Ed Beardwell has owned the RollQuick cycle shop in Bristol for the past 11 months, and says the business “just about breaks even”.
He cites the cost of living as an issue.
“People are pretty cost-sensitive in Bristol. An awful lot of bikes get stolen and that keeps down the price that anyone is willing to pay,” Beardwell explains.
The rise in popularity of e-bikes was also affecting the sale of traditional bikes, he adds.
Poor sales during the recession led to a focus on bike servicing, which now accounts for 70% of his turnover.
Beardwell tells the BBC that while the winter had been disappointing, business seems to have turned a corner.
“It does feel like things are getting busier and picking up again. When you look at the sales statistics we are down on this point last year but tracking better than at the end of last year,” he says.