Firewire

I just recently bought two new 2021 Specialized Roll Sports (one for wife, one for me). When I got home I noticed a couple differences in the bikes. One bike had triple chainrings the had double. Also the disc brake manufacturer was different on each bike. I went online and looked at the specs and it looks like my wife’s bike has 2021 specs(double chainrings etc...)and mine has 2020 specs(triple chainrings etc...). I called the shop where I bought the bikes and the manager said that Specialized was having trouble sourcing parts and that was probably the reason for the differences. He went downstairs and opened a few boxes of 2021 Roll Sports he had in stock and he said they all had triple chainrings.
I called Specialized and asked if what the manager at the bike shop said was plausible and he said yes, they are having problems finding parts and it’s possible. I had him check the serial # on my bike and it was indeed a 2021.
Is this something that’s accepted in the bike industry and considered “normal” to basically build a 2020 spec’d bike and sell it as a 2021? I mean, a 2020 Roll Sport was $120 cheaper that the 2021. I brought up that question up to the Specialized rep and he told me to take it up with the bike shop. The bike shop is saying, hey, these bikes are coming out of boxes marked 2021. They offered to take the parts off another Roll Sport and put them on my bike to bring it 2021 spec’s.
So, my questions are, is this something that happens every now and then and considered normal? Would you have the shop swap chainrings and other small components to match what the 2021 specs are or would you just keep it as it’s brand new(serial # matches to a 2021) and the differences to some would be considered minor.
Btw, I just bought this bike two days ago so I’m well within the return time frame
Thanks 🙂

Koyote

Component groups don't change each year, and so - for practical purposes - there may be no material difference between a bike marked "2020" and the same model marked "2021."

If you would prefer a double crankset, then take the shop up on their offer to swap it in. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it.

In answer to your main question, though: yes, mfrs do sometimes make rolling changes to components during a production run -- often things like tires, but other components, too.

freeranger

Circumstances these days are anything but "normal". The fine print (at least the ones I've looked at) does state that parts may be diff than spec'd on their site. So, while parts are not plentiful (may be an understatement), you may find parts which differ from the mrf's website. If it bothers you, and the shop has offered to switch parts from another bike, that's about the best you can ask for. In "normal" times, parts would match the website, but we know that these are anything but "normal" times.

mstateglfr 

There really isnt a model year for components. And some bike brands have moved away from model year for bikes for this(and other related) reason.
If you wanted a double up front, then buy a double up front. If they dont have a double, then return it. If they offer to give you a double, then take it.

Manufacturing products that require dozens to hundreds of different components(bike, car, etc) may sometimes mean a specific component is different from whats listed online. Its been this way for decades. Maybe some tires arent available at a given time or maybe some bar tape isnt available at a given time(or grips in your case). So they substitute it with something comparable.
without notice
On the website at the bottom of the spec listing is this- * Specifications are subject to change without notice

veganbikes

You got a bike, you should be happy you got one. Bikes and parts are quite hard to get right now. You purchased the bike, keep the bike, ride the bike, enjoy the bike. The minor differences are not worth issue especially on that bike, just ride it. You will be fine.

Firewire

Thanks for the replies, I kind of understand now how it works

Koyote

By the way: I went online to look at the listing for this bike at the Spec website, and it appears that the current bike has a triple crankset -- so perhaps your wife's bike is the 2020 model.

Either way, I wouldn't worry much about it.

Firewire

Thanks, no worries. I’m going to keep the bike. I was just confused why the same year and model bikes had a different # of chainrings. One bike matched 2021 manufacturers web specs, the other matched 2020 web spec’s. These aren’t super high end bikes, they’re comfort bikes for recreation

vane171

I would think if they have to substitute, you should get something better than what you were buying originally. Like I got several times shunted to first class on airplane due to economy class being unexpectedly full. I doubt they would ever do it the other way, put first class ticket people into economy if the first was full (I know that wouldn't happen because they probably don't oversell first class). Never mind that triple rings are likely more expensive, so my analogy limps a bit.

