Originally Posted by
Raiden
Color choices: Because it would be a bummer for any given shop to need to carry five or six sizes of every bike, multiplied by two or three colors. It's pretty typical for low-end bikes to come in two or three colors, but inevitably there's always a color that's left over, nobody wants. Just waste that needs to be blown out before the next year. It seems to me that manufacturers will swing back and forth between bold and subdued colors every other year, or opposite ends of the color spectrum, or swap colors from one parts level to another from year to year. If you don't like this year's color, check last year's or see what next year's looks like.
Sure I understand the expense and room restrictions of LBS carrying multiple colours/sizes of every bike but most only carry (if you are lucky) one size in only a few models anyway, if you want a different size then it has to be ordered in, which could be done with different colours as well. Manufacturers don't even need to carry stock, they just paint it whatever colour the customer wants when the LBS puts the order in.
Originally Posted by
Raiden
Frames and custom builds: For low/mid level custom builds, its cheaper and easier to start with a complete bike and swap parts that need to be swapped, than to build it from scratch. Even a lower grade frame is still pricey. And just how custom do you need to get on a 105 or Rival level bike? Buy the stock bike, swap the cranks, saddle, wheels, cassette, whatever for a price and you're done.
For long time cyclists that want a new custom build, they're also upgrading from what they had before- their old components often don't work with whatever they're moving up into (wrong bottom bracket standards, wrong handlebar diameters, wrong number of speeds on the shifting components, etc.). Those guys are usually better off selling their complete old bikes or keeping the old bikes as spares. For new cyclists that want a custom build, there are often a lot of preconceived thoughts gained from reading too many messageboards and cycling magazines- I would steer them toward riding all of the stock models, and adjusting or swapping parts out on the basis that the customer can really tell the difference.
As for shops doing custom builds, It's really entirely per each shop. I've done many, it just depends on how much labor the shop is willing to do, what the mechanics and salespeople are capable of, etc.
I like particular components (and sizes), I won't buy a complete new bike as I would have to strip half the parts and try and resell them (even though they haven't been "used" technically they are second hand, so worth SFA especially if low end components) and then buy the parts I want and get them fitted. Much easier to get it done at the LBS and walk out with the bike specced the way I want it and someone else who doesn't know or care (most of the rest of the cycling population) can have the other components. Often manufacturers put cheap cheesy components in the places you generally don't look on mid to high end bikes, like BBs, cassette , chain, cables, brakes and even wheels. I don't want cheap cheesy components if I order a bike specced with say Ultegra or DA, I want full Ult or DA.
A mate bought a Roubaix recently that came with 11 spd Ult Di2 and he took it to my mechanic friend for a service and the amount of dodgy stuff on it from the factory/LBS was amazing. The cassette was one piece (Sora spec?), chain was KMC, one brake cable was Jagwire while the other was Shimano, not sure what the BB was.
Manufacturers (or LBS) could offer just a frame option - I know some do but mainly the high-end frames like say S-Works, but not the lower level regular Specialized.