“I was in Tokyo when the earthquake hit, and everything stopped. Trains stopped, buses were in chaos and cars were jammed. Within that, you could just see bicycles swimming through. Some of our stores stayed open until 4 a.m. to meet the surge in demand.”-Susumu Shimoda, Asahi Co. President

Bicycle sales in Tokyo tripled thanks to the March 11 disasters.  People needed a way to get home after all normal modes of transport got shut down.

For the retailer Asahi, sales surged 200%.  It’s not just the disasters that are pedaling bike sales upward: “In addition to the disorder in the public transportation system, rising gasoline prices are also boosting the demand for bicycles.”-Akinori Sato, Daiwa Securities Capital Markets Company

Bike parts maker Shimano also reported increase in sales, as well as Taiwan bike maker Giant Manufacturing Company.