Cycling and pandemic and Brexit and prices

funnights74

Since the pandemic took hold as anyone not living under a rock knows the number of people cycling has gone ballistic, this is a good thing for many reasons but like everything in life there are side effects.
I'm sure we've all visited our Lbs and either found near empty shelves with the owners stating "i can't get the stuff in fast enough, it's been mental."
Gone are the days when you would browse around and have a catch me up and top up on a few bits and pieces, for a brief time last autumn some normality had returned but again last week i visited a lbs and in the space of 5 mins all i heard was increased prices, especially for new bikes.
Almost all brands will see an increase of some degree and some more than others, he did mention which were likely to see the least but the trend is upwards.
The reality of Brexit is biting hard, anyone going next or near a U.K. store is wasting their time for now or until all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed.
I suppose that's how things work, supply and demand reflect prices, for the immediate future our hobbies/obsession is going to get, pricier especially in the new bike category, longer waiting times for basically everything and an awful lot more cyclists on the roads.

Seth Brundle

Not sure how much of an impact Brexit has had on the LBS but COVID certainly has.
The likes of Shimano have apparently cut back production at a time when there is increased demand. Apparently supplies of things like chains and cassettes are even decreasing.

Takca

Yup, I was looking at 2 bikes on the giant site about a week ago and looked back again today,
they have each gone up. One from €1,849 too €2,069 and the other from €1,749 to €1,899
Hard to know if this is because of Brexit, prices of parts going up
or just giant trying to cash in on additional demand.....

Seth Brundle

As I understand it, there have been increased costs for shipping containers (possibly due to a global shortage)

dahat

Any item that moves across shipping lanes or transport routes will likely increase in price this year. All supply chain lines are affected so expect to pay a little more and have less stock until COVID etc sorts itself out.

MojoMaker

The likes of Giant....where are they importing from? It used to be the UK from memory, hopefully that has switched to an EU source.

f1000

I think a lot of it comes down to the massive demand for bikes and parts since the lockdowns came in. Supply can't keep up with orders and will bump up prices

f1000

delivery before Christmas :eek:

Hurrache

Where the hell did they store them?

dastardly00

MojoMaker wrote: »

The likes of Giant....where are they importing from? It used to be the UK from memory, hopefully that has switched to an EU source.

I was chatting to a LBS last week and they said that Giant bikes are imported to their shop from the UK. They get Trek bikes from the Netherlands. So Trek bikes are very scarce, but Giant bikes are non-existent at the moment because of the combination of huge demand, Covid & Brexit

Weepsie

Hurrache wrote: »

Where the hell did they store them?

Wonder that myself. Their shop is tiny and don't think they've huge space in behind. I'd say a lot is christmas orders though.

Never bought anything there, but they seemed amiable to 2 times I had to run in for something (gave me a loan of a pump when I worked up the road)

oisinog

dastardly00 wrote: »

I was chatting to a LBS last week and they said that Giant bikes are imported to their shop from the UK. They get Trek bikes from the Netherlands. So Trek bikes are very scarce, but Giant bikes are non-existent at the moment because of the combination of huge demand, Covid & Brexit

I have a Trek on Order coming in my LBS. Its travelling to NI via Netherlands, It is 14weeks from order date to the date I pick it up but I am expecting that to be extended for another 2 or 3 weeks.

Also Price went up £250 due to a combination of Brexit and Covid.