What happens to the unsold old bikes, when new year's model come out?

Having a really busy day at the office I had to take a bit of a brake and think about something less serious… 8) So here it is:

Now, when all the shops sell 2015 bikes – what happened to the 2014 models? Do you think all of them were (or are going to be – during some promotional time) sold?

I know, it’s a hard question! 😆

PAuls Cycles sell them 🙂

They get discounted by any shop with stock, the distributors flog them off in bulk it seems. As above Paul cycles specialise in them.

Discount to clear

Have you ever wondered why so many people wait until Sept/Oct to buy a new bike?

In my case I usually do the sensible thing, wait till the new ones are out – roll up to the LBS to buy the current one, get the crushing feeling my new bike would be an old bike and buy next years model at full price…. like a dickhead.

Hora? 😉

Stuff that does’nt sell at the distributors gets sold to crc/merlin etc and broken down to sell as components.

I wonder what Canyon do with any unsold frames?

I understand the components can be sold to whomever, but surely the frames have to go somewhere?

I mean, I guess part of this is having a really good supply prediction, so they don’t over purchase their frames.

Unsold frame? Special or warranty stock?

It was alleged a few years ago that Specialized ‘destroyed’ a number of S-Works bikes to avoid them being discounted and devaluing the brand.

Canyon may keep a number as warranty frames, or flog them off to dealers for staff use – Trek used to do that sort of thing.

I wonder what Canyon do with any unsold frames?

I understand the components can be sold to whomever, but surely the frames have to go somewhere?

I mean, I guess part of this is having a really good supply prediction, so they don’t over purchase their frames.

It’s simple really, when the last one is sold, the website won’t let you buy any more – until that point, you can buy one 🙂

Too slow but will say it anyway

Paul milnes 🙂

I buy them.
Salsa Horsethief for £1150 – why, thank you sir.

Will be aiming to get some fancy carbon, hydraulic braked cyclocross bike for a similar price this year

Canyon tend to end up here

As mentioned above http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/offers.php 😀

Intelligent people buy them

They get repainted and sold as this year’s model.

It was alleged a few years ago that Specialized ‘destroyed’ a number of S-Works bikes to avoid them being discounted and devaluing the brand.

A fair few luxury fashion brands do that to avoid having their product ending up in TK Maxx

I think that bike companies are going to be moving away from new models for every year. They will just produce a model and sell it until it sells out and then they will replace it with a new model . There will be some slight overlap but basically that’s what will happen. Companies like Trek can not just job bikes out at the end of the model year as they insist that their bikes can’t be mail ordered . Also manufacturers are moving towards on line bike brochures rather than printed . This gives them the flexibility to alter their model range on a regular basis rather than printing a job lot every year .

For some manufacturers the last years bike at a great price seemed such a regular occurrence that i wondered how there were so many

So I wondered if last years models got moved round the world. Because presumably the end of year US bikes could be sold for almost full US price here mixed in with our own end of year bikes

So insiders does this happen?

Stuff that does’nt sell at the distributors gets sold to crc/merlin etc and broken down to sell as components.

Really??? I know the first bit is correct at Merlin (i.e. buying up job lot end of year Kona, BMC etc) but don’t think I’ve ever seen or bought parts that weren’t brand new and unfitted (unless obviously and openly selling demo or ex-team stuff etc).

It was alleged a few years ago that Specialized ‘destroyed’ a number of S-Works bikes to avoid them being discounted and devaluing the brand.

they seem to go to Bike-Scene now

I bought forks from Merlin that were brand new, but had been cut down, so they had obviously been fitted to an unused bike originally.

If it’s obscure Italian frames and parts then On One / Planet X seem to buy it all.

they are melted down and made into stormtroopers

They go to bicycle heaven. No such thing as bicycle heaven? Where would all the FSRs go?

kcr – Member

I bought forks from Merlin that were brand new, but had been cut down, so they had obviously been fitted to an unused bike originally.

Not necessarily, they could have been prepared for a bike but never fitted.

I’ve just bought a 2014 spec bike from Pauls Cycles. £2900 down to £1600.

I can live with last years paint scheme.