Bikes at Bacon Ridge. Photos this spread by Steve Adams
Bike the Bay? Mountain Biking Thrives in Unexpected Places BY STEVE ADAMS
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f, like others across the country, the pandemic kept you out of your usual gym, yoga studio, lap pool, or sports league, you probably had to get creative with your fitness routine.
Some folks ponied up thousands for Pelotons and others adapted to all-weather power walking, hiking or running in the great outdoors. One activity that has experienced a surprising surge in popularity throughout the country was mountain biking. Cycling market research company NDP Group reported that nationwide sales of front-suspension mountain bikes were up more than 150 percent in April 2020 compared to April 2019, proving early-pandemic growth.
The uptick was obvious in trail meccas like Denver, upstate New York, and California. But even here in the relatively flat Bay region, I saw a steady flow of bike-topped cars headed for the hills every weekend with my own eyes. Local bike shops experienced an unprecedented demand for bikes and had trouble keeping them stocked. And the boom hasn’t stopped. “Trail use overall increased greatly during the pandemic,” says Dave Magill, Maryland Advocacy Director
10 • BAY WEEKLY • May 27 - June 3, 2021
of Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts (MORE). “National and regional numbers suggest increases of 30 percent or more, and this applies to mountain bikes as well. We’ve seen it in crowded trailhead parking lots, greater turnout for the beginner rides that we host, and increasing numbers of people becoming MORE members. And in many bicycle shops being sold out of bikes.” “The bike industry as a whole has experienced a huge increase in demand,” a manager at Bike Doctor Annapolis confirmed. “It started with kids bikes when the schools shut down, and demand for adult bikes quickly followed when parents decided they wanted to join them. Then, after ‘cabin fever’
seemed to set in, things really took off.” Many bike shops struggled to meet the demand. “We saw a huge increase in business due to COVID travel restrictions and the fact that trails were one of the few places where people could get out and enjoy themselves,” said TrailWerks Cyclery manager MK. “However, we’ve also experienced major supply chain disruptions, with sourcing products and parts often very difficult due to production and shipping delays, as well as shortages in raw materials.” Annapolis Velo’s Chris Adair sees the good and the bad. “The positive rests in the fact that the pandemic definitely increased
