Hawai'i's bike shops have seen a lot more foot traffic since gasoline prices went up, but it hasn't always translated into more bike sales.

Nationwide, 19 million new bikes were purchased last year, close to the all-time high of 20 million during the oil crisis of the 1970s. But in Hawai'i, it seems many residents are recycling old bicycles rather than buying new ones.

"There are more bikes that haven't been ridden in years coming out of the closets," said Scott Chaney, repair department manager for The Bike Shop on O'ahu.

And even among buyers, gas prices aren't the one thing driving people to turn to bikes — they were just the latest thing, according to John Tanner, who operates Bicycle John in Lihu'e, Kaua'i.

"If there's one thing the gasoline prices have done, it isn't necessarily that people have actually started commuting (by bike), but that bicycles in people's minds are more of a legitimate alternative form of transportation," he said.

Bob Nooney of Island Biker in Kahului, Maui, agrees: "People are talking about thinking about riding to work, although I don't know anyone who has actually started doing it." Nooney said his road bike sales are up.

Christopher Seymour of the Hilo Bike Hub said his sales have dropped somewhat, although repairs are strong.

On the other side of the island, the upcoming Ironman Triathlon throws the statistics off, although there appears to have been a slight increase in sales during the past three months, said Kona's B&L Sports manager Andy Chase. He said the pattern of a strong repair business runs true.

"Repairs have definitely been up. We have tons of people bringing in bikes for repair," Chase said.

At all three of The Bike Shop's O'ahu locations, sales are up, said the firm's director of marketing and promotion, Chris Blumenstetter.

"We're selling a lot of entry-level bikes, in the $300 range, for neighborhood and street use," he said.

Bicycle companies are seeing increased sales of fenders, tube patch kits and other items used to bring older bikes up to speed.

At Tanner's shop in Lihu'e, one of the upcoming repair jobs is the replacement of brake cables on a rusty but still serviceable bicycle that its owner pulled out of the dump.

If you have a question or concern about the Hawaiian environment, drop a note to Jan TenBruggencate at P.O. Box 524, Lihu'e, HI 96766 or jant@honoluluadvertiser.com. Or call him at (808) 245-3074.