Adam Blumenthal
Revolution Cycles
Masks and no-contact are the policy at Revolution Cycles, owned by Jeff Fitzgerald, left.
Madison has always had a strong biking community. But throw in a pandemic and more people are turning to biking for transportation, exercise and a way to be outside while maintaining social distance.
According to a national survey by Trek Bicycle Corporation, 85% of Americans see cycling as safer than taking public transportation while social distancing. Nearly two-thirds said that bike riding helped to relieve anxiety during the pandemic.
How are bike shops responding to the demand and keeping safe?
Crazy Lenny’s E-Bikes, the only shop in Madison solely dedicated to e-bikes, starts each day by disinfecting every one of the 200 bikes in the shop; doors and countertops are also cleaned several times a day. Local delivery and no-contact bike pickup is offered.
The shop reported a 30% drop in sales during the first week of Gov. Evers’ Safer at Home order. Since then, says owner Lenny Mattioli, business has bounced back. “Our sales in the last four weeks have exceeded the prior year’s sales.”
He says he advertised and used social media to let customers know they can buy a bike over the phone or online. “I think a lot of people thought because we were a store that we weren’t open,” Mattioli says. “But we are [designated] essential,” he says, referring to Evers’ order.
Mattioli also launched what he calls “crisis prices.” He chose three bikes based on three types of customers, then went to manufacturers to ask for relief prices, some at almost half price. One of these bikes has already sold out. He’s now offering a specially-priced gravel bike that works well on both pavement or trails.
Business has also been booming at Revolution Cycles. “Our phone has been ringing off the hook,” says owner Jeff Fitzgerald. “I’m very thankful, but it’s an unusual stress. Some people are unemployed and we can hardly keep up with business. We’ve reduced our hours because it was getting overwhelming.”
A little more than a month ago, the shop locked its doors. All transactions since have been done over the phone or via email. “That was a pretty incredible change for us,” Fitzgerald says. “It added a lot of time to what we do. This is my 20th year in business, and it’s just a crazy thing to go through. We didn’t know what to make of this virus.”
At first, Fitzgerald tried to work from his apartment. That lasted about a week. “We were swamped in the showroom,” he says.
Revolution Cycles has been working with its winter crew on a 10 a.m.-6 p.m. schedule: three employees (including Fitzgerald) inside the 2,000-foot-showroom during the week and two part-time employees on the weekends. The shop has a no-contact policy in place, and employees wear masks when they need to speak with customers.
“We’re about a month aways from even considering opening doors for customers,” Fitzgerald says.
Brett Stepanik
With social distancing precautions in place, Rodney Wilson helps a customer at Budget Bicycle Center on Regent Street.
Owner Roger Charly says Machinery Row Bicycles (now open daily from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.) quickly adapted after Evers announced his Safer at Home order. “Now we are at a good plateau,” he says.
The shop’s service department remains operational and is still turning around bikes in about a week. But the store is not open for general browsing. Customers are encouraged to call ahead to talk through their needs with staff, or to browse online. Once at the store, customers must check in with an employee at the store entrance. Test rides are still allowed, but bikes are brought outside. The shop also offers one-on-one phone shopping, contactless payment processing, curbside drop-off/pickup and free home delivery within Dane County.
Customers can buy products like helmets and bikes, but since they cannot try on clothes Machinery Row has taken a hit in bike clothing sales. “We’re about six weeks behind where we should be,” Charly says about sales in general.
Bike fittings are also on hold. Machinery Row has a designated fit studio on its second floor, but since fittings require contact and take about 1.5 hours, that studio is now being used for bike service overflow. The staff continues to provide bike fittings via a verbal consultation.
No staff have been laid off though hours have been reduced due to a decrease in business; some employees have voluntarily given up hours because they are not comfortable coming to work. Charly expects business to pick up with warmer weather and the opening of state parks.
The situation is similar over at Budget Bicycle Center, which Charly also owns. The shop is open, but at reduced hours. Some of the store’s older employees are home self-quarantining without pay.
To keep a no-contact process in place, tables are set up at each of the store’s entrances so customers cannot enter. Staff meets customers at the door, constantly sanitizes products, and wears gloves and masks.
Both Machinery Row and Budget Bicycle Center feel the impact of this year’s canceled Bike-O-Rama. The weekend-long event was supposed to be in March at the Alliant Energy Center. “That’s usually an infusion of business after winter and not making a lot of money,” says Hank Disch, a service writer at Budget. “We aren’t worried about going out of business, but it might not be a great year or two for us.”
With 48 years of retail experience under his belt, Mattioli says he has never been through or seen anything like COVID-19. He vows to keep his shop open, even if he only has one bike left to sell.
“We’re in a war with COVID-19,” he says. “We don’t want to just survive the war, we want to win the war. Let’s get out there. Let’s ride.”
