Were in the middle of the summer give of take a bit of rain here and there, there is a small cycle race in France going on as we speak, so why do Specialized decide to put out the 2011 bikes so close to the summer that retailers run down all stock during the very months people generally which to get a road bike?
My wife Cannot find the bike and the size she needs just over half way into 2010 during the summer because next ears bikes won't be here till October! Three months, a third of the year and Specialized dealers can't get hold of the bike because they don't have any more. Very Special. Will be contacting them monday with my opinion.
and relax.

its not just specialized, or road bikes, the whole industry relies on retailers having predicted what they will sell for the summer and having ordered that the previous year and having held stock through winter, just so that the manufacturers can start tempting people with the following years stock midway through the year, the whole industry is out of touch with what the buying public wants imo.

What Sancho said

Probably no help but my partner is selling a very low milage medium Spesh Ruby Komen on fleabay just now if you're interested.

Bought to do a JOGLE, but health reasons prevented her doing the attempt and any real training.

I think the manufactuers/dealers are holding low stocks due to the recession and also as above, to create a bit of hype and 'wanting' for people to part with their money.

If you are mailing Specialized, can you ask them why i cannot buy the Steel Allez that is available to other parts of the world?

steve i sawe one in evans cycles the other day, its a fixie right?

I think that the industry ordered the wrong number of bikes this year. I don't think its just specilaized. My brother in law was told it would be tough to find a XL road bike this year. Fisher didn't see to get any of the 2010 29ers over here

I think the effects of the recession are very hard to predict, particulalry on things like cycling. Combine that with a very dry year and every where I go I see cyclists (edit I see you say give or take a bit of rain. Does that put you in the north or west. In the south east its a desert at the moment. Its seems to have been sunny non stop since may bank holiday)

I don't think Specialized wanted to be out of stock at the moment. I mean they make money selling bikes

It's called a Langster and they're available in the UK

no the langster is the fakenger/fixie/track bike

the allez steel is the rather good looking bargain road bike

http://specialized.com/sk/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=45678

This year stock levels have lasted longer into the summer than the 2 previous years. Bike manufacturers/importers have been bringing in more shipments throughout the year

I still don't get the whole "darkside" label mtbers give to road bikes.

Oh and that Allez looks great – just what I want in a road bike I think 🙂

Thats the one!!

That is nice. That would get my cyclescheme quids no bother.