Olympics spurs interest in bikes – report

Demand for bikes has soared following Britain’s strong performance in the Olympic cycling events in Paris , new research suggests.

Retail giant Halfords said that over the course of the games in Paris, its bike website was visited over half a million times, 12% more than in the run-up to the events.

Searches for models such as a BMX saw bigger increases, while interest in women’s bikes generally, rose by 25% compared to 15% for men, said Halfords.

We saw a very clear spike in demand for bikes over the course of the games in Paris

Katie Begley, head of cycling at Halfords, said: “We saw a very clear spike in demand for bikes over the course of the games in Paris.

“As the largest bike retailer in the UK, an increase of 12% – and up to a quarter in some categories – is very significant.

“It’s clear the increase was down to the games, as the categories we saw the largest rises in were those prominently featured in television coverage over the period.”