Canadian IBDs Report Sales of $250 Million

TORONTO, Ontario (BRAIN)—The Bicycle Trade Association of Canada (BTAC) is reporting that bicycle sales by independent bicycle dealers (IBDs) have surpassed a quarter of a billion dollars at retail value.
Janet O'Connell, the executive director of BTAC, said: "Bicycling is one of the fastest growing recreational activities in Canada, and municipalities are increasingly embracing cycling as a mainstream mode of transportation as their citizens choose cycling for utilitarian and recreational purpose. The important contribution our vibrant bicycle industry makes to the Canadian economy represents an important argument, in addition to cycling's positive impact on health, the environment and congestion, for enhanced investments by governments at all levels."
Through its Data Capture Program, BTAC receives quarterly reports of unit and dollar sales by suppliers to the IBD market on sales of bicycles across multiple categories, according to a press release. Currently, an estimated 95 percent of IBD suppliers participate in the program.
For the full 2010 year (compared to 2009), unit sales were up 3 percent to 357,591 units, while wholesale dollar sales grew to $179,327,761, for an estimated retail market value of $251,058,855. The average unit price for bicycles in the IBD sector fell 3.27 percent from 2009, as suppliers made a concerted and successful effort to reduce inventory levels. The average retail bicycle price in the IBD sector was $702, providing consumers with higher quality bicycles at prices similar to, or lower than, the previous year.
Year-over-year, the road category of bicycles continued to surge, growing 21.13 percent in dollar sales for 2010, and 17.2 percent in unit sales. Youth and hybrid categories also recorded growth for the year. All grew at the expense of the 26-inch wheel category, which fell 13.17 percent in units sold and 15.58 percent in dollar sales.
"While overall growth rate in the Canadian IBD sector has slowed, a significant improvement in inventory levels in the final two quarters of 2010 point to a very healthy industry as we enter the major portion of the 2011 selling season," said Robert Jones, director of market research for BTAC.
Source: http://www.bicycleretailer.com/news/newsDetail/5158.html

New West Funds Cycling Education in Schools

Last week, the City of New Westminster announced unprecedented support of cycling education in the city's middle schools. They have committed to funding the VACC's Ride the Road program for all grade 7 and 8 students with the aim of creating a generation of confident, enthusiastic cyclists. Ride the Road was developed by the VACC and launched in 2010 as a complete Bike Ed curriculum designed to empower and enable students to commute to school safely and confidently while learning the value and benefits of biking as a reliable and practical mode of transportation. Steph Gray, the Bike to School program manager is enthusiastic about the announcement. "This is great news! New Westminster is really setting a high bar that I hope other municipalities will take note of as we continue to push for active transportation initiatives in Lower Mainland schools." The cycle training will complement the School Travel Planning work that has been underway in New West elementary schools, and will launch in middle schools this year.

Finally, Coffee Shop to Open at Osprey Village!

Good news that Stomping Grounds Coffee House is to locate in the Osprey Village development at the south end of Bonson St. on the Fraser River in Pitt Meadows. Surely the coffee house will develop into an exciting neighbourhood hub, but will also become a great cycling destination and stop along an already fantastic recreational cycling loop around Pitt Meadows. If anyone is familiar with Mattick's Market, which is located midway on the Lochside Recreation Trail between Schwartz Bay and Victoria City, you can see the potential for Osprey to develop into a similar, very popular cycling hotspot. The targeted opening date is April 1.
Best of luck to the proprietors Dylan and Anahi.