freeranger

A post the other day got me thinking. Someone posted they bought a new bike and was kind enough to share where it was purchased. So, to help out others who are looking for a new bike, I think it would be a good idea to share which LBS's have bikes in stock, what brand, and their location. Maybe someone who is searching might see one within acceptable driving distance, call them, and find a bike. I haven't been to our LBS's lately, but when I do, will add them if they have bikes in stock.

shelbyfv

Please check for gravel bikes in 54-56 and HT MTB in medium. Thanks!

Phil_gretz

China. Order direct from the grey market manufacturers and/or in-country distributors. There are plenty of frames and components. Get wheelsets from the various wheel sites, like Velomine. The whole thing can come together within 60-90 days.

Reflector Guy

My closest LBS is a Trek store and typically they will have in stock six or eight or ten road bikes, a dozen hybrids, five to ten mountain bikes, several kid's bikes, etc, etc. Sounds like a lot, but it isn't really. Most models will have only one size, or only one or two colors. If they had every size and every color of every model, that would equal a whole lot more bikes.

And this is spread out over two locations.

GeezyRider 

I hope this doesn't cause a stampede resulting in personal injury to anyone, but the Walmart in Denton, MD had bikes on their racks last Friday.

chaadster

Are there shops that actually don’t have any bikes?

Motor City Bikes here in Ann Arbor has many new bikes on the floor, FWIW. I’ve been several times since last fall and they’ve always had bikes.

unterhausen

Have you asked DWMckee? Pittsburgh though.

I think most shops have some bikes. Probably not the most popular bikes. But if you want something expensive in the lines they carry, it's more likely they have it.

Nate8727

Before visiting, I found out by just giving them a call. I had a few models in mind and size and they said what was in stock and on the floor to try.

Most of the Trek local dealer sites will show what's on the floor on their website. I can't vouch for the accuracy of that though, but it did seem to match up for what I was looking for.

TakingMyTime

While waiting for service at my local Trek store a gentleman came in and was putting a little more money down on a bike he had ordered about a month ago. He confirmed with the employee that the estimated "ready" date was in August. The employee did agree that this was an estimated date. The employee then let the customer know that if he changed his mind that he could use the deposit for any other bike if he wasn't happy about waiting that long. That was sort of a red flag to me. I took it as there's a pretty good chance that this particular bike had not been ordered and the store was just waiting for their next shipment of bikes to come in and they really had no firm information as to what and when they will get anything.

Just my 2 cents.

unterhausen

I am fairly confident that no bike shop will take a deposit on a bike that hasn't been ordered yet. If it hasn't been ordered, it's virtually guaranteed that the shop will not get it any time this year*. Nobody knows when bikes will come in. I'm sure Trek is just guessing nowadays as well.

*Sometimes bike companies have unexpected stock that they let their dealers buy. I think that will be rare until fall. I can't imagine any shop counting on this for any particular model.

mstateglfr 

It isnt so much an issue of literally no bikes at most shops that I have seen, its an issue of little to no bikes under $1500 or $2000. Or when they have gotten some, the bikes are gone quickly.

TakingMyTime

I would agree with you to an extent. I'm sure the LBS is doing everything possible to satisfy their customer. But, from the conversation I overheard I don't think I'd be adding to the amount of my down payment when it wasn't necessary and the actual delivery date sounded a little sketchy.

unterhausen

I work at a shop part time. They don't take deposits. No real need, and it can generate bad will. They will put you on a waiting list and do honor the order that people are put on the list. If someone is desperate to buy a bike, it's quite possible they will find something somewhere else.

Darth Lefty 

The enthusiast press has spent so long trying to condition us that there is exactly the right bike to suit your specific special situation that I wonder if some people aren't accepting bikes that are ...adequate

Sy Reene

Here's a somewhat local LBS to where I am.. anything appearing here is available but pretty much just for the size that appears when you do the first click on the model.
It would be nice I suppose if every LBS or brand could do this. How hard would it be for eg. Trek/Spesh/Giant etc to offer a filter to show everything available, or filter to model/size at their retailers within X mile radius of where a shopper sets their zipcode?

https://www.piermontbike.com/en/bicy...lon-endurance/

Rides4Beer

It's called Google.

Took me about three weeks of searching and calling shops to find the bike I wanted in my size. Found it in a shop in NJ and had it shipped to SC.

TakingMyTime

On the website for the local LBS chain in my area you have the option of ticking a box for "In Stock". Right now that will limit you to about 15 bikes and then as you dig deeper many sizes aren't available. When they say 15 bikes, they mean 15 bikes.

chaadster

The answer to that is “incredibly hard, and practically impossible.”

Hybrid_Chaplain

While recovering from Covid-19 seven weeks ago, in a hotel that was across the street from a brand new bike path in my city, I passed time by day-dreaming of getting healthy and fit again, and perusing all of the latest and greatest models of bikes. A few weeks later, after I had recovered and tested negative for coronavirus, I visited 3 of my favorite local bike shops to test ride some models. I really wanted to purchase locally, but none of them could give me a solid estimate of how many weeks or months I would have to wait for the version of the Cannondale Quick that I wanted--that they did not have in stock.

City Grounds dot com had the Cannondale Quick 4 in the right size and colorway, and I had it within 5 days of purchasing online. Since then, I have purchased some add-ons and accessories from my LBS.

Sy Reene

hmm. Yet, for example, I can click on an individual bike model/size, eg. link below, and it tells me which retailers have it. How hard to reverse it, pick the retailer and Giant would tell me what Giant bikes they have on the floor at that retailer?
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/tc...ro-0-disc-2021

chaadster

First off, that doesn’t tell you what is in stock; the last sentence says “we recommend contacting your local retailer to ensure availability.”

Getting everyone on the same inventory and POS systems is practically impossible.

Sy Reene

Well, the advice to call to be sure makes sense (there could be an issue with the inventory system, or bike could have just sold 10 minutes earlier), but it very much does say
"In store now and available for pick up in 1 - 4 business days" .. from the retailers below.

Specialized's system does very much the same thing, either telling you it's out of stock, or at which LBS a model/size looked for can be found closest to you.

chaadster

Or it could have been sold a day before, or a month before...who knows? Giant could be relying on stores updating the Giant inventory system, or could be basing it on invoices to stores in the past 60 days...who knows? I’d be willing to bet a lot of money, though, that it’s not real-time in-store inventory, and that could also explain why you cannot search store-level inventory. They just don’t have that information, I think.

Rolla

In January I found a bike I had been looking for, even though it was widely reported to be sold out everywhere. My local shops all have inventory, but whether they have the style, price, or size that someone wants changes every day. It's all about doing the research and the legwork.

topflightpro

From my experience, the Giant system is pretty accurate. So is Treks.

(The exception is the price at the shop may not be MSRP - I've seen some for more.)