[Closed] Loooooooong delayed bike

My bike ordered in june has a delivery date of october - at least in part because of worldwide delays in parts. But I was told that when I ordered it

My view is that in your case its not the delays that are the issue but the poor communications. I also have only paid a deposit not the full amount.

I think I might be asking for my money back if I were you

I ordered my new bike in February. Now due March/April next year!

I had similar with a UK frame manufacturer. Told 8-10 weeks back last summer, which in the end became 7 months. Only ordered frame, headset and forks. The lack of comms was incredibly annoying, but it was worth the wait in the end.

I guess it depends just how much you want the bike. If it was a purchase of a lifetime and your dream bike I’d be inclined to wait. But if you’re the sort of bike buyer who cycles through £3k bikes every 18 months (believe me they’re out there) and aren’t in love with the bike in the first place, get your money back and move on.

Ordered a bike June last year with a 12 week delivery date, eventually arrived March this year. Sadly the way things are this last 12 months with bikes, unless it's built and in stock, you wait.

We should all know this by now, but comms from suppliers to shops to customers is failing to keep up by the sound of it.

I’m not really sure what to do about it – whether to ask for my money back or just to continue waiting until it appears.

The trouble with getting your money back is that going elsewhere likely just puts you to the back of another queue

Back of the queue and most likely an equivalent bike costing £500+ more.

even then seeming pretty clueless about when they will be able to get a bike to me

I think this largely applies to everyone right now. No one has a clue what's going on. Had a long chat with some industry guys on holiday a couple of weeks ago both from Huuuge organisations beginning with "S" neither of them could give any real clue as to when all this shit would calm down, their best estimates were Autumn/winter 2022, if there's a following wind and they've red the tea leaves right. There was even talk of one major rim manufacturers entire 2022 output being bought up by one giant bike brand.

The component shortage isn't going to end anytime soon. You may as well stay in the queue you're already in

The trouble with getting your money back is that going elsewhere likely just puts you to the back of another queue

This and absolutely this. In a non bike related field I can't get aluminium for love nor money, my normal turnaround on extrusion is 6 weeks, currently it's booking at 36, with review at 12, 24& 36. Add to that price is up by 45% over the last 12 months. It went up 1% a week August and September.

Synthetics are similar.

Deliveries of product simply don't arrive despite being scheduled /promised /contracted no warning. Those that do are short to the tune of 50% or more and the first I know about it is the customs clearance is wrong.

Orders that have been in place for 6-12 months get cancelled by the supplier and we've to reorder.

Anything with silicon in is now over 12 months additional lead and climbing.

The lack of comms is annoying but it's up the chain, it's unlikely your bike supplier actually knows any better than I do when stuff will appear, to the point that, if I haven't got it physically on my shelf today I'm quoting delivery in 2024 even for items I believe to be in transit.

Had a honest chat with the guy who owns our LBS a few weeks back as i'm after a new road bike.
He reckons 90% of 2022 stock is either sold or already allocated to shops and it'll be 2023 before you can walk into a well stocked bike shop and take your pick of models/colours/sizes.

As others have said - if you throw the towel in on this one and get your money back you might find yourself at the back of an 18 month que.

It depends how fussy you are. There is stock around in a range of sizes in both my LBS but it's only what they have, so if you are being specific about make/model/spec level then it's hard, if you are more flexible it might be worth a call round a few places and see if anything floats your boat then cancelling your order.

He reckons 90% of 2022 stock is either sold or already allocated to shops and it’ll be 2023 before you can walk into a well stocked bike shop and take your pick of models/colours/sizes.

I got that advice too. Was opting for a Focus jam2 6.8 nine, but it would have been an extra long time so they said, we've not got this, but how about this,coming in next week which was the Scott genius 920. Went for that just because they had it and had waited 6 months at that point.

I would give it a bit more time, maybe another 3 months and if still nothing, then look at cancelling.

The bigger issue is probably what happens if the company goes bust. If someone who sells bikes doesn't have any bikes to sell then their cash flow dries up. But their overheads, staff costs etc. Don't stop. I'm surprised i haven't seen any notable bike companies collapse.

It will get worse. I work for a big German Automation company, and we were told in a sales meeting on Monday that they expect this to run well into 2022. That terrible communication you're getting from the bike company, well we get that from our suppliers, some haven't answered calls and emails for weeks and months. This applies to components, raw materials, packaging etc. It's an absolute mess right now and there is no light at the end of the very long tunnel, yet.

