Bicycles sell out in London

2005-07-08 11:06

London - Bicycle stores in Central London reported brisk sales on Thursday as commuters in the capital sought alternative methods of transport, after the suspected terrorist attacks on the city's public transport system.

With taxis in short supply and services canceled on both London's underground railway system and its central bus network, commuters are flocking to the city's bike shops in an effort to get home.

"We've sold a hell of a lot of bikes today," said the manager of Evans Cycles in central London.

"People are coming in and buying bikes because they can't get home today."

Another of the capital's bike shops reported similar sales.

"We're getting a lot of calls asking what are our cheapest bikes but we've actually sold out of them," said the manager of Condor Cycles.

The manager confirmed he had sold about 15 of these bikes by early afternoon.

Being central London, the lowest priced bikes at these shops were between £200 and £250.

Quick-thinking commuters saved themselves some cash by visiting bicycle hire shops, though by Thursday afternoon they were out of luck.

"We're all out," said an employee at On Your Bike, a cycle sales and rental shop near London Bridge.

"We've actually built extra bikes to cater for the demand but they're all gone too."

- Dow Jones