Is now the right time to buy a bike?

Cant see prices going up anytime soon, but they're not going to get much cheaper either! Now's as good a time as any IMO

Not in my experience it isn't...

I'd heard about this supposed slump in bike sales and over stock and bargains to be had but I can't find a single bike off my want list in stock in my size (L or XL).

Sure, there's tons of small sized stuff around if you're at that end of the spectrum or cheap BSO stuff or stupidly expensive top end stuff seems available.

To add insult to injury, I've not had any success in getting a response from importers or shops as to whether alternative sizes, or frames or bikes are available or likely to be available in the near future.

Their apathy leads me to believe they think I should be doing all the running around to shops (it's no use relying on shop websites to provide accurate availability and it's ludicrous to expect the shops to actually answer the phone...)🤬

So, yeah, even though I've got money burning a hole in my pocket, it's unlikely to get spent in a bike shop anytime soon 🤷

There's no wrong time to buy a bike 😀

Yes, they there are load and loads of great deals currently.

If 6ft or over, buy this XL:
https://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/giant-trance-x-29-2.html

It's slow moving stock being sold off at bargain prices, once it's gone and there's no longer an over supply of the new model year then prices will need to go back up. They can't stay low forever or the whole bike industry will be going bankrupt.

When I was looking around a few weeks ago it certainly seemed a good time to buy a bike. As long as you are not wedded to a specific bike then loads of reductions around. I suppose they could get even lower as and when each of the sellers goes bust.

I love buying bikes (in January).

It means I've got a new shiny thing to ride in the depths of winter, meaning I feel fitter all summer 😃

It also means I've worked out the kinks/ things that don't fit buy summer, so the summer rides are more ride less faffing about

Same goes for pretty much any time of year. I'll be faster next month for the riding the new shiny shiny this month.

Its always the right time to buy a bike.

The same goes for all kit, tech, toys, fun stuff, mortages, computers, your new car...

You could wait 6 months sue and you MIGHT get it cheaper.... but what price do you put on 6 months riding the bike you really want?

Dont ever try and predict whats going to happen in 6 months time, your wasting your effort. Reckon anyone in November, December 2019 was correctly predicting what was about to happen?

I've been looking recently for a full suspension for one of my kids and there are some great deals around. In the end we bought a Specialized Status 140 (S2) from the LBS for £2k, which is pretty good value for money given the spec. Lots of Trek currently at reduced prices too.

There’s no wrong time to buy a bike 😀

The Master has spoken.

Get it bought.

Prices might well go up, but they won't get much lower than 50% off.

does anyone see the market improving massively over the next few months

No. But demand will go up as the weather improves, seasonality of sales won't change much even if demand is lower overall. So now may be as good time as you'll get unless the slump continues into next year.

I think if you walked into a bike shop today with a wad of cash you'd pretty much have a endless choice of whatever bike you wanted at whatever spec you could negotiate. That may be true in 6 months time as well, but that's the middle of summer and your money will have less heft.

If you know you're going to buy a bike anyway, there's probs less reason to delay doing that than there has been at any point previously.

There are still supply issues as well... masked by a wet autumn/winter and consumer timidness. If there's something specific you want, and it's available, get it now. It might not be there come the summer. If you're just after a general deal on a bike, and are less choosy which one... time is more on your side... chill... take your time looking.

Large Epic Expert 50% off

2022 Specialized Epic Expert FS Mountain Bike in Pine/Eyris (cycle-revolution.net)

Stock is still an issue in certain sizes so id buy now if its in stock.

I think its the best time to buy a new bike in years. Over supply has forced prices down, as has the massive clearing by CRCWiggle and on top of that this time of year is quiet for sales so there are even more reductions.  Even though all the predictions I have read are that over supply will keep bike prices depressed this year, once the weather improves prices will go up.

Also the CRCWiggle effect will reduce as they seem to have cleared most of their stock so that additional downward pressure which must have been horrible for other retailers will start to ease.

Think this over supply still needs to properly filter through to 2nd hand prices though

It’s slow moving stock being sold off at bargain prices, once it’s gone and there’s no longer an over supply of the new model year then prices will need to go back up. They can’t stay low forever or the whole bike industry will be going bankrupt.

+1

But at the same time I think we're heading back to a 2000-2015 type market where RRPs are just that, recommendations. And consumers can shop around for deals rather than just accepting that a mech costs whatever SRAM tell us it is.

Whether that means the pace of R&D drops a bit 🤷‍♂️. I'd take the price of GX mechs falling to ~£75 over the development of £645 cassettes!

So prices going up again for the new model year, and then falling back to this sort of discounting in September.

Yep - I'd say buy now - any bike manufacturer will be drastically reducing the amount they're ordering and this oversupply can't go on forever

There have been some full suss ebikes on TriSportResort which have been selling for as little as £1250 where the normal retail is £3.2k+

I'd say you need to quickly invent time travel and buy about 3 months ago. A lot of the surplus stock causing the great bike giveaway has now been sold.

BUT shedloads of 2nd hand bargains about at the moment. I'd hate to be selling right now.

for some bike shops a sale this month or next may just ensure they survive this lull.

prices can only go one way, same as interest rates

the fire sales on crc/wiggle seem to be over for now.

trek have some cracking deals, the slash moved to a high pivot on gen6 hence the gen5 can be had for £2.2k in carbon /slx/XT .

Bikes are always cheaper in January with bargains to be found.

This year is worse/better because there's a glut of them from previous supply chain issues.

Specialized are worth keeping an eye on because it's their 50th birthday and so they're likely to launching quite a few new models in the coming months so want to clear stock on their old models. Stumpjumpers (both types) and Enduros and Turbo Levos are overdue a refresh. It's also hard not to see them updating the Epic in an Olympic year, which will also filter through to the Epic Evo.

I don't know for certain, but spoke to a chap who worked at a big bike chain that stocked Specialized and he seemed to think that if you walked in with cash to spend then further discounts would be possible on top of the already crazy good prices.

Speaking from personal experience, I don't think I'll see a bargain like a Ragley Marley frame at £180 including delivery any time soon again.

prices can only go one way, same as interest rates

Hmmmm 🤔 y'know it was 6/3 in favour of holding at 5.25% today, with 2 of the 3 in favour of raising, and only 1 voting to lower...

OP, if it's 50% off in your size then buy it. You're not gonna get a much better deal than that (liquidation sales aside). It definitely isn't going to be 50% off in 6 months time. The stock will sell and the discounts will be gone. Most probably will be autumn before we see any major discounting again.

Yes.

I just bought a DMR Sect Pro for £250. A friend just got a nearly as good deal on a Canyon road bike (horrible colour though!).

The key thing is know what you want and grab it when you see a bargain.

My bet is suppliers will reduce their stock piles pretty soon so the supply demand imbalance will be sorted out by summer.

yep, New Giant Revolt X ordered at the weekend there, 40% off online, price matched by LBS.

It does mean I have a 2yr old Topstone Lefty to sell, but I think I may keep it till the spring and advertise then as would hope to get a little more for it at that stage once all these brand new bargains dry up a bit...