Supply times for bicycles are stuck in the slow lane with one Gloucester retailer saying it's taking nearly three times as long to get imports.

Meanwhile, Halfords, the UK's top cycle retailer by volume, has announced that its cycling sales were down 23% in the 20 weeks to the 20th August.

Chris Pengilley, managing director of Quella Bicycle, Quedgeley, Gloucester, said: "It's taking a long, long time to get supplies. The lead times for ordering a bicycle and all the component parts have doubled and nearly trebled.

"Because of the surge in cycling, there is this massive pressure on the supply chains causing the lead time to stretch and stretch."

The firm have had to adapt their planning to factor in the delays but this inevitably puts pressure on cash flow as they have to wait much longer to realise on investment. They are hoping the measures put in place will be sufficient to meet demand in the run up to Christmas.

Bikes and the components come from many different suppliers in the Far East, particularly China and Taiwan. They have been affected by factory production and shipping problems.

Graham Stapleton, Chief Executive Officer of Halfords, said: "Although our cycling business is currently impacted by the considerable disruption in the global supply chain, as the UK's largest cycling retailer we are well positioned to adapt and to serve our customers, and we remain confident in the long-term outlook for the cycling market."

In its report it says: "We expect many of the cycling supply chain issues ... to continue for some time."