Bicycling becoming more convenient

Chapel Hill, N.C. — High gas prices have led to a bicycle boom and a push toward making biking more convenient. Things you never thought you could do on a bike, like picking up the children or running errands, are becoming possible.

“Considering how high they (gas prices) are, just going out and getting some things sometimes helps,” bicycler Morgan Walton said.

Getting a few things on a bike is no problem, but going to the grocery store and picking up a lot of items has required more consideration.

“This is a kit that just goes onto any bike and it has these big wide loaders in the back, so you can take your grocery bags they give you and drop them right in there,” Elise Giddings, with Cycle 9 Bike Shop, said.

Cycle 9 in Orange County specializes in biking not for recreation, but for transportation – from the bikes that can haul to ones that fold flat and fit in a suitcase.

The big sellers are electric-assist bikes that you plug in. When you are ready to go, the power gives you a boost for long distances or tough hills.

“This is a great way to avoid using your car and (to) save on gas and help our own national dependence on foreign oil,” Giddings said.

The demand for all this added convenience is huge.

“It's really hard to keep them in stock. As soon as we get stuff, we sell it right out,” Giddings said.

Bike outfitting is a "green" idea that definitely has a following, as more people opt for two wheels to try to save money.