Mary Bridger pedals her bike across Main Street in Hutchinson on Tuesday, pulling her sons, Seamus Wamsley, 6, and Simon Wamsley, 4. Bridger rides her bike almost everywhere to save on gas, to help the environment and for her health.

Hutchinson ? High gas prices and economic stimulus checks have shifted local bicycle business into high gear.

“There has definitely been a noticeable increase in sales because of gas price awareness,” said Bob Updegraff, owner of Harley’s Bicycles.

Just outside the window of his Main Street shop, Updegraff has watched bicycle traffic more than triple in recent weeks, commuters now pedaling past on a regular basis during rush hour.

“It’s a direct relation to the gas prices,” he said.

While he couldn’t put a percentage on the increase in sales, Updegraff was confident of the increase.

“We’re enjoying a good second quarter,” he said.

While higher gas prices are a definite motivation, government stimulus checks are also providing incentive for people to purchase new bikes, repair old ones or buy accessories to begin commuting, Updegraff said.

The bike rack in front of Sunset Pawn, 400 N. Main, had only one bike parked in it Tuesday afternoon.

“We have a hard time staying full,” Hogan Smith said. “Sales have increased. Today we had two bikes out front; normally we have 15.”

Sales of bikes have at least doubled in the past several months as the price at the pumps has increased, Smith said.

“They are flying out of here as fast as I put them out,” Smith said of the secondhand bikes that sell for $20 to $50.

Another hot item at his shop is mo-peds.

“I sold 14 mopeds within the past month,” Smith said. “Before they get here, people put deposits on them.”

A 49cc motor moped, which gets 105 miles to the gallon, costs $1,100.

Bike sales also are brisk at Heartland Bicycle in Wichita’s Old Town, said owner Byron Fick, a former Hutchinson resident.

“I haven’t set any records, but sales have been up,” Fick said. “There are seven bike shops in Wichita, so it gets spread around a little more than in Hutchinson.”

Just like Harley’s Bicycles, Fick’s store has plenty of customers buying accessories or complete bikes and helmets to ride back and forth to work.

The surge in business, and more people commuting to work, hasn’t peaked yet, shop owners said.

That might come when gas sits at the $4 mark, said one salesman at the Heartland shop.