New Yorkers are gradually getting used to more pedaling (骑车的) passengers on those shining blue Citi Bikes. But what about local bike shops? Is Citi Bike rolling up riders at their expense?
At Gotham Bikes in Tribeca, manager W. Ben said the shop has seen an increase in its overall sales due to the bike-share program. “It’s getting more people on the road,” he said. James Ryan, an employee at Danny’s Cycles in Gramercy also said Citi Bike is a good option for people to ease into biking in a city famed for its traffic jams and aggressive drivers. “They can try out a bike without committing to buying one,” he said.
Rentals are not a big part of the business at either Gotham Bikes or Danny’s Cycles. But for Frank’s Bike Shop, a small business on Grand St., the bike-share program has been bad news. Owner Frank Arroyo said his rental business has decreased by 90% since Citi Bike was rolled out last month. Arroyo’s main rental customers are European tourists, who have since been drawn away by Citi Bikes.
However, Ben said the bike-share is good for bike sales at his shop. “People have used the bike-share and realized how great it is to bike in the city, then decide that they want something nicer for themselves,” he noted.
Christian Farrell of Waterfront Bicycle Shop, on West St. just north of Christopher St., said initially he was concerned about bike-share, though, he admitted, “I was happy to see people on bikes.”
Farrell’s early concerns were echoed by Andrew Crooks, owner of NYC Velo, at 64 Second Ave. “It seemed like a great idea, but one that would be difficult to implement,” Crooks said of Citi Bike. He said he worried about inexperienced riders’ lack of awareness of biking rules and strong negative reaction from non-cyclists. However, he said, it’s still too early to tell if his business has been impacted.
While it’s possible bike-share will cause a drop in business, Crooks allowed that the idea is a positive step forward for New York City.