Except in this case, I wouldn't know it those triple chainrings are an upgrade over double even they might be more expensive options. Myself, I would see it as a downgrade since in my perception, tripples signal more pedestrian bikes than doubles, for road bikes anyway. The OP might want to think it over before having them swap in doubles, maybe triple makes more sense for his bike use. Sometimes you can go after your entitlement and end up worse off.

RandomlyWest

I bought a new (lower-end) road bike in 2018 with a component group that Shimano had discontinued in 2014 (2300).

veganbikes

Ehhh 2300 wasn't so much discontinued as re-branded as Claris same slight step up from Tourney with some rebranding and a better color (I like the Ice Gray).

Phil_gretz

Each of us has his/her own bias about triples on bikes. I'm not a big fan of them, but they can work fine. I wouldn't want a triple UNLESS I planned to do loaded touring on the bike, OR planned to use it for utility trailer hauling. Otherwise, have them swap in the double.

Checking the specs I see that the double is a 46/30T, which I would like very much for recreational use. I also like the wide tires that your bike features. You should enjoy it a lot whatever you decide to do.

I have two older road bikes that are 52/40T, and on one of them the 46/30 would be a significant improvement for me.

HerrKaLeun

I would definitely take them up on the offer to get the correct components. This is a small time window to do that.

Not sure if this is a 3x8 vs 2x9 or 10. But you may also want both bikes to have same speeds for keeping spare chains etc.

That is a new low from Specialized. At least they should be upfront about it and make it a cheaper model. The way they handled it shows they hope people are too stupid to notice. If 1% notices, they still come out ahead.

shelbyfv

If the shop is offering to swap the triple for a 46-30 double, I'd take them up on that. A very nice combo for casual riding, IMO.

jadocs

As long as whatever is different is of equal or better quality than what is supposed to be on there. Yes I would have a problem if that is the case.

philbob57

46-30 works great with the right cassette and the right terrain. The double may be a downgrade; it may be an upgrade. My reco is to find out the bike's actual gearing with both double and triple option and compare the gearing to your expected riding.

I, too, would want the same number of speeds on both bikes to make maintenance and parts purchasing simpler.

Enjoy the rides!

unterhausen

This is really not the year to be obsessing over little details like this. I'm a little surprised bike brands haven't put a notice on the websites saying specifications might change daily. It's like an adventure whenever you open a bike box to assemble it. Especially on the high-end bikes. We got in a bike that didn't have brake rotors, the factory just didn't have any. Low end bikes get whatever parts they could source.

I imagine that 2022 might be better. 2020 was just nuts, and 2021 is probably going to be a little better but not normal.

Herzlos

Not in the short term at least; there's a huge shortage of containers which is going to result in huge delays for anything that isn't already in a container and moving.

MarkSeries

This thread reminded me of a time when I got an IF with Durace throughout. I asked for a different rear cassette that had some lower gearing. They swapped it with Ultegra and never pointed it out. I was livid.

Another time, My first trek bike, circa 1986, had those elliptical front gears. I told them to I prefer the traditional circular. They took it off another bike and when I picked up my bike, my ellipticals were on another bike that was not supposed to have them.

The point of both these stories is to always check your bike that it matches your expectations and the specifications. Bike stores, IMHO, often have a loose set of ethics. At least in my experience.

veganbikes

You wanted a cassette with lower gearing so they went with something that would work and be very similar in quality as Dura Ace goes up to only 11-30. Nothing unethical about that. Unless you went in an said I want to keep it all Dura-Ace and were OK with a smaller cassette (and had that conversation), there is nothing to be "livid" about. If you think Ultegra is low quality to the point you need to get "livid" then you need to do some research out components and learn more about them because Ultegra really is only marginally lower in quality and really that is only weight wise and if you look at pro-teams many of them will go Ultegra when they want to do what you wanted to do. It is a cassette, not a crank or derailleur that someone might easily notice. It is a disposable object and unless I am racing I probably would go with not the top end cassette and save a ton of money by adding a little bit of weight but not really change anything else. Ultegra cassettes won't shift poorly or do anything different than a Dura Ace they will just have a tiny bit more weight. The ethics of the cassettes don't change.

