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Mad Max world of bike parts shortage
Last Post 04/05/2021 09:48 PM by 79 pmooney. 6 Replies.
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6ix

Posts:485

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04/05/2021 01:35 PM
Are we entering an era where we have to be super creative with how we use our existing parts?  Sure seems like it as NOTHING is available for purchase.  People are selling Ultegra Di2 brifters on Ebay for nearly $1000/pr since they simply aren't available anywhere.  I cringe at the thought of messing up a critical part, thus forcing me to bench a bike until things are back in stock.  Take a turn too hot and wham!, you are fine but the bike can't be used again until 2022!

I definitely have way too many miles on my cassettes, chain, chainrings, etc.  They all are in desperate need of replacement.   All those old tires left hanging in the basement might actually get their time in the sun again even if there isn't that much tread remaining.  Have to be resourceful!  And new bar-tape?  Good luck with that.  At this point my bars are just naked carbon with the cables affixed with electrical tape.  Sort of a 'deconstructed' aesthetic. 

Any creative solutions out there? 
longslowdistance

Posts:2881

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04/05/2021 04:44 PM
Did I read correctly that bike shops did great during the pandemic? Or were they limited on supply?
Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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04/05/2021 05:36 PM
It’s been madhouse busy at my LBS.
Dale

Posts:1767

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04/05/2021 08:06 PM
LSD, perfect storm-- huge demand and supplier shortages due to factory COVID-19 slowdowns.
Cosmic Kid

Posts:4209

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04/05/2021 08:08 PM
Did I read correctly that bike shops did great during the pandemic? Or were they limited on supply?


Yes.

Seriously, it was both....shops were rocking and rolling last year, selling every bike they had on the floor. Literally.

But the industry has been slow to respond to the increased demand (or just assumed the demand would return to normal and did not want to over-forecast). Demand has remained sky high and the product just isn’t there to meet demand.

Almost every bike on the water right now has been presold...definitely to a dealer and likely to a consumer as well. People are therefore upgrading their existing bikes, or building uo frames which now means finding replacement parts is extremely difficult.
Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
Orange Crush

Posts:4499

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04/05/2021 08:50 PM
Not that it helps you now but fall was a bit of a quieter period. I had my bikes serviced October-November sensing the window of opportunity. Also stocked up on tires and tubes. Should be good till next fall.
79pmooney

Posts:3178

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04/05/2021 09:48 PM
My perspective here? This is a worldwide pandemic that is still going on. Most of our bike stuff comes from third world countries that are for the most part far behind the 1st world countries for the vaccines. Expecting them to bring back workers and up output for toys, almost certainly at the cost of lives, etc. just seems to me to be rather selfish. Yes, I fully expect those workers to come back way too soon. The bottom line rules. Some of those workers will die as will more than a few of their parents. What we see will stay roughly as is for quite a while. (Demand has gone up and we lost a good portion of a year's production at almost everything bike related.)

The odd part of this: we get to buy items made in China without guilt as they are the one country that is on top of this COVID thing. Do we want to go there? I'm OK sitting with projects and goals (bike upgrade-wise) on hold and just riding what I've got.
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