Bike Sales Boom, Shops See Shortages Under Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Orders

ORANGE (CBSLA) -- Bike sales are booming as the state closes out its seventh week under stay-at-home orders.

At Orange Cycle, which has one of the biggest bicycle inventories in Orange County, the owner John Pavlisin said the shop hasn't seen sales like this in its 30 years of operation.

"For the last seven to eight weeks they've been lined up around the building," he said of the line, which wrapped around the building on Friday afternoon.

Factory shutdowns and furloughs from the COVID-19 lockdown in Asia — where many bikes come from — mean warehouses once filled with bikes are now nearly empty. Even as demand has exploded.

"They've literally bought everything out," said Orange Cycle employee Ed Stroman. "And it's countrywide. so we can't even buy bikes from the manufacturer. They're even out."

Pavlisin said the shop has made 30 to 40 repairs per day and has sold just as many new bikes.

"There's gonna be a window where we run out of bikes," he said.

One dad who visited the shop with his kids said he isn't surprised that more families are interested in cycling.

"You're around your family more, which is great," said Art Ornelas, "but then also you're around your family more, so you're looking for alternative things to do."