Ordering a bike: A cautionary tale

Triathlon Forum
1

Tom D has posted on a number of occasions cautioning us to order in the off season if we which to receive our new steed for the start of the season be it, tri or road. The reasons for this have been explained in detail covering excessive demand as the weather improves, supply from foreign lands, shipping problems etc so I will not go over old ground.

I had been diagnosed with congentital spondylosis in Mid February and the related outcome is that I had/have to sell my road and cross bikes to buy a model with a shorter top tube to accomodate the problem. After a lot of work from Mike O’Donnell and Tom an expected arival from the frame from the manufacturer was given as May, so I made the bookings to travel over to Bikesport for fit and collection in the third week of June thus allowing 3 weeks for contingency.

Tom has on many occasions warned us that the bike industry is like no other in that delivery dates are only accurate when the product has arrived. Unfortunately, today I have been advised that the shipment date moved from early June to mid June and the company will not be able to ship until after I return to the UK.

The moral of the story is to order as early as possible and do not expect it to arrive until you have the call that it is in. In this instance I will have to stump up for more taxes for it to get sent to England from the US and have learnt my lesson, times change as do delivery dates. Learn by my mistake and don’t learn the hard way.

2

Exactly - I ordered Giant TCR Advanced framesets silver color scheme not (T-Mobil) for the wife and I as well as a TCR TT Composite for myself while in attendance at Interbike in Las Vegas last October - had to since I was in Vegas for a week sans wife and a touristy t-shirt was not enough. Initial forecast was a mid-December delivery (yeah right) which then slipped to mid-February, and so on, and so forth. Well the wifes size medium framset arrived around end of April but my size large was no where to be found until yesterday! Oh, and the TCR Aero composite frameset - well your guess is as good as mine as to when - if ever - it will arrive.

3

Well if what you ordered was a Bianchi, I hate to tell you, but Tom’s been riding it for three weeks…and believe me, unless you want to be referred to as “The Nancyboy”, you don’t want it.

4

Julian, thats horrible. I know we have no control over it but for you to plan to fly to the states to pick up a bike, giving it sufficient lead time, and still not have it available just sucks.

I know squat about the bike industry but if lead times were like this on cars, the auto industry would have a serious problem.

You are still coming on the 18th irregardless right?

5

I think I might just be jinxed anyway, as after posting the thread I recalled the fiasco when I ordered my Kuota. Bryce and I ordered at the same time last June, he ordered a larger and I, a small. His arrived in July and I received mine in late September!

So it might be a case of just changing my name to Jonah ans having done with it :wink:

6

Right, now I am a little unsure, Jim. I either forfeit my plane fare and try to buy another one high season and try for another window in the summer leave roster at work or come over with my other bike and cough up shipping and another 26% duty and tax on the bike price when it is sent.

I know Bryce will still be on his way over regardless. Can’t keep that boy away from a TT!

7

This tale illustrates why I and alot of other people are riding Treks. It’s not because we are Lance geeks. Its because we are impatient. For all the other “cooler” bikes I looked at, delivery was discussed in terms of what month it “might” be in. The Trek dealer tapped away at his computer for a few seconds and said, “We can have that for you on Tuesday.”

For me “Tuesday” was the single word that convinced me the OCLV was better than titanium.

8

Nah, it was a foreign sounding name but a “me too” bike in a “manly” plain carbon finish!

9

Don’t mean to make you feel bad but I just wanted to relate a great ordering experience I had with Guru Bikes. Placed my order end of october last year for a 2005 model - 4 weeks (!!) later it was delivered and I was riding it. What makes this even more incredible, they ran out of my size just after I ordered so they had to make a new frame, paint it, built it up and ship it. I was very impressed.

edit: I had written 6 weeks but I just checked my emails and I ordered end of october and received the ready for shipping email on the 11th of November. So that’s like 3-4 weeks.

10

So which model are you waiting for with the shorter top tube?

11

No, it doesn’t make me feel bad, I beleive that Guru make their own bikes at their own factory which removes one more variable from the equation. IF they say that they can build and deliver for such a date it is easier to deliver. I have heard very good things about Guru, also you ordered at the time of year that is quieter and therefore more likely to get done on schedule.

12

I appreciate you backing me up on this Julian, but I will say this about my operations and plans, I always have a plan “B” (and usually “C” also) and never operate without back-up. As such, I think you may find some interesting alternatives that may actually be attractive to you when you arrive. I’m not entirely willing to divulge all of the particulars just yet, but suffice it to say, we always have a Plan “B”.

No question- and your point is well taken: The sinlge greatest challenge we face i this industry are lead times. Our initiative to get people to buy bikes in September, October, November, December and January has not entirely fallen on deaf ears. We have seen greater activity in those months over the past three years. The paradigm is changing. People *are *beginning to discover the wisdom and truth to what you are saying here. If only all of them were as insightful…

Now, here’s where it gets a trifle ugly: The industry, at the vendor level (of course, from my perspective as a retailer I blame them, not entirely fair) does need to begin to explore systems and processes to get lead times down.

