I just got off the phone with my friends Heather, Sharon and Christy at Cervelo. Cervelo is sending us almost 40 hot bike models that people are already begging for. They are actually sending us 40 bikes! That is unprecedented! Hats off to Cervelo for NOT being vaporware this year and actually delivering some product at the height of the season. This is awesome: No waiting for Cervelos at the best time of the year to buy a bike. We’ve never had this before so I am pretty excited.
At the opposite end of the spectrum were told today that Felt B2’s, one of their hottest bikes, is sold out for 2004 at the dealer level. We ordered a ton of B2’s. They told us we would get 2 before May. Two. That’s it. It is a miniscule percentage of what we ordered.
Hmmm. Not quite sure what this means but we are so happy to get these Cervelos.
P3’s are still tough. They aren’t falling from the sky but there are a few available from what I am told. A lot of what was allocated to us were P2Ks, Dual and Soloist 105s along with some Soloist Teams. I see an R2.5 in my size on the invoice. If that exists it will never make it to the sales floor. It is mine, along with a new P3.
That must the benefit and the curse of owning a bike shop You get first dibbs on anything that comes your way (like the R2.5) and every year cool stuff arrives and you end up “impulse buying it” for yourself. How many bikes do you own and ride?
I guess Cervelo must think you’ll move a lot more of their product than Felt does or Felt must be trying for the cachet of being a really hard to obtain bike.
Hey Allan, I didn;t “impulse buy” the R2.5. I’ve had one on order for myself from Cervelo for over a year I think- since they were announced. I’ve been waiting on this one.
I think a couple factors may have played into the current, apparent discrepency in supply between Felt and Cervelo at our store:
Bare in mind, this is just our store. I do not know if this is a reflection of the industry nationwide. It may not be.
The B2 from Felt is kind of a “candy store” bike with lots of peripheral reasons to buy it (Zipp 404s, Profile Carbon X’s)and a killer price tag. It is a good solid frame made in Taiwan but it is not as sophisticated a design as a P3 frame or even a P2K. AS a result, it takes a more sophisticated consumer to say, “I will purchase a P3 because it has a wider ‘fit band’, more unique aerodynamic frame design, more comfortable ride, lower head tube, etc.” Most consumers look at the Felt B2 and say, “WOW!, cool- Zipps and Carbon X bars at that price!” They don’t think about frame features and fit.
I don’t know if Felt anticipated how popular the B2 would become. Cervelo has known the P3 is the “hot bike” and sought after from previous sales histories.They have the benefit of experience in planning their orders and production.
Speaking of Vaporware, I saw an Easton Attack bar yesterday at Trek SD, but it was still in the box. It seemed to be made nicely but at $700 I’ve got to question who their market is … considering HED and Vision.
Just curious as to why you would say that the B2 frame design isn’t as sophisticated as a P2K? I can understand the argument against P3 being more sophisticated for obvious reasons.
Both the P2K and the B2 are essentially “triangle” frames built by two diffent people with different philosophies. Yes there are differences in geometry, tube shape and what I call connection points, but why would one be more sophisticated than the other. I believe that both Jim Felt and Cervelo have done their homework. I know I was sold on the P2K until I walked into California Bikes earlier this year and saw last years S22. I totally fell for Felt frame designs (and the fact that I love my GT Zaskar).
Oh yeah, proud owner of a '04 S22. Picked it up a week ago. Now I just need to get out on the bike and get it dialed in! Too bad I’m off to Mammoth this weekend and out of town for the holidays. At least it’s staying “shiny” for awhile
I talked to FSA yesterday, they’re saying Jan. for the new carbon VisionTech stuff, which in FSA talk means late Feb. That’s early, for the bike industry.
Just a guess, but 10 speed bar end shifters and 55 tooth Dura Ace chainrings for the 650c bikes are not Felt’s fault. None of the bikes Tom said are coming in have either of those to VERY HARD to come by items. If Felt anticipated getting 100 B2s in December, 100 in February and 100 in April and Shimano says they can’t deliver the parts to Taiwan until January, then production gets pushed back.
Again, just a guess.
And another guess: I don’t think Felt would single out Tom and speculate that he wouldn’t sell as many Felt’s as Cervelo’s.
Again, just a guess.
And another guess: Order 25 p3s with Dura Ace 10 speed and 55/42t Dura Ace ten speed chainrings at the Interbike trade show in October and you won’t sell them showing up in December either.
My suggestion for those searching for B2’s. Buy the S22. It has the EXACT same frame, fork, headset, aerobars, carbon bladed seatpost, and Dura Ace 10 speed derailleurs. You can upgrade the shifters, cassette, and chain to 10 speed, buy some 404s or 909s for the race wheels and you’d still be over $1000 less than a C’dale IM5000, or roughly $3999.
Curious as to what you said about the Dura-Ace rear derailluer. My bike shop nor have I read anywhere that the Dura-Aces shifter on my '04 S22 is 10 speed campatible. Is there a way to find out for sure?
You get first dibbs on anything that comes your way (like the R2.5) and every year cool stuff arrives and you end up “impulse buying it” for yourself. How many bikes do you own and ride?