Missouri Bike Shops Could Use the Boost the Tour of Missouri Provides

The bicycle shop business is a hard business to succeed in these days. Like many small-businesses they face challenges of large overhead, stiff competition on the Internet, and misconceptions that a Schwinn at Walmart is a quality bicycle. Many bicycle shops have closed in recent years due to a tough economy and just a tough business to survive in the first place.

Events like the Tour of Missouri benefit bicycle shops across the state. They motivate people to buy bicycles and accessories for bicycles--which help stimulate the economy.

I recently spoke with a representative of Sunshine Cycles in Springfield, MO. Springfield has been a host city for the first two tours. Sunshine Cycles has seen more customers walk through their door because of the Tour of Missouri.

It's unlikely that a bicycle shop's success will balance on the Tour of Missouri, but considering it might be the event that helps a shop survive a tough year in order to begin another year of providing jobs and services to the community, this is obvious a benefit to a small business that plays a role in the community in providing healthy recreation. For you libs out there that like the tour, you should be arguing for the environmental benefits of bicycles and how the Tour of Missouri promotes cycling.