To be fair, that is not necessarily the responsibility of the brands you and I know and recognize, but the responsibility of *their *suppliers. These are largely unfamiliar names to you and I that actually do produce the frames that ultimately get the brand names applied to them that we recognize. If this manufacturers could develop a higher degree of responsiveness to orders and lead times the entire industry could be more responsive and, most importantly, more competitive with other industries.

The bike industry can be egocentric at times: Bike companies think they compete with other bike companies. That is wrong.

Bike companies compete with other *industries *for people’s discretionary income. Perhaps the single greatest competitor for discretionary income in our customer demographic is real estate. this is a nearly instant gratification industry: You see a new house you want, you make a phone call, make an offer and *boom- *new house. The has pretty much destroyed 33-45% of most people’s discretionary income right there. The bike industry needs to leverage against other industries like that and the way to do it is faster lead times.

In my opinion you have been graceful and dilligent in your search for this particular bike. And while all is not 100% lost here (my secret plans “B”, “C” and even “D”) it has been a nerve wracking and anxious situation for all of us. It is our good fortune you are a cordial and gracious man, and everyone here appreciates that. In truth, the vendor involved has been the best that they can be too, and I appreciate that too.

Ultimately though, I do look forward to the day when neither one of us has to make a case for buying your bike months in advance of when you’d like to have it.

13

Tossing bikes in Baltic rivers is never a good idea, Julian.

:wink:

14

STP is spot on with his explanation why so many people are riding Treks. Like STP said, it’s not that we’re Lance geeks. It’s that, when we walk into our local shops, the bikes are there. When we place orders for the bikes, the bikes arrive … at least close to on time. Product quality is high and consistent and, quite frankly, they’re damn fine bikes. (Qualification: They’re damn fine road bikes. I know the Trek tri-bike story is a different story.)

I just ordered a Cervelo Soloist (already in stock from a retailer). I didn’t “need” the bike. I’ve just been on a Trek OCLV for ten years now and wanted something different. But then I got out on my Trek last night for a bit of an intense little ride and thought to myself … dang … this really is a sweet bike. I have to ride some pretty crappy roads and the Trek is solid, but also forgiving.

But to the original poster’s dilemma, my policy (FWIW) is, I’ll order something from a dealer who has it in stock. I won’t order something if the dealer has to order it from the factory. This can limit choices somewhat, but it avoids lots of frustration. At least the OP is working with Tom. We all know Tom is an excellent communicator. It sucks being frustrated and not being able to get any information.

Bob C.

15

Although I have never been a private retailer myself, I have been brought up with parents in retail and therefore am a well aware of the hardships and downsides that others are not aware of as a private business owner. Your description of my handling of this situation is merely old fashioned manners. I hope to treat people as I would wish to be treated myself in life, to this end if you are pleasant to people they are happy to help as I would be in return.

Mike O’Donnell has been a stalwart in his assistance to me, not only at a very busy time in the shop but also whilst moving home and family! I would like to say that Bikesport (both Mikes, Seth and “Calvin”) are a credit to your business in the professional and courteous manner in which they have served me.

Finally, I sent a response to Mike’s e mail of yesterday, in the dead of night in Dearborn, and could either you or he give some indication of which of the three options I outlined you would suggest for me?

See you Friday week,

16

Sorry Bri, you are going to have to explain that one to me, I’m a little slow(er than usual) today!

17

as a brit in the west indies, I fly home and to the US a lot- and regularly change flights, it usually incurs a change penalty of approx $100 but is woth it- can you do that? I hope so because that blows- I ordered a Lucero two months ago and it should be here on Island by Monday ( fingers crossed) all I have been able to do it stare at the pic. FWIW the vendor has been brilliantly honest about the timing, and copied me in on e-mails etc… but if you want quality I guess you have to wait some,

Weeman

18

Just a quick play jab at your misspelling in the title…

Odering…Oder-ing…Oder river, Baltic region…turning noun into verb with suffix -ing…therefore…Odering=…well, now you get the point…as usual…I think too much.

19

AH! Funnily enough I though it might have been typos and have just been amending my atrocious spelling on the original thread.

One thing for you though, were you English you would have incorrectly spelt mispelling!

Disclaimer: for some reason this monthe I am mostly unable to spell occasions!

20

Julian,

Does this mean that my offer to waive your $5.00 participation fee or membership in our cycling club for the TT is not a sufficient draw to bring you over the pond anyway?

I am heart broken! I was so looking forward to meeting you in person. I was prepared to gaurantee a good time.

Perhap, someday.