Speaking to Gulf Times, an employee of a leading sports shop in Doha said sales of bicycles and accessories for adults as well as children have been picking up since the middle of September.
He expects the demand for different kinds of bicycles to increase gradually as the weather improves and also because some people may be inspired by the upcoming UCI Road World Championships in Doha.
The employee expressed optimism that the international sporting event would help promote cycling in Qatar and further boost their sales.“We hope to meet our targets and also expect our regular customers to upgrade their units before participating in some of the local races and competitions,” he added.
While some replace parts and accessories, others look to get rid of their old bicycles and get new ones.
Repair and maintenance works are also carried out, it is found.
Fair weather is also prompting people to take their children to open spaces such as the Museum of Islamic Art Park, Aspire and Doha Corniche for biking and other activities.
Besides bicycles, the employee said they have also witnessed an increase in the sales of cycling apparel and accessories such as water bottles, jerseys, headgear and shoes, among others.
However, he observed that the increase in sales recorded in the first half of last month is lower than what was seen for the same period last year.
An employee of another sports shop aired similar views, saying there have been fewer customers so far this year.“We are actually thinking of offering another promotion in the coming weeks to boost sales,” she noted.
The employee speculated that many residents who used to bike previously could be more interested in indoor sports and recreational activities now.“However, we do benefit from the races and sports competitions organised by different groups and organisations here,” she said.
Qatar Chain Reaction recently held a race, dubbed “Carbon Wheels Smashfest Criterium”, which saw the participation of dozens of cyclists.
Another event is scheduled for later this month.
“Such competitions help bicycle shops like ours get more customers,” she said.“We work hard to get a fair share of the pie due to the increasing number of shops — more competition — in the country.
Some cyclists now also prefer to buy units abroad and ship them to Qatar.”
Besides bicycles, sales of bags, shoes for running and football, apparel such as shorts, jerseys, jackets and jogging suits, tennis rackets, socks, footballs and accessories are also picking up, the employee said.
Sport stores benefit from local competitions
With the mercury level dropping, a growing number of residents have started buying outdoor sport items and equipment.
