BOOM IN BICYCLES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22631, 24 July 1935, Page 4

BOOM IN BICYCLES

NOTABLE INCREASE IN SALES MANY WOMEN PURCHASERS (Special to Daily Times) ■'* AUCKLAND, July 23. Until motorists and- cyclists started mutual recriminations in the newspapers recently over the responsibility for accidents, few of the public outside the two parties concerned had noticed the large increase that has taken place in the number of bicycles in and around Auckland during the past two years. This phenomenon- is not confined to Auckland, or even to New Zealand, but according to trade magazines is universal. “A few years ago we were on the point of giving up our bicycle business, so few machines were being sold. The past two years, however, have saved the linn,” declared the manager of an importing business. “ Last December our sales of bicycles reached the highest figure since long before the war, and instead of falling off during the winter months as we expected they have kept up. A surprising feature is the number of women’s bicycles being sold. Whereas we previously ordered from the makers about one woman’s machine in ten, our consignments are now 50-50 men’s and women’s.”

The Auckland representative of one of the. largest bicycle factories in England said that. his firm had experienced a similar “ boom,” and during last November and December had been hard, put to : it to supply the demand, especially for women’s machines, whole consign- • mentis of which had been sold as sooa as they were landed.