The State of the Supply Chain (TLDR: Not Pretty)

As we begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of leaving “these pandemic times,” there is an unfortunate reality: the supply chain is looking to be just as messed up as it was last year.

So we are gearing up for another season of bikes and parts shortages and increased costs -- both wholesale and freight -- across the board. I get multiple emails a week from our bike brand reps and distributors about this.

I encourage you to read up on the topic (if you can only read one article, the NYT one I posted below is EPIC). It feels to me like consumers don't really know about this even though it's a harsh reality for lots of businesses (hot tubs, kayaks, boats, appliances, to name a few off the top of my head). Just to put things in perspective, there are some tube and tire sizes we cannot find anywhere and we are still waiting on a shipment of bikes that we ordered in September 2019.

One decision we’ve had to make is that we will not be accepting deposits for individual special order bikes. While theoretically we can place individual bike orders, the reality is that wait times could be upwards of a year for fulfillment, and we do not feel comfortable being put into that position with zero control over the product.

In closing, pretty please be kind to people trying to do business but unable to get the stuff they need to do it properly. It's demoralizing to have to continually disappoint potential customers. Trust me, we want to sell you the bike stuff you need and want!

Here’s to understanding and patience in the coming season - Kelli

Further Reading:

‘I’ve Never Seen Anything Like This’: Chaos Strikes Global Shipping, The New York Times, 3/7/21

Broken Chain: Small and new brands hard hit by component shortage, Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, 3/7/21

Broken Chain: Why not build more factories? Here's why. Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, 3/9/21

Bike Shortages Will Likely Last Until Next Year, and Possibly into 2022, Bicycling, 11/6/20