cycles
1432 W. Morehead St.
Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday
COVID-19 precautions: Face masks are required inside the store. Capacity is limited. Curbside pickup is available.
Keep in mind for the holidays: “As soon as possible. It’s been pretty slammed. We’ve gotten a bunch of kids’ bikes and fitness bikes in, but we’re not sure when we’ll be getting more in,” salesman Isaac Rodgers said.
Editor’s note: We’re waiting to hear back from a few shops, so we’ll add them once we do.
This story was originally published November 16, 2020 at 3:38 PM.