Its the communication thats the key for me.

I ordered a Hardtail bike from a UK supplier in Jan 2020. It finally arrived after 8 months, but during that time I was lied to, fobbed off and generally ignored. really soured the experience of getting what was my dream hardtail.

Contrast that to me ordering a new full suss back in November last year. Was expected to get it in January. I eventually picked it up in May, however, they called me every two weeks with an update, explained the situation and offered alternatives. I was totally happy to wait.

The bigger issue is probably what happens if the company goes bust. If someone who sells bikes doesn’t have any bikes to sell then their cash flow dries up. But their overheads, staff costs etc. Don’t stop. I’m surprised i haven’t seen any notable bike companies collapse.

The bigger issue is what happens to *everybody* post evergrande, 2008/9 on the back of all this doesn't sound fun.

however, they called me every two weeks with an update, explained the situation and offered alternatives. I was totally happy to wait.

The problem there is that many many people have no update to give beyond "it's late again" and no alternative to offer.

I'm currently waiting on a few 00 ton of one of my products, originally due in January, I've had 4 subsequent delivery dates which have been pulled on the "day of dispatch" and pushed back 8 weeks or more, same again and so on. My latest update was Tuesday this week to say its not shipping today, it'll be week 46.

Contrast that to me ordering a new full suss back in November last year. Was expected to get it in January. I eventually picked it up in May, however, they called me every two weeks with an update, explained the situation and offered alternatives. I was totally happy to wait

Yip, the level of customer service is vital in these times. I spend my days with this type of comms to our customers. We're running out of alternatives, fast.

I wanted to get a new bike, or at least a new frame/fork this year, but just going to wait another year now.

Why is it on these threads do folk not names the companies? We know there's been big problems with supply chains so personally Id like to know who offers good customer service despite issues. Plus if they cant be bothered to email updates, I doubt they can be bothered to trawl forums looking for negative threads if its a fear of retribution thing

i ordered a frame in April or May with a delivery date of July wk3. July wk 3 came and Privateer emailed to say it was delayed until October because they couldn't get any shocks to build the frames with!!

i got them to send it without as was planning to change the shock anyway, so it arrived on time - the shock turned up separately the other week...

just saying its the hold ups are a chain of events, sub-suppliers, the sub suppliers suppliers etc. its all a bagoshite at the moment. i have some mates in the industry and even they cant source new bits for themselves!

i bought a Ragley hardtail earlier this year. It was due in March and i collected it in June. So not a massive wait, but certainly not what was initially advertised (which is why i went for it, as march worked well for me).

I got a little bit annoyed by the lack of updates from the shop, but equally, i understand their position in that they aren't going to call me each week and say 'it still isnt here and we still don't know when it will be'. Multiplied by however many customers they have in the same position.

When i did call them, they did fill me in with the info they had to hand.

I think you should either hold on, and it comes when it comes, or cancel it and be ready to jump on anything that comes into stock in another shop, assuming you have the time and inclination to keep a constant eye on lots of outlets.

Its a naff time for everyone!

Apparently tyres will be the next thing to be in short supply according to my LBS.... panic buy in 3..2..1..

Apparently tyres will be the next thing to be in short supply according to my LBS

They aren't the next thing - they are already in short supply and have been for a while.

yeah stuggling for tyres too, had to buy tan walls!

anyone spys a pair of Michelin Wild Enduros in 29" let me know...

To be fair i did get told that a good few weeks ago, so sounds like we are in full throws of the 'shortage'.

whatever next!

I’m trying to sell 2 nearly new bikes, both medium sized, road and HT. well priced and not much interest, which surprises me.

I ordered a Ribble CGR Ti frame in June and it was supposed to be delivered in about 2nd week of October. I was pleasantly surprised when it was despatched in 3rd week of August and turned up 2 days later. I'm happy to have been one of the lucky ones especially as I have just managed to get hold of a set of grx 810 2x11 mechanical shifters and calipers for it.

Thanks for all the replies.

This is the first "new" bike I've bought in almost a decade. I've instead got four second hand bikes, all off gumtree etc, all of which have served me well, so it's sort of a new experience even dealing with a bike company. If I were to cancel I'd probably go looking for another second hand ebike but those are few and far between too it would seem. For the time being I'll probably wait unless it looks like bike companies might start collapsing, in which case I'll have my £3k back thanks.