CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The owner of a bicycle shop in the Beverly neighborhood said he doesn’t see the COVID-related shortages ending for three years.
Paul Weise, owner of Beverly Bike and Ski, located at 91st and Western, said it started in April of last year, and by Mother’s Day, nobody had bikes.
"It started out in...well we got busy last April, but May was just a monster for everybody...Everybody sold out of bikes by Mother's Day," he said.
"People looking for outdoor sports, so then there was a run on bikes. And then when they couldn't get bikes, then there was a run on repair. Everybody pulled that old bike out from behind the lawnmower."
Weise said then came the parts shortages, which backed up manufacturers, and that’s continuing to today.
"The manufacturers can build frames all day, because there isn't a steel or aluminum shortage, but there's a parts shortage, so we can't get bikes because of the parts," he said.
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He ordered 500 bikes this year, and while there are bikes currently on the floor, "this is a little bit heavy. About two weeks ago, we had zero bikes on the floor. They are just starting to kind of trickle in for me."
He said before the COVID-19 pandemic, a truck would pull up in front of the shop with 20 or 30 bikes at a time. Today it’s two or three. And they’re very busy with repairs.
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