Now we are enjoying the Cadel Effect

Last year millions of Australian's saluted his maginficaent Tour de France VICTORY. Now his victory is having a Cadel Effect!

Cadel Effect

CYCLING in Victoria has surged since Cadel Evans won last year's Tour de France, but it's not just Lycra-clad speedsters taking to the roads and trails.

Bike store owners reported a huge surge in new bike sales soon after his landmark July win and even the sales of our latest BikePaths and RailTrail guide has surged!

Riders of all shapes and sizes are jumping into the saddle and a lot of them are pedalling on the food and wine trails in north-eastern Victoria.

Last year, this saw more than 60,000 people cycle on the the state's north-east's main bike artery, the 100-kilometre Murray to Mountains Rail Trail that includes Wangaratta, Beechworth and Bright.

THE Age (Sunday 14^th August) reports there is a wave of cycling enthusiasm sweeping the nation in the wake of Cadel Evans's triumph in France that has become such a tour de force it's been given a name: the Cadel Effect.

In the weeks since Evans won the Tour de France, retailers have sold out of some stock as demand for bicycles and accessories soars.

Gordon Lawrence, of Lawrencia Cycles in Glenferrie Rd Hawthorn, said bicycle and accessory sales since Cadel’s win had risen by 20 per cent. ''People who were thinking about buying a bike in the next three to six months have come in and said they want it now.''

Mr Lawrence said since 2007, when Evans was second in the Tour de France, 48 new bicycle stores had opened in Melbourne.

Competitive club cycling has also benefited according to Cycling Victoria general manager Kipp Kaufmann who says club memberships have soared by 300 per cent since 2007!

Now we are enjoying the Cadel Effect

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