Major disappointment while bike shopping

[ridebikeme]

It definitely has been a difficult season for everyone. What started all of this is the abundence of bikes leftover from last season. The direct result of that is lots of bike shops either didn't write preseason orders OR wrote very small ones. With that in mind, bike manufacturers made fewer bikes. Now that is coupled with Shimano and everyone else making less inventory as well. Needless to say, after 18 years in the bike business, I can honestly say that this was the worst season for getting anything!

I feel your pain about not being able to get what you want, my bike didn't come in either. And it's been very difficult to buy LOTS of items for the shop this season.The other side of that coin is that most of the older inventory will be flushed out, and perhaps they'll be more a level playing field next season. And with a spark that people want to buy again, perhaps the manufacturers will up the anty a bit.

[miamibiker]

I had the same problem and had to drive all over Southern Cali to try out different models. Finally settled on the Specialized Ruby Pro. I just got her back from the bike hospital after a terrible accident. I T-boned a car (his fault) doing about 17mph and Ruby came out much better than I did. No cracks in her frame and the Roval wheels didn't even bend. The bike mechanic couldn't believe it. He actually dismantled her on two different occasions convinced he had missed a crack in the carbon. I did have to replace the crankset and shifters but the frame and wheels are amazing. I have unfortunately witnessed many bike-to-bike and bike-to-car accidents and their bikes looked like they had been run over by a mack truck. Not my Ruby, she's as solid as they come. So I can attest that the Ruby is a well built machine. Do try to find a Ruby and give her a test spin. It is a good chunk of change so you better LOVE what you buy.

Safe riding

[MartianDestiny]

being a women in a male dominated sport sucks

I agree that some areas/shops need to work on their availability of smaller bikes and/or women's models, but I've been seeing lots of improvement in this area over the last few years.

That's not really what's going on here. Averaged sized men aren't getting the bikes they want this year either. Manufacturers just didn't make enough of really anything, and the shops can't stock it (whether they want to or not) when it doesn't exist

[nscrbug]

I had the same problem and had to drive all over Southern Cali to try out different models. Finally settled on the Specialized Ruby Pro. I just got her back from the bike hospital after a terrible accident. I T-boned a car (his fault) doing about 17mph and Ruby came out much better than I did. No cracks in her frame and the Roval wheels didn't even bend. The bike mechanic couldn't believe it. He actually dismantled her on two different occasions convinced he had missed a crack in the carbon. I did have to replace the crankset and shifters but the frame and wheels are amazing. I have unfortunately witnessed many bike-to-bike and bike-to-car accidents and their bikes looked like they had been run over by a mack truck. Not my Ruby, she's as solid as they come. So I can attest that the Ruby is a well built machine. Do try to find a Ruby and give her a test spin. It is a good chunk of change so you better LOVE what you buy.

Safe riding

I found a bike shop roughly 40 miles away from me, that "supposedly" has 2 Ruby Pro's (2009 models, they're asking $3,600 for these) in stock, in my size...one is DA, the other is SRAM. I am planning to make the trek out there this weekend to check 'em out. This same dealer also "supposedly" has a Giant Avail Advanced in my size, too...so I'm excited about that. However, the guy did tell me that they do NOT have the Cannondale Synapse Fem 3 that I'm lusting for, in stock and won't be getting anymore for this year...so that's a bummer. Oh well...I'll go there anyway and keep my fingers crossed that I find something that I LOVE.

[Triskeliongirl]

If you already know what size and model fits you, you could ring up my local cannondale dealer to see if they have it in stock and would be willing to ship it to you. Bicycle Heaven in San Antonio is the shop. They sold me my cervelo and are great people. Good luck! Tell them Eileen who bought the 48cm cervelo RS recommended them.

[MartianDestiny]

If you already know what size and model fits you, you could ring up my local cannondale dealer to see if they have it in stock and would be willing to ship it to you. Bicycle Heaven in San Antonio is the shop. They sold me my cervelo and are great people. Good luck! Tell them Eileen who bought the 48cm cervelo RS recommended them.

Cannondale's policy does not allow dealers to ship bikes. If your shop did so they'd risk their dealer relationship with Cannondale and the warranty on the bike would be void.

[tulip]

...keep my fingers crossed that I find something that I LOVE.

one word: LUNA

[NbyNW]

one word: LUNA

nscrbug, if you're feeling like you have to compromise on selection because of the whole supply/distribution situation, it REALLY would be worth your while to look into custom.

For one thing, they'll appreciate your business more and you won't be some statistical probability that they may or may not make/deliver a bike for next season (and depending on who you go to, more of your hard-earned $$ will stay local/domestic);
Two, they can estimate pretty well how long it will take them to make your bike and they WILL make your bike; and
Three, you'll get exactly the components you want.

