An employee of a leading sports shop told Gulf Times that racer bikes have been the bestsellers in the past few weeks, particularly days before the start of phase 4 of the gradual lifting of coronavirus restrictions in the country.
The Covid-19 respiratory disease is caused by the coronavirus.
“Racer bikes and other bike accessories have been fast moving items, and we expect sales to surge further in the coming weeks as the weather gets even better,” he said, adding that many customers are also looking for mountain bikes.
“We have few racer and mountain bikes left here at the store, and we are expecting our next shipment to come in the next three weeks,” he added. “We hope that there will be no delays.”
As a bike enthusiast himself, he said that many residents are excited to do outdoor activities after spending months of staying and working from home amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Qatar Chain Reaction (QCR), one of the largest groups of cyclists in Qatar, holds Friday and Saturday bike rides, with no registration or membership required.
Riders are requested to show up in advance of the scheduled time, advertised on social media. The meeting place is usually at the Lagoona Mall car park (outside Fifty-One East).
QCR also posted a schedule of races and activities in the next three months from October 9, when an all-day time trial is set to take place at Al Thakira between 3pm and 6pm.
It will be followed by a “Night Time Trial Series 20” on October 13 and the Qatar Foundation Triathlon Series – Race 1 on October 16, among other races, though the dates for those are not yet final.
Cyclists will also have the chance to participate in QCR’s Sealine Run Challenge, Road Race 2 – Handicap, Qatar Foundation Duathlon Series – Race 1, Ride of Champions (Qatar Cyclists), and Theeb MTB Races, among others, in November.
December is also packed with many races and activities.
A staffer at another popular sports shop in Doha, who specialises in bike repairs, and maintenance, said that he expects cyclists, including his regular customers, to either upgrade their units or buy new ones as they prepare for these races.
Besides racer and mountain bikes, he said they also recorded an increase in sales of children’s bicycles, even before September 1.
