The Shelves Are Bare

For perspective, this is the current list of medication shortages in Australia


Having to change brand of cassette on the spare e bike is inconvenient , but trying to negotiate which medication to take to be able to keep riding us worse.
Once the stream of manufacturers moving production overseas began it was impossible to resist and became a flood. You either went along or lost the ability to compete in the market place. Now that was just fine for the American consumer ... we got our stuff cheaper and more plentiful. But now we know. Some things should not be made overseas when something like a corona virus can all but shut down said manufacture. Things like life saving drugs. Military hardware. Rare earth products. etc It can be even worse when one country having the lion's share of a lot of critical production decides to punish other countries for not kow towing deeply enough. This can all get worse rather than better. It can go either way.
 
Generally with respect to bike parts I have had very little problem this year. My LBS has recommended I give them about a week to ten days warning before bringing in my bike. The biggest hassle has probably been with tires, and I've sort of mitigated that by ordering them four at a time rather than in pairs, so I have a extra set of Hurricanes in the house. I've taken to doing similar with things like chains and brake pads (especially important now because the front and rear brakes use different pads) so I have an adequate (but not excessive) supply of spares.

On the other side of it, some parts I need for my house have been backordered since July, and some gadgetry I need for other projects is basically gone for the time being.
 
Good to be forewarned and prepared as much as possible. Whatever that looks like! I am just trying to stock things for basic maintenance/replacement. So far, so good.
 
This was a huge problem late summer in NorCal. You couldn't find anything, literally, just a long wall of empty bike display racks, and it was the same issue at mid-high end stores. It was crazy. Every sales person was of the same opinion that this was just unprecedented demand and no one could give any ETA on when things would restock. Service departments were overrun and every stand in use with a line of bikes waiting for service. Rode back to a couple shops Friday and Saturday, just riding around town since the weather is so nice, and once depleted stock is starting to replenish with more coming in soon. But yeah, for awhile there over the summer it was miserable if you wanted to buy.
 
This was a huge problem late summer in NorCal. You couldn't find anything, literally, just a long wall of empty bike display racks, and it was the same issue at mid-high end stores. It was crazy. Every sales person was of the same opinion that this was just unprecedented demand and no one could give any ETA on when things would restock. Service departments were overrun and every stand in use with a line of bikes waiting for service. Rode back to a couple shops Friday and Saturday, just riding around town since the weather is so nice, and once depleted stock is starting to replenish with more coming in soon. But yeah, for awhile there over the summer it was miserable if you wanted to buy.
There are definitely mass shortages of components , frames and complete bikes/ ebikes. From what I’ve experienced and seen the shortages are more extreme in North America and Australia but less so in Europe and of course East Asia.
 
Article in BRAIN by Australian bicycle journalist Phil Latz describing factors contributing to reports of Shimano now requiring a 400 day lead time for parts orders, and manufacturers telling brands to commit to production orders for the next 15 months, predicting continued short supply and price rises.
 
Article in BRAIN by Australian bicycle journalist Phil Latz describing factors contributing to reports of Shimano now requiring a 400 day lead time for parts orders, and manufacturers telling brands to commit to production orders for the next 15 months, predicting continued short supply and price rises.

The key there is “ commit to production orders “. Bicycle companies & manufacturers like to blame the lockdowns for the shortages but that’s only half the reason.

The other reason is that in February when coronavirus started its first rampage through Europe and North America all the major bicycle companies cancelled their production orders for spring/summer 2020 thinking that bicycles would be one of the last things people would be looking to buy. Ofcourse the opposite turned out to be true so here we are with the mass shortages caused by factory lockdowns and cancelled orders in the first months of 2020.
 
I have reconsidered my opinion. A friend of mine needs a nice-looking, good, and possibly not the most expensive urban e-bike for ladies. I started shopping for her; If I say "Go for it" she'll buy the bike instantly.

Those who know me are aware I know something about e-bikes. Yet my shopping has totally failed. Nothing I would find for her. Unavailable, wrong size or ugly or obsolete or ill-specified if available at all! Some e-bikes could be bought but for breath-taking price. (Talking about the market situation in Poland with possible import from Germany if a local bike store in Warsaw could service such a bike in Warsaw).

"Shelves are bare"? It's a disaster!

P.S. I thought that would be Cube Kathmandu ONE Easy Step 625. Not available and even not in the future plans of Cube!
This German store has them in various sizes on stock.

 
This German store has them in various sizes on stock.

That's probably far easier when you live in Germany... The situation here (in Warsaw) has developed into slightly unexpected direction since. As Specialized opened their Brand Store here in 2020 (and the store is just 4 km away from my friend), the only logical solution for her has been purchasing Turbo Como 5.0. Local support/service/warranty is critical for e-bikes...

On the other hand, things such as spare parts for my e-bikes are the easiest sourced from German online stores.
 
I am still on the fence after ages of looking. I have seen price hikes recently and many bikes unavailable.
I requested if I could get a Trek +8 Stagger. Nope. Could get the +8 in Diamond, tho'.
Bulls Lacubas. Nope.
Specialized Vado 5. Nope.
Specialized Como 5. Nope.
I did find Cube Kathmandu PRO 625s, however.
I half think they'll be some big changes coming up, so I might put off a purchase for a couple of years 'til things settle down, or heaven forbid, go real inexpensive for now and unload it later.
Don't need any gear so haven't looked.

CN
 
It was amusing and revealing that a couple of weeks ago we were chatting on here later one night while folks were trying to make purchase decisions, and several manufacturers sold out of the lines being discussed right as we were chatting and shopping. Luckily the folks in the threads got 'most' of those final purchases. It just goes to show the limited stocks left right now, and the next rounds of deliveries likely won't be in time for spring riding.

Add in the reports of vaccine production delays in the news this week (meaning similar delays in the lifting of restrictions), and I think we might be in for another 2020 style rush on stock this spring.

So, buy now, or ride your conventional one more summer, lol
 
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