British bicycle and car retailer Halfords today told parents across the country that tens of thousands of new children's bicycles are expected to be delivered in the next week as a final preparation for Christmas.

Of course, in a typical year, the availability of stock at Halfords would not be newsworthy, but the past year and a half has proven to be anything but typical: as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, bicycle and parts inventories have been significantly reduced, with some items taking up to a year to be delivered. This was the result of both an increase in participation due to cycling being one of the few reasons allowed during the early pandemic closures, and the simultaneous closure of plants due to the closure and spread of the virus.

Market research conducted revealed that 30% of UK parents plan to get their children a bicycle for Christmas this year, but supply chain issues have left many concerned about whether this will be possible. Halford's announcement to break the supply shortage will go a long way to allaying the fears of such parents.

But the store is not stopping there to ease Christmas stress. It has announced a new service called "Santa's Cycle Stash," which allows customers to hide their purchases in the store until Christmas Eve.

The store's additional research shows that 55% of children look for gifts before the big day, and 49% of them are successful. As a result, 21% of the children were forced to suspect the presence of the big man in the red suit, and 11% concluded that it was, in fact, their parents all along.

Launched by Halford in 2021, the service mimics those offered by various bicycle stores around the country, as 57% of parents say it is difficult to hide gifts, and the size and shape of a bicycle is one of the most difficult things to hide, It will undoubtedly be a popular choice. For those who don't want to deal with the hassle of wrapping a bicycle in wrapping paper, there are even "bicycle gift bags" available.

To ensure completion of the bike by Christmas, Halfords says orders must be placed by Sunday, December 19, at 8:00 p.m. (CST).