Across the country, states are locking down. By introducing measures that encourage people to stay home, governors are hoping to reduce the rate of transmission that has seen the United States become the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. Tens of thousands of businesses have been affected and millions of workers are unemployed, including bike shops. Shouldn’t they be considered essential?

Different states have different rules about what sort of businesses are considered essential. That designation allows a business to stay open. Primarily, essential businesses are either directly or indirectly related to the vital services that keep Americans safe. In Michigan, for example, it’s even more specific, closing down all “in-person work that is not necessary to sustain or protect life.” 

There are a number of exceptions, including those listed below:

Exceptions. 

1. Individuals may leave their home or place of residence, and travel as necessary: 

-To engage in outdoor activity, including walking, hiking, running, cycling, or any other recreational activity consistent with remaining at least six feet from people from outside the individual’s household.

-To perform their jobs as critical infrastructure workers after being so designated by their employers. (Critical infrastructure workers who need not be designated under section 5(a) may leave their home for work without a designation.) 

-To conduct minimum basic operations, as described in section 4(b), after being designated to perform such work by their employers.

-To perform necessary government activities, as described in section 6.

One of the most glaring omissions is that of bike shops. Bikes provide more than just the recommended recreational exemption, which should really be enough on its own. Even more critically, cycling provides transportation for millions of Americans, and that includes medical professionals on the frontlines of fighting the pandemic. It may also include those who work in critical infrastructure. 

Additionally, cycling provides an alternative for those who may have normally relied on public transportation. With limited or canceled bus and train operations, bike shops help commuters find alternative means of moving, both professionally and recreationally. Even if public transportation is available, experts have already recognized the tight conditions and myriad touchpoints as ideal disease vectors. Cycling allows for social distancing and may help reduce the spread of the virus. 

At a minimum, shops should be allowed to be open for basic repairs to keep people pedaling. The League of Michigan Bicyclists has started a petition for that change and is hoping to get bike shops added to the list of exempted businesses. We believe this would not only support bike shops but also support individuals from all walks of life having the access they need to cycling. You can support the petition here.