“Bicycle Shortage” in U.S?

[XXtwindad]

Sounds crazy on the face of it. A recent NYT article claimed that bicycles maybe the new “toilet paper.”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nyt...virus.amp.html

A call to several Bay Area stores confirmed this. Stock is running really, really low. How to interpret this news? Does it portend a new era? Or will it go the way of the “Tiger King” if and when the Pandemic waves.

I’ve seen bicycles and pedestrians reign supreme over the auto on the streets near where I live, and I’m really diggin it.

[batman1425]

We can't keep stuff in stock. Racks are bare. Selling stuff over the phone and still in boxes, sight unseen. Goes out as fast as it comes in.

[zzy]

The shortage is at the distribution level. Just about every hybrid <$500 is long gone. Some major OEMs are taking over 3 weeks to ship what they have left. After Trump's tariffs, and now productions shut down in China, the situation isn't going to change any time soon.

[peanutgallery]

Asia pulled the plug on production in mid January until recently

New bikes are 60 to 90 days out at the moment. It's a bubble in supply. We're about a week away from seeing Sworks Epics with baby seats Heading out into the world

[peanutgallery]

Try like everything under a $k

Even haro, khs and jamis have nothing. It's crazy

Originally Posted by zzy

The shortage is at the distribution level. Just about every hybrid <$500 is long gone. Some major OEMs are taking over 3 weeks to ship what they have left. After Trump's tariffs, and now productions shut down in China, the situation isn't going to change any time soon.

[chuckroast]

The cheapo stuff is gone too. The Target we shop at hasn't had any bikes for weeks.

[AngryScientist]

I sold a cheap tandem last week locally; listed for 100 bucks- mama mia - lots of responses.

Yea people want to ride bikes right now.

Not surprising. FYI Nintendo switch has been sold out for months also; lol

[oliver1850]

I really should get some of the NOS Rocky Mountain hybrid frames that are clogging my attic down and get them built up.

[mdeth1313]

maybe it's time to list my kids old 12 in dept store bike on CL

[XXtwindad]

Any chance the Pandemic turns NYC into a version of the Netherlands? The subway is out and I don’t see private cars being the norm. It definitely could happen, right?

Not seeing it in SF. Too hilly. Perhaps if eBikes get a lot less pricey.

[thirdgenbird]

Originally Posted by oliver1850

I really should get some of the NOS Rocky Mountain hybrid frames that are clogging my attic down and get them built up.

Sounds like a great idea. Should be way better than a department store purchase. Sounds like a fun get together if that sorta thing was possible...

[ToonaBP]

Most are looking for bikes in the $250-350 range. Since I got my Routt near the end of March, my modified and upgraded Topstone is collecting dust. But local offers have been less than what I have in the wheels. One guy said... I guess the upgrades mean more to you than they do to me... so I recently excluded the wheels so they can add there own cheap ones.

[Gartenmeister]

Originally Posted by batman1425

We can't keep stuff in stock. Racks are bare. Selling stuff over the phone and still in boxes, sight unseen. Goes out as fast as it comes in.

This. We have customers calling from elsewhere in the country to purchase bikes, because they cannot find them locally. Shop has sold more e-bikes in the last 2 weeks than in the prior 2 years.

[Hellgate]

Welcome to March. Austin shops have been slammed since the beginning.

[Spdntrxi]

my LBS has more bikes in the rack for service then they have to sell.