Trakhak

As a guy who spent over 15 years working in bike stores and who has owned and raced upper-tier racing bikes for over 50 years, I've been very happy with my BD Motobecanes. Great bikes. Of course, before I ordered each, I checked the top tube length, head tube length, and wheelbase and guessed (correctly) that they would ride the way I expected them to.

Paul Barnard

Sorry, I have a bad habit of low balling estimates.

tomato coupe

No sense of humor, huh?

Paul Barnard

I got it and chuckled. I was trying to employ a little self-defecating humor in my response.

tomato coupe

Okay, your humor is drier than mine.

big john

eewww

Paul Barnard

You know, I make myself laugh so hard I soil myself!

seypat

I can understand the allure of the river, but people should know better than to cluster. Last Friday I had to go from Williamsburg to Gloucester via the Colonial Parkway/Yorktown bridge. Lots of people out enjoying the York River..........clustered in the same 3 or 4 spots. Come on people, there's plenty of room out there for everyone. Have you been thinking about getting yourself a new Canyon bike? Tying to keep the thread on topic.

seypat

Here is something that can be discussed. You go to the Canyon website, stick in your measurements and filter the results. There's not a lot available in your size. Certainly, not what you wanted. Do you think:

(1) Wow, they must really be great bikes with such high demand! I'll order one now and wait on it even if it won't be here till next year. Or,

(2) F this, I'm ready to buy something now and ride! I'm going to get another brand. Or,

(3) I guess I could take that endurance one in the outlet section with the yucky paint and ugly SRAM components.

What say ye?

mantis

I found the same thing when trying to order my Aeroad 8.0. I take a size M frame (very popular) and every time I looked it was not available, and I really wanted the blue/violet signature color. I tried off and on to find it in stock for months. No joy.

I finally called and spoke to one of the Canyon sales reps. The rep I spoke to at the time was Max and this was in April of ‘19. I told him I had been checking the website but the bike/size/color I wanted was never available. He took my info and the bike specs and said he would fire off a heads up email when the bike would be in stock for shipment.

A couple of weeks later I got the email from him. I went on the website immediately and sure enough, the bike was there. I ordered it on the spot. The rest is pedal down the road Canyon history.

The most popular bikes in the most common sizes and desired colors sell out fast. I checked the site again a couple weeks later just for grins and my bike I had just bought was sold out.

DUHI4GOT

Four thumbs up.The misses likes it.

Bah Humbug

The poor inventory management across all sorts of industries drives me up the wall. They shouldn't always run out of the most popular sizes first; that means they're not ordering their stock in the proportions that people buy them. Ditto for colors - if certain colorways consistently sell out faster, the next shipment should include more of those, not a shrug and "you'll get used to it".

This isn't just Canyon, though. It's also not just bikes. It's pervasive, and frustrating when you're the 50th percentile.

stephanlinn

But I think he may have measured an older Canyon, which was made in the Giant factory.

guadzilla

Canyon's website as of yesterday, for an Al Grail - delivery in October 2020 for some sizes.

:facepalm:

J Palmer Cass

Yes, in my experience. Just because a bike dealer has tats and a Suebian knot in his hair doesn't mean he's different in nature from the car dealer up the road.

4 Petes Sake

Me too, I really wanted a Domane with Di2, but not for $7000+. I bought a Canyon with Di2 for almost half the price and I love it. Like others I don’t blame Canyon, but the internet in general. It’s a tough choice when you can buy a part for a 1/3 the price for pay full price at the LBS. I use my LBS for maintenance, advice and (when we could) social interaction to some degree. Buy if they sold Canyons at the same price I would have gladly bought one local.... And don’t get me started on cycling shoes. I know many people who try them on at the LBS then go home and buy them on the net.

seypat

To be fair, the tariffs have had a tremendous impact on supply chains and inventory availability. My industry has had backorders in the 5 month range.........of whole lines, not just single items. Currently, 2 of my vendors are on a previous usage allocation and no backorder fulfillments. The industry is not related to virus usage products. Strictly tariff related shortages.

Bah Humbug

This is not a new thing though. It might explain the length of time it takes Canyon to restock, but it doesn't explain why ten and twenty year ago I could never get running shoes on clearance because the 11s sold out first. The common sizes have always sold out first, and that means that brands don't make or order enough more of the common sizes compared to the less-common ones.

indyfabz

This thread is truly circling the bowl.

seypat

I like your clearance mode for running shoes.
I do the same. If you can run in Kinvaras, the 10s are dropping quickly but also going fast. Size 11.5 is still available in some colors. Just got these in.

Belgarath

👍 bikes have very low margins. As stated above it’s all the other stuff they sell and maintenance. If you know what you’re doing, buying online bikes can be fine. I do disagree if you go to a bike shop to find out your bike size and such and then buy online. My LBS in the D/FW TX area would meet or beat online sellers for gear and components. I’ve had a great relationship with them. My shop in the E TX area actually will actually point you online for things they can’t carry but best meets your needs.

stephr1

Nope. Not weird. It's actually a classic marketing/biz strategy....possibly initiated long ago by the Gillette company (you know...razors and blades). There's an old motto attributed to it: "Give 'em the razors. Sell them the blades." Simply, people don't come back to buy more razors that often. However, they are always in need of blades. Same with car dealerships. They make a bit on the sale of the car, but can make tons of cash on return service customers. Printer companies, as well. How often do you buy a printer? And how much more often do you buy print cartridges? In fact, as you buy replacement cartridges, have you ever noticed how quickly you've spent an amount equal to the original cost of the printer? Tooth brush/tooth paste.

Tire makers figured out how to use that strategy for their biz. Create deals with car manufacturers because people will buy more tires than they will cars. And if consumers really enjoyed a particular brand of tire that was on the car when they bought it, odds are they will go out and buy the brand of tires for replacement (certainly not replace a car as often).

Look around you. We are all subject to that very same strategy....and that is your biz strategy lesson for the day

AdkMtnMonster

Stop being average. Start being exceptional.

Tacoenthusiast

Great looking shoes, I've been doing the same thing too, I'm always a generation behind current, but I pay just over half the price of new ones

tomato coupe

Very good.