The ways in which one achieves fitness changes because of many socio-political, geographical, economic, and biological factors. The 2020 world demands a complete turning of fitness routines.
In the situation of a pandemic, all the above factors become instrumental in shifting the attention to outdoor fitness. Gyms have become a constrained space that does not promise availability. Many gyms have introduced the practice of wearing a mask inside the premises. The effect of this might be irritation or mild suffocation.
Most companies promote the work-from-home option. The physical and mental fatigue of sitting at home can become depressive. To avoid the claustrophobic nature of getting limited to one place, outdoor fitness seems the best option. Activities such as street biking and mountain biking have become more popular and physically beneficial, turning out to be a responsible means of recreation.
These activities help in breaking the monotony of sitting at home. Riding a bike with friends is perhaps a new way of going out. It ensures social distancing and critically responsible means of enjoyment. Mountain riding is a wonderful option if one wants to experience the refreshing vibe of changing location and enjoying nature while being responsible towards the COVID situation.
Such passion has defined the first big boom of the 2020s in the sale of street bikes and mountain bikes. In one of the articles published on June 22nd, it was revealed how the Moore Large Brand director had ensured the delivery of 1000 bikes in one day. In the same article, the growing need for repair products for bikes was mentioned. This implied that people were taking their old bikes out from the rusty garage. They were going back to the age-old way of being active and fit. If their old bikes had become dysfunctional, they were keen on buying new models. The growing craze for bikes in the U.S. had led to a shortage in the biking industry since March.
According to Telegram, bikes were unavailable from “Walmart to bike shops”. The huge aggregate demand has left big shops such as O’Neil’s in a difficult position. The pressure on local shops for repairing is unbelievable. The boom is globally recognized. After the 1965-1975 period, it is one of the most exceptional rises in the sales of bikes in the United States. Such a sale in street bikes and mountain bikes is a direct consequence of the pandemic. Bike riding has become a safe medium to commute.
The elite fashion of big cars is being taken over by this new adventurous sport. People prefer bikes over public transport because of safety reasons. The growing sales have led to many kinds of research around policy-framing for bike-readers in many regions of the world. According to BBC, 10 new lanes have been made in the U.K. cities to give an easy riding and walking experience.
As the sails continue to experience a surge, the anxiety of bike-riders also increases. Whether the streets would provide the same space and security to bike riders after the pandemic is over, is a question that has been raised again and again in this small period of global lockdown. Right now, the changing trend speaks for itself. The post-COVID world would emphasize on the importance of maintaining social distancing. The lives would not return to normal. Probably, this new outdoor activity will become a permanent practice.
