Bikes are booming across the globe as people seek to avoid crowded buses and trains for their daily commutes in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic — or get back into shape after long months of lockdown, AFP reports.

But with sales exploding in many countries, the current cycling craze has left manufacturers and retailers out-pedalled by demand.

In Paris, where mayor Anne Hidalgo has been working hard to put cycling on the map, vastly increasing the number of bike lanes in recent years, would-be buyers often have to wait weeks to get their hands on a brand new velocipede.

French bike sales doubled in May and June compared to the same months last year, according to the sporting and cycling federation. In China, demand has increased fivefold since lockdowns were eased. And in the US, sales of bikes have exploded, with online purchases alone skyrocketing in May by 5,000 per cent over the figure for the same month last year.