The Bicycle Boom

LAWRENCE FAN, HENRY MA online editor-in-chief, sports page editor

As an escape from the unique challenges from this year’s pandemic, Cupertino students and residents are taking up a distinctly liberating pastime: Bicycling.

This outdoor trend is evident in the Cupertino High School community with increased activity both on Strava and in Tino Cycling Club meetings. Senior Pritish Budhrani, for example, has been logging 40+ mile rides shortly after taking up cycling over quarantine.

Said Budhrani, “I tried to find a hobby that would help me see more places. I started biking to these beautiful places, and I just got more and more into it. It’s just to get my mind off of things.”

Meanwhile, previous bikers are finding more time to explore new trails and conquer additional challenges.

Said sophomore and Cycling Club treasurer Nischal Chakravarthi, “I’d say definitely after being cooped up in my room for seven hours for school, I am more incentivized to ride my bike. On weekends, I see a lot more people out on the more popular trails.”

It is not hard to identify the cause of this novel outdoor trend; regulations have put a hiatus on most team-sports. As social distancing measures severely limit the participation of prior recreational activities, residents have turned to the allure of nature. Particularly, many are discovering the thrills and enjoyment that comes with biking.

Said Senior Pritish Budhrani, “One of my favorite things is after a really bad uphill, the wind in your face going downhill is enduring. You’re just cruising through a cold breeze. And you get an adrenaline rush. It’s amazing.”

Contrary to many local businesses, the bike industry has seen an increase in sales and revenue. After being closed for three days, the Cupertino Bike Shop reopened their physical store with a few changes.

Said Vance Sprock, proprietor of the Cupertino Bike Shop, “ We were closed for about three or four days. Then the county deemed bicycle service as essential and we were able to reopen at that time and we limited our hours slightly. We cut one day out, which is five hours. So we reduced our hours a little bit due to Covid-19.”

Just like other restaurants and essential businesses, the bike shop can reopen as long as they follow county guidelines.

“We’ve got to wipe things down with our anti-bacterial sprays, and try to maintain social distancing with customers. We wear our masks all the time and fortunately… every now and then have to limit the amount of customers in our shop.” explained Sprock.

Because of the recent demand in biking, the Cupertino Bike shop has seen a huge increase in sales.

Said Sprock, “There has probably been a 25 to 30 percent increase in revenue over the past year. A lot of service industries and restaurants have been really impacted by Covid-19, however we’ve had increased sales, increased services, and we’re benefiting.”