Major disappointment while bike shopping

[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. :-)