Another bike boom on the way?

ALLENTOWN, PA (BRAIN)—Except in Flomax commercials, Baby Boomers no longer drive the U.S. bike market, but an upcoming generation may help produce another bike boom like the one that bell-bottomed Boomers created in 1970s.

That's according to Gluskin Townley Group, LLC, a marketing and research firm that will release its American Bicyclist Study this fall. Jay Townley will make a presentation about the research during the Interbike Expo, on Thursday Sept. 20 at 4:30 pm.

Elliot Gluskin, managing partner of the group, did not reveal details of why he has concluded a new boom is on the way.

“In analyzing the American Bicyclist generational data we have concluded and predict that there will be another Bike Boom," he said. The study looks "at the most important generations of Americans to understand the impact of the research findings on supplier and retailer generational marketing and promotional messages, channel dynamics and product development issues."

Gluskin said Generation X is now the "Sweet Spot" for purchases of both new and used bicycles. And research conclusions that the partners have released are sobering, showing remarkable changes in consumer habits just since 2000.

For example, the percentage of enthusiasts who plan to buy their next bike from a bike shop has decreased from 88 percent to 68 percent since 2000. And the percentage of "Moving Ups" (entry level riders) who plan to buy from a shop has decreased from 76 percent to 51 percent over the same period.