BLOOMINGTON - Carol Smith has more company these days during the final stretch of her commute by bike from her home near Secor to her job at State Farm Insurance Cos. in Bloomington. | Educators learn lesson in biking

Smith, 55, who has a four-day work week, takes about two hours each way to pedal the 50-mile round trip at least once a week, twice if she can.

Smith only sees occasional wildlife while she speeds through the rural areas of northern McLean County on her recumbent bike. But she's recently witnessed an upswing in bike traffic when she reaches Constitution Trail, the Twin Cities' popular linear park.

"Last year when I was riding in, I seldom saw people riding to work. This year, once I get to town on the trail, I can definitely tell there's more traffic that's work-related," she said.

Whenever weather permits, Mike Wolf, 26, commutes by bike the five-mile roundtrip from his home in Bloomington to the Normal office of the Farnsworth Group, where he's an engineer and in charge of the company's bike-to-work wellness initiative. Like Smith, Wolf has noticed more cyclists wearing business casual than spandex on Constitution Trail this summer.

"Some people even have suits on," said Wolf, a recent Illinois Wesleyan graduate.

Bicycling for reasons other than health and recreation is one way more and more people are responding to the arrival of gasoline prices that remain near $4 a gallon. The idea is to leave that car, truck or SUV in the garage more often.

The increase in bicycling is evident at area bike shops, which are having a hard time keeping pace with a surge in sales that operators think is fueled by higher gas prices. Stripped of 2008 inventories, some well-known bicycle brand names are rolling out their 2009 models several months earlier than usual, said Bernie Camp, sales manager at Russell's Cycling in Washington.

"They expected a downturn in the economic conditions, but they didn't anticipate the upsurge (in new customers)," Camp said.

"We've been out of some 2008 bikes for weeks," agreed Scott Davis, general manager of Bloomington Cycle in Bloomington. "We're waiting for 2009s."

Ironically, expect bike prices to rise soon due to increased demand and higher costs for raw materials, he said.

The bulk of the new riders are buying hybrid and comfort bikes, which are best suited for commuting and casual riding. But road bikes like pro cyclist Carlos Sastre rode to earn the yellow jersey at the recent Tour de France are selling well, too.

"Our hybrid sales are up 30 percent over the same time last year," said Andre Conton, sales manager at Vitesse Cycle in Normal. "June and July were crazy, and we're still moving at a pace above normal."

"We saw it last summer. Everybody was freaking out when gas prices went up last year," added Davis. "But as soon as weather got nice out this year, we were run over. We were hit hard."

Customers also are emptying shelves of carryall bags, helmets, fenders to keep from getting splashed, lights and other accessories. Some items are becoming hard for retailers to get from distributors.

The National Sporting Goods Association said 37.4 million people age 7 or older bicycled in 2007, up 5 percent from 2006. But Jack Wilson, owner of Wilson's Cycle in Bloomington, said in increase in cycling for exercise and recreation can't account for the powerful buying trend he's seen in 2008.

"(Customers) are making comments. … They mention fuel prices," said Wilson, who's never been as busy as he is now, including during the gasoline crunch during the 1970s.

Shops aren't only seeing an increase in new sales. Their mechanics also are logging extra hours trying to keep up with a crush of repairs on older bikes that are being dusted off and pressed into service.

"I've seen bikes 20, 25 and 30 years old," Wilson said.

The bike trend is likely to last, all agree.

Though people three decades ago may have viewed the oil shortage as temporary, they're convinced today's higher gasoline prices are here to stay, Wilson said.

Indeed, habits are changing, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Since November 2007, Americans have driven 40.5 billion fewer miles, compared to the same period a year earlier. Motorists logged 9.6 billion fewer miles in May than in May 2007.

"I don't think this is going away," Davis said. "People are looking at alternative transportation. Gasoline prices have gone down a little, but it won't go down to three bucks again. People are getting into the mode of things. They think, 'I'm only going six blocks, I can ride a bike.'"

Smith expects she'll have two-wheeled company on the road for a long time to come.

"If fuel prices drop off, some (of the newer bike riders) will drop off, but some will be hooked and keep riding," she said.

"I think once people make the first step with biking, they realize they enjoy it," added Wolf, who hopes city officials do more to encourage bicycle use, such as designating more bike routes. "You get your exercise, you don't use gas, plus you're saving the environment. It's an all-around good deal if you look at it."

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Commuting tips

Vitesse Cycle in Normal offers the following tips for bicycle commuters:

- Always wear a helmet.

- Have quality lights if you intend to ride after dark.

- Have fenders installed if you intend to ride, rain or shine.

- Make sure you have enough time to take a leisurely ride to work. That keeps sweat and fatigue down. Also, keep some deodorant at work; baby wipes are a great way to cool off after riding.

- Take bike paths when possible and avoid heavily traveled streets and roads.

- A backpack can work for short distances, but can be cumbersome. Panniers that mount on the frame work well, and keep sweating down.

- Follow the rules of the road.