Bike shops across Oxford are reminding customers that they remain open during lockdown as they are classed as an essential service.

Shops including Walton Street Cycles, Warlands in Botley Road and Bike King in Cowley Road are open for repairs and bike sales.

During the first lockdown last year there was a huge demand for bikes as lots of people decided to take up cycling as a good way of getting some exercise.

Oxford Mail: Steve Stuart of Warlands bike shop Steve Stuart of Warlands bike shop

Robbie Boot, of Walton Street Cycles, said: “The weather was nicer during the first lockdown so it’s a little quieter at the moment.

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“We have had a few calls from customers checking to see if we are still open and as we are happy to be able to tell them that we are.

“At the moment it’s mainly people who use their bikes for going to work who are bringing in their bikes for repairs rather than families using their bikes for fun.”

Andy Holme, co-owner of Warlands, said there was a problem with the supply chain for new bikes.

Oxford Mail: Walton Street Cycles Walton Street Cycles

He added: “There’s a lack of bicycles - a massive supply problem which will take years to rectify. The vast majority are built in the Far East - they were locked down earlier and there’s a global demand which can not be met.”

Mr Holme said he could not order what he wanted from wholesalers and could not tell his customers how long it would take to process orders.

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He added: “We are taking a chance and ordering Dawes bikes in advance for 2021 just so we know we are guaranteed some bikes for 2021.”

Mr Holme, who runs the bike shop with Steve Stuart, said he thought the supply chain would take years to fix.

He added: “We were very busy last year because of lockdown and by April we had pretty much run out of bikes and we are not starting off this year with a shop full of bikes.”

However, the shop’s co-owner said he was pleased Warlands was still being allowed to stay open by the government and is currently trading six days a week, Monday to Saturday.

He added: “We are lucky to be open - I know some businesses such as pubs and butchers are saying if they get to the end of the year and are still here they will class that as a success.”

Oxford Mail: Walton Street Cycles Walton Street Cycles

Tony Gosling, assistant manager at Bike King in Cowley Road, said: “The first lockdown took so much in terms of unforeseen sales so that has meant a delay on some bikes coming in.

“But we are slowly starting to fill back up - we have just had a delivery of 100 new bikes and we haven’t had a delivery of that size for about eight months.

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“There was a huge surge in people refurbishing bikes last year which they had in their sheds and some factories have had a huge shortage of bike accessories.”

Mr Gosling said the shop was open seven days a week and would get busier once students returned.

He added: “Lots of staff working at the Churchill and at the John Radcliffe hospitals use their bikes to get to work so they need us to be open if their bikes need repairing.”

Other bike shops in the city include Summertown Cycles, Bike Zone in St Michael's Street, and Beeline Bicycles in Cowley Road.

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