I am a bit confused on the BioPacé issue but yeah if you specified and had a conversation about swapping to round chainrings and they kept BioPacé on there then yeah that would be a time to have a polite and respectful conversation about how things are incorrect and how the shop can get things fixed and if they are unwilling or do not do it a second time than it would be a time for anger.

We know there are people out there that have questionable ethics but to say "Bike stores often have a loose set of ethics" is not correct and just a feeling you got once or twice over seemingly nothing or very little. 1 or 2 shops out of many thousands in the world is just not a good compass for ethics. It would be like saying the few school shootings in the U.S. are a sign that many children are unethical or something silly like that. People do make mistakes and some people aren't always beacons of ethics but to say the whole shop is bad because of 2 small incidents doesn't compute.

MarkSeries

I agree with most of you said. Except for the difference between Dura Ace and Ultegra. The price difference alone was practically double. And it should have been pointed out which it was not. The durability and performance of those deraillers are close but the weight and cost are not. I should have been told as I paid a lot of money for the Durace groupo. The swap would affect resale value too one day. Not cool.

veganbikes

Yes Ultegra costs a lot less but the quality is not significantly less at all it is just a pretty minor weight different. In terms of effecting resale value, that is wrong, it is a disposable part and you will probably need to replace it at some point unless you are selling sooner. If I saw the derailleurs, shifters, crank or something like that were changed it might effect things but a cassette or chain not at all unless some tourney level stuff or something but it is replaceable wear items and Dura-Ace maxes out at 11-30 so going any larger requires Ultegra or lower to get the right gears.

If we are talking derailleurs or cassettes the 50 grams~ difference is .11 pounds not significantly heavy if in fluid terms would a little more than a jigger/shot glass of your favorite liquid.

If they had charged you for a Dura-Ace ace cassette and used Ultegra that would be wrong but if they charged you for an Ultegra cassette, there is literally no issue unless again you had a specific conversation with the person checking in your bike that you want to stick with Dura-Ace no matter what and that under no circumstances should you change it to anything less. If I want 11-32 or 11-34 Ultegra is the option if I want 11-30 or lower Dura-Ace will do the job but I probably would still go Ultegra because I could save some money without reduction in quality. Sure I love titanium but not enough to really need to swap to the Dura-Ace cassette to save 50ish grams and spend 2.52 per gram for that saving on a disposable part.

If you keep the bike in good shape and clean and maintain it regularly and replace parts as needed or maybe a little earlier then needed you should be fine on re-sale value. However know that all bikes will depreciate quickly so you won't always get what you paid or even close to that unless never ridden but well kept and even then you can have a tough time unless a super rare bike. That being said IF makes some excellent bikes and I would love to see your's and likely you could get a good amount especially if steel or titanium as that will last for a long time.

MarkSeries

I was charged for the a Dur-Ace cassette but got an Ultegra (potentially used even; it definitely had some wear). That was my point. I should have been notified and told up front. The whole bike was DuraAce so it could not have been an oversight. The trust was broken and I never went back to the store.

veganbikes

That sounds way off...but let's say they did charge you for Dura Ace and gave you Ultegra...did you go back and figure out the issue and did they attempt to or actually resolve it? Did they replace the chain as well or was it the old chain? Did they do a drivetrain clean at all? Also how do you know that the cassette "definitely had some wear"? What cassette size was it? Any chance to see the receipt without any identifying information?

These stories always don't quite add up ever but am curious to follow this one. At least in our area you cannot buy and sell used components as a shop without being a licensed pawn dealer. Also these people who have issues but never come back and get those issues resolved usually cannot be found in the system but always have a good post on the Yelps or Google Reviews and when reached out to they refuse to reach back out even if you give alternative contact info and plenty of opportunities to resolve the issue. If we make a mistake we want to try and resolve the issue and usually we try hard to resolve it and if we can't then we can't but this seems odd.

jadocs

If a shop or manufacturer is going to use components that are of less value than you purchased, the price should be adjusted accordingly. The point is not if the switched component performs the task. The point is you paid for the higher value components and you did not get what you paid for.