Postponed, what is your acceptance for bikes or components?

Questions about bike hire abroad and everything light bike related. No off-topic chat please

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wheelsONfire
Posts: 6280
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2014 8:15 am
Location: NorthEU

by wheelsONfire

I just spoke to a retailer, he told me they already know some stuff will come late 2023.
He also told me several bikes and components have been postponed almost a year.
I just can't understand how anyone can go hot for a bike and wait 1 year +.
Is it worth it?

I mean, don't people get bored and look for something else if the waiting is 12-24 months?
There was zero chance to get a better price since he claims they are so signed up on just about everything.
Bikes:

Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
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www.starbike.com



Butcher
Shop Owner
Posts: 1917
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 4:58 am

by Butcher

I ordered an EPS12 in January 2021. Paid in full. Still waiting.

I ride a SR EPS11 so I should not complain and I do not. I've only contacted the LBS once. They send me updates every few months. I did get an email saying all the parts were in and when I arrived, I found out that was not true. I did talk to the guy and he appreciated that I was so patient. I told him if I got upset and was whinning like a baby, would it help? He said no. So, there is no reason why I should. I just hope it comes in before EPS13 comes out.

Yes, they did offer me my money back until the stuff arrived, but I told them it's best that they keep it or I will use it for something else.

It's not just limited to one company.

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Leviathan
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Location: Mallorca, Spain
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by Leviathan

I'm selling a couple of my bikes (not on here!) on the hope people won't wait!

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"I saw you with elephants hosing down some dwarves on black and white TV" - Ode to Anthony H Wilson

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tymon_tm
Posts: 3651
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:35 pm

by tymon_tm

methinks life cycle of a bike (or a part, or piece of bibs, or whatever) has been getting shorter and shorter in recent years. it's really hard to witness anybody riding more than, say, two seasons on one bike or set of wheels, and it shows in bike shops - first of all, there are more of them. second, they stock more and more expensive stuff. and it doesn't really matter whether you do 2k or 20k km per year, stuff's just getting old in a blink of an eye - this is the demand part. why is it happening? moslty lifestyle and cash. it's also the whole new thing for women, who not only have finally a plethora of equipment and gear designed for them, they also can afford it easily (because women in general are becoming more and more independent, it's no longer asking their hubby for a piece of s*** bike). lifestyle on the other hand means you treat bike like anything else you're being "influenced with" - shoes, vacation, whatever. and in this regard sex isn't a factor, I'm seeing dudes who, not that long ago, would boast how many tens of thousands of kilometers their bikes have on them, riding new rigs almost every season, all dressed up like they were coming back from a photo shoot. someone would say "good for them", but actually it's not good for any of us - one of many arguments is that at some point producers will notice their stuff doesn't have to last as long as it used to, and bikes will become like fridges or cars - we'll be lucky if they ain't broken after 3 years.

as for suppply, last few years is mostly about discs and gravel. manufacturers know how to keep demand hot, and with "few simple tricks" they made it into a point, where getting something specific is often just freakin impossible. whether it's good for business, scientist would argue, but clearly folks out there are so thirsty of "buying. buying, buying" they wait and adjust their purchase habits accordingly. few months ago I witnessed a situation at 'my' lbs, where someone wanted a new bike for the season after having his old one stolen, and he was told "second part of the year at best". and instead of going somewhere else or picking some other bike, he said "OK, I'll wait". he willingly suspended his riding for months just to have a specific bike... that's crazy if you ask me.

long post short - it's us, the customers, who actively add to this situation. of course we're not doing it entirely out of our free will. as for today producers seem to walk on this thin line between lust and unavailability. for now, lust prevails. there were many concerns pandemic would ruin economy and "rich" western societies would be back to counting matches. clearly that's not the case, and in many cases companies seem to have came back even stronger. arguably after moths in lockdown, people started to appreciate sport and other leisure acitivities and are willing to spend more and more to keep themselves active. that old joke "how to make a million bucks running a bike shop" is just no longer valid..
kkibbler wrote: WW remembers.

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Lewn777
Posts: 1266
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2017 5:35 am

by Lewn777

I notice that many people do change things after a few seasons, but usually they don't really wrench on their bikes and have plenty of money. For me I just bought an alloy rim bike and intend to keep it for 10 years and keep it for around 5 as my primary. Not interested in electronic shifting, carbon wheels or disk brakes. I'm in my 40's, but I think it isn't really about age, it's about cycling maturity, if you've seen it all before you can be cynical about new tech unless you feel it really is something essential to get excited about.

Butcher
Shop Owner
Posts: 1917
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 4:58 am

by Butcher

Maturity? It's about opinion. If you want to keep the old school stuff that is great. If I want to buy the newest stuff, that is great too. There is no reason to do something you do not want to do or to bash someone that does not have the same opinion.

As far as Im concerned, the only reason to have electric shifting is so you do not have to maintain your bike every few weeks to get your shifting right. My friend recently bought a 11sp Ultegra and in less than a year, he complains about the shifting going out of whack and now a cable is frayed. After almost 10 years, I complain I have to readapt my shifting when I change cassettes. Nothing else to complain about. Of course, if I had a 5 speed set up, with friction shifters, I probably would not complain about much at all.

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Juanmoretime
Administrator
Posts: 288
Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2004 11:08 am

by Juanmoretime

I'm old school and like to hold on to my bikes. My carbon cyclocross bike that I used primarily for gravel didn't get swapped for a gravel bike when they came out. At 15 lbs and a mixture of Rival and Red, Oh my gosh, 10 speed and canti serves it purpose well. My Plus AC1 sports mechanical Red 10 speed and comes in at 13.1 lbs. My Litespeed T3 is getting upgraded to etap just because as I get older, 64, I have some minor carpel tunnel issues and while no pain its more difficult to shift the mechanical/hydro shifting on it. It's better than surgery. My fat bike is my snow and mountain and at 23 lbs works well for those purposes. I'm keeping them all with zero plans of adding or replacing any of them.

In one word marketing. Bike companies need to sell more bikes. Why does the car dealership want you to get into that car? The hope of fall in love with it and can picture yourself in that car. Shiny new toys that offer no real advantage except you have the latest giving you bragging rights.

ghostinthemachine
Posts: 780
Joined: Thu May 07, 2015 9:18 pm

by ghostinthemachine

tymon_tm wrote:
Sat Aug 14, 2021 11:43 am
it's really hard to witness anybody riding more than, say, two seasons on one bike or set of wheels,
🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤣😂🤣🤦‍♂️
Rubbish.
Probably only 1 in 5 of the people I ride with have bikes less than two years old.
A good chunk (30% maybe) of those who do have new kit aren't paying anywhere near retail for it.

ghostinthemachine
Posts: 780
Joined: Thu May 07, 2015 9:18 pm

by ghostinthemachine

(and that includes people chasing top placings in amateur elite events. On two or three year old bikes.... The horror. They must instantly be losing dizons of places on their antiquated three year old bike.)

clrdr
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Apr 03, 2010 1:34 am

by clrdr

I agree this is bonkers. I thought was willing to wait a year for a great deal on a frame from Canyon or Ribble. But then I got impatient and paid someone to more or less replicate the geometry. It'll cost 3X, but I'll have it in three months and it will be pretty.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



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