Ardent cyclers peddle in style

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Caught in the space war among motorists, cars and buses on the city roads is the declining
population of cyclists.

Normal bicycles which were a common sight even about a decade ago, are rare not because of their non-existence but more out of lack of space on the roads.

“I hardly have space to walk where can I bicycle?” asks Sriram Vaidyanathan, who has a passion for cycling.

“Instead, now I have an MTB (mountain terrain bike) which I use during the weekends to cycle along the ECR,” adds the 24-year-old techie.

India stands next only to China, with yearly bicycle production standing at approximately 10 per cent of the world’s, which is estimated at 125 million units.

“Indian bicycle industry is growing at the rate of 4 per cent annually with the shift towards high-end cycles rather than the standard ones,” avers Mr Rajesh Mani, head of marketing and retail of southern major TI Cycles India Ltd.

Growing aspirational levels, easy availability of auto loans and a vast choice of two-wheelers are definitely pushing most 18-plus teenagers to chuck their bicycles.

“With the slowdown in demand for standard cycles, even their production has come down from 65 per cent about five years ago to 50 per cent these days,” he adds.

However, cycle companies have managed to whip up the passion of the younger generation towards high-end bikes that are fashionable.

“The key drivers for this growing segment are our strategy to promote cycling for fitness, fun and freedom,” says Mr Mani.

This positioning gives Indian bicycle makers, such as TI Cycles, Hero, Avon and Atlas, a chance to sell cycles starting from Rs 15,000 to as high as a few lakhs.

Such slowdown in standard cycles are even seen in the interior markets whose folks are now seeing better economic prospects owing to the booming IT industry and the rural focus of most banks.

“Simple pleasures like cycling are just a dream these days with hardly any space to even walk,” laments Mr S. Doraisamy, 67, who had cycled his way to office for 35 years.