[nscrbug]

I totally understand the reasons for going "custom", as many of you have suggested. However, I have this unreasonable "fear" about a custom bike. This will probably sound silly to most of you, but...somewhere in the back of my mind, I have this notion that IF I were to go to a custom builder...go through the entire process of measuring, fitting, picking components, and what not...have the bike built up to MY specs...only to discover that it doesn't fit perfectly and I will still have some little annoying pain issues anyway. I would be SO majorly disappointed if I had spent all that time, money, and waiting...only to end up not LOVING the bike. Weird, I know......but that's how my brain operates.

[Zen]

However, I have this unreasonable "fear" about a custom bike.

Now that's just crazy-talk.

Luu-NA!Luu-NA! Luu-NA!!

[MartianDestiny]

I totally understand the reasons for going "custom", as many of you have suggested. However, I have this unreasonable "fear" about a custom bike. This will probably sound silly to most of you, but...somewhere in the back of my mind, I have this notion that IF I were to go to a custom builder...go through the entire process of measuring, fitting, picking components, and what not...have the bike built up to MY specs...only to discover that it doesn't fit perfectly and I will still have some little annoying pain issues anyway. I would be SO majorly disappointed if I had spent all that time, money, and waiting...only to end up not LOVING the bike. Weird, I know......but that's how my brain operates.

I've had this fear myself as well. Up until my current shop (GO SG and the Jedi Master Chris!!!!) and I'm excitedly awaiting my new custom frame.

It seems that for you, right now, you may not be loosing any time you haven't already lost given the lack of bikes available.

A custom bike won't really cost any more than what you were looking at stock either, which is nice.

That just leaves the nagging problem of trusting the fit.

I chose to go to an experienced, trained, expert, amazing fitter who then worked with the bike company (well, is working with). But regardless of whether or not you go that route or to a good, trusted, educated builder; you aren't going to mess the bike up by it being "your" specs. Yea, you get exactly what you want, but the pros make sure it's going to fit and not hurt.

In my case that meant a 3hr fitting session with Chris the Jedi Master and another 30min to an hour discussing further what I wanted out of the bike and other little details. He's spent the last few weeks with the builder honing geo and other specs to be just perfect, not me. No doubt in my mind that the bike won't be everything I ever dreamed of.

It may be worth chatting with some builders/fitters and seeing if you don't end up finding someone you trust/are comfortable with. You might be surprised; I was (I'd previously sworn I'd never get a custom bike).

[NbyNW]

MartianDestiny makes a good point about being comfortable with your fitter. If you are having any pain issues, a good fitter will want to know about them. Mine wanted to know what I liked/didn't like about my previous setup. If it had not been stolen he would have wanted to watch my form on the trainer.

If your fit is causing you pain or aggravating injuries, your fitter should be able to tweak things, so long as you are on a frame that is appropriate for your body. Technically, I am not on a custom frame; I would call it a stock frame made by a specialty framebuilder. With a custom paint job

I don't think bike fit is necessarily a static thing. Your ideal fit might change based on your overall health, fitness, and goals. As an example, when I was measured for my bike I had limited ROM in my hip & lower back due to an injury but I was also experiencing slow but steady improvement since I was still working with my PT.When they built the bike up initially, the fitter put me in a more upright, less aggressive position. Several months later I was ready to have the fit adjusted and all we had to do was remove a spacer.

It is now two years later and I just had the fit checked again, since my toes were feeling uncomfortable at the end of last season. Turns out one of my cleats had moved out of place. Could also explain some lower back pain I was experiencing. So he fixed that, and also adjusted my alignment and moved my saddle down and forward a tiny, tiny bit -- in theory he says that should improve the power transfer through my foot. So I'll try this out for a little bit and see how it goes.

I think it's fair to ask what you can reasonably expect from a custom fit vs. having expectations beyond that which will lead to the disappointment you speak of. Some people will talk about custom fit like it's the Holy Grail of cycling. But not everyone needs a custom frame.

When I brought up the idea of going to a custom builder, it was more because I know how frustrating it can be to play retail roulette if your body isn't in the middle of the bell curve. A shop that is building their own frames will tell you if you'll be waiting 6 weeks, 6 months or 6 years. And since they tend to be small, you can bet they will work hard to make sure you are happy with their product.

[tulip]

Those custom bike issues never occurred to me. I would get another custom bike in a second, and I probably will one day. And as NbyNW said, you're going to be waiting for a stock bike anyways. Custom might at least be worth exploring.

[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. :-)