As the city plans to develop cycling tracks under the Smart Cities project, the number of people using bicycles for exercising or even commuting seems to be on the rise.
“People in Coimbatore are returning to cycles, for the last few years,”says R. Rajendran, who has a bicycle shop in Gandhipuram, for almost six decades.
It is not just children, who are the usual customers, but even those aged above 35 who are buying bicycles now.
“The most surprising part of it is, we have customers aged between 55 and 70. We suggest suitable bicycles to customers based on their age , weight, and health,” says K.Vignesh, manager of another outlet at R.S. Puram. But, most men prefer alloy bicycles (non-gear) , while women go for light weight bicycles.
According to the manager of a bicycle outlet at Peelamdu, most youngsters opt for bicycles with gear as they find it trendier. So, the sales of the basic bicycles are reducing. Only two out of 10 youngsters buy bicycles without gears.
For their part, bicycle manufacturers and the retailers are taking efforts to create awareness on cycling. Many evince interest in purchasing a bicycle because of increasing awareness, the shop owners say.
“Being the owner of a bicycle shop for 60 years, I create awareness among the customers who came to purchase bicycles for their children,” adds Mr. Rajendran. “I suggest to my customers to go for a bicycle ride two hours a day. It not only helps in keeping fit but also reduce stress,” he says.
The city also sees at least a couple of bicycling events a year.
According to 65-year-old K. Chandran, who cycles to work for the last 50 years: “It makes me feel annoyed, not even two in 10 persons whom I have seen riding bicycles then, are using it now. Fear of unsafe roads, especially during peak hours, is a challenge. Separate lanes for bicycles , good parking facilities and insurances for cycle owners will encourage more people to cycle regular,” he says.
