Major disappointment while bike shopping

[NbyNW]

I had this same problem with not being able to find small bikes in stock to test ride or even buy when I was looking to replace my first road bike.

For the budget you're talking about, it might be worth checking in with some custom builders and asking what kind of delivery times they are estimating for new orders.

When I ordered my Rodriguez I could have taken one home the same day but since I wanted a different color they said it would be about a 4 week wait. Four weeks later, I had an awesome new bike!

[AMP]

I started shopping for a new road bike about a month ago. After a ton of incredibly fun research, hours of debating whetherit should be wsd or unisex, the componentry type, new or ebay, fueled by an enormous case of bike lust, I settled on the Bianchi Infinito. I confidently looked up dealers and assumed I could run down and buy the bike of my dreams with the components I wanted in the color I HAD TO HAVE. Hah! I wanted the celeste color Bianchi is famous for. I quickly found that there was one very small (48cm) one in the US. I must have called 30 dealers around the country. I finally found a frame in Ireland.

Then I took stock. I was turning a $2300 bike into a $5000 one. (My husband consolingly said...Everyone has a talent.) So I then talked myself into the blue color. And I'm really happy.

But I also could not believe that I'd have as much difficulty. I actually was willing to wait until the fall for the color I wanted, but my LBS said I was not guaranteed even then to get the color in the size frame I needed. I came away from this realizing that this economic downturn has retailors truly scared. With the strong demand, things should balance out by next year. A good thing.

[shootingstar]

I came away from this realizing that this economic downturn has retailors truly scared. With the strong demand, things should balance out by next year. A good thing.

This is what I have heard also in addition to other posters on this thread. For my new Dahon, things got complicated because there was change in business ownership for Canadian Dahon distribution point-- the new distributor, was scrambling to find sufficient storage space and couldn't fill our order via local bike store.

So bike had to be shipped from the U.S.

However I think the underestimated demand and hence, "problem" is probably for the more expensive bikes ie. over $800.00 or $1,000. I see signage for discounted bike prices here in some LBS.

[HermitGirl]

I started shopping for a new road bike about a month ago. After a ton of incredibly fun research, hours of debating whetherit should be wsd or unisex, the componentry type, new or ebay, fueled by an enormous case of bike lust, I settled on the Bianchi Infinito. I confidently looked up dealers and assumed I could run down and buy the bike of my dreams with the components I wanted in the color I HAD TO HAVE. Hah! I wanted the celeste color Bianchi is famous for. I quickly found that there was one very small (48cm) one in the US. I must have called 30 dealers around the country. I finally found a frame in Ireland.

Then I took stock. I was turning a $2300 bike into a $5000 one. (My husband consolingly said...Everyone has a talent.) So I then talked myself into the blue color. And I'm really happy.

But I also could not believe that I'd have as much difficulty. I actually was willing to wait until the fall for the color I wanted, but my LBS said I was not guaranteed even then to get the color in the size frame I needed. I came away from this realizing that this economic downturn has retailors truly scared. With the strong demand, things should balance out by next year. A good thing.

Nice choice ! All the modern bells and whistles too.

Hey, totally off-topic, my cherished road bike that was stolen in '98, fit me like a glove and I rode so well, was a 48. I later impulsively bought used, a 50 touring bike, having thought I'd never want such a responsive sport bike again, but only a relaxed 'KickedBack' bike, and amazingly I got some centimeters clearance... But yeah, we're both 48 girls. :-)

[tulip]

for the budget you're talking about, it might be worth checking in with some custom builders and asking what kind of delivery times they are estimating for new orders.

+1!