One bike store has more than 200 jobs booked for the next month while another said customers were being told they would have to wait weeks.
Bike House Dunedin co-owner Matt Dunstan said they were booked for the next four weeks for servicing and had about 250 service jobs in their queue.
It was not unheard of to see such demand during the busy summer months, but it was ‘‘unusual’’ for this late in the cycling season.
‘‘We are fully booked and we’re getting asked multiple times a day if we can squeeze people in, but there’s only so much we can do.’’
They tried to accommodate emergency repairs whenever they could.
However, if this level of demand were to persist, they might consider hiring another staff member, Mr Dunstan said.
Some cyclists had even been calling into the store to get their mountain and gravel bikes modified to be more suitable for commuting.
This might be a ‘‘pannier rack and bags or mudguards or a mirror — those sort of things that you need to make it good for commuting, or carrying groceries or children’’.
Commuting to work on a bike had become ‘‘much more enticing’’ now that costs were stacking up, he said.
Those who had contemplated cycling in the past were now the ones deciding to take it up.
‘‘Even if it’s not replacing a car fully, if it’s just replacing a few trips or that daily commute, then they’re giving it a go now.’’
A reader told the Otago Daily Times they could not get their bike repaired at Off The Chain Cycles yesterday because the store was booked out until nearly the end of the month.
My Ride Dunedin owner Ian Fahy said they usually expected their workshop to start slowing down around this time of year, but found themselves fully booked through to the end of next week.
‘‘I think we’re doing quite well compared to some of the other stores, I’ve heard,’’ Mr Fahy said.
‘‘We do have customers coming in saying they’ve struggled to get a booking for the next two or three weeks.’’
They were even seeing some new customers who perhaps had not ridden their bikes in a while.
‘‘They’re digging their bikes out of the shed and they’re choosing to ride rather than drive.
‘‘If they’ve been stuck in the shed for a while, they need a bit of work to get them up and running again.’’
Increased fuel prices were affecting everybody, and those who were in a position to do so were choosing to ride bikes, Mr Fahy said.
They were yet to experience any real frustrations from cyclists unable to get their bikes fixed promptly, and always tried to look after people as best as they could.
Customers also seemed prepared to wait.
‘‘It’s not like it’s going to be months and months.
‘‘It might be a week or two, but it’s not the end of the world.’’
Electrify NZ Dunedin manager Nathan Thomson said they had also seen an increased demand for repairs, particularly getting older bikes back up and running.
They were booked up a couple of weeks in advance, he said.
‘‘A lot of people stop riding coming into winter and everything, but assuming I suppose the price of fuel, everyone’s wanting to make the most of it and get the most out of their bike.’’
