I don’t have direct knowledge of any specifics, but based on what I have heard from people in the industry, and my own experiences in it, the reason you are seeing identical bikes across “model years” is simply because of excess inventory issues.
Which is the same reason you are seeing prices come down….it isn’t because some companies jacked up prices to an unsustainable level (although that may be a contributing issue), it is simply that suppliers have too much stock and they need to clear it out. And not just to make way for new models but because they need to turn the inventory and get their money out of it. Holding inventory on bikes is incredibly expensive (big ticket items) and they take up a LOT of space. There are numerous reports of suppliers having to rent additional warehouse space to store the inventory.
But with so many consumers having bought bikes during COVID and shortly after, the discounts being offered now aren’t enough to move sufficient product. Bikes aren’t a consumable.
It is pretty bleak in the biz right now….lots of people not sleeping well at night.
It’s me. I’m the sucker that bought a Tarmac SL7 Pro at retail.
Interestingly, it doesn’t seem like Specialized is discounting the Pro/S-Works versions of their bikes much. I guess they figure there are enough suckers willing to pay for Force/Ultegra and above at retail?
Fascinating discussion. I bought a new Spark at the end of 2020, a small discount from retail, and by the time I’d ridden it for the first time the RRP had gone up by nearly $2000. Bikes then weren’t being offered with any discount!
The main thing they claimed was that it was shipping costs. It confused me though who was making all that extra money. Some shops who had received bikes in the first shipment were able to just add a bunch of profit margin. Other shops, I assume, we’re forced to pay a higher cost to the distributor.
Trek for example, would have huge warehouses of bikes somewhere else to get sent to distributors, which should now be paying less shipping for them again. That would explain a drop in RRP, I think they could gain some credibility/good will if they came out and explained it a bit?
Just bought one from Incycle… $2555 shipped with taxes.
Now one of you need to help me save my marriage and buy my great condition 2022 Emonda SLR frameset (sz52) I have laying around. Great deal for a TR member.
anyone familiar with ENVE mountain bike gear? they have a lot of stuff at 50% merino shirts, mountain tees, shorts, and some other random stuff. unfortunately not much info on fit or picture with real people wearing them, so hard to say how they fit
MTB group sets (Shimano) discounted. I pieced my one together, so not sure how great of a deal it is, but seems pretty reasonable, $620 for XT 12 speed with 2 pot brakes.
