Whats best time of year to buy a new bike?

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 The Potato 08 Dec 2020

Ill hopefully have saved up enough to get a new road bike soon, but since Ive not purchased one for about 10 years im not in the know as to timing. Is there a better month / season to go shopping or do they generally hold prices all year round?

tia.

Owen. 

 Run_Ross_Run 08 Dec 2020
In reply to The Potato:

Stock is very limited online and at lbs so prices will inevitably increase as a result so I don't think current situation will help get a bargain. However the transition to next year's model always helps with end of season models. Just keep an eye on as many outlets as you canto spot a bargain. 

I've put on hold my plans to get a titanium gravel bike due to the long lead times / unpredictably.

 dovebiker 08 Dec 2020

I was working part-time in a bike shop at the beginning of the year - we were exceeding every single sales record every month but we eventually ran out of bikes to sell. The consequence of a Far East shut-down at the beginning of the year is a bike and component shortage that's probably going to extend into the middle of 2021. The traditional time for manufacturers/shops to discount bikes is from August onwards when new model year bikes start arriving - I'm not sure this will happen in 2021 because demand has been so high / delayed the only exception being unpopular models in very small / very large sizes.

 daftdazza 08 Dec 2020
In reply to The Potato:

As Dovebiker has said there is unlikely going to be a good time to buy a bike in the next year, still a struggle to buy certain parts, frames, bikes etc, prices seem to be going up by alot more than inflation alone, I would contact a reputable shop for advice or if you know what you are after maybe have a look on eBay and Gumtree for barely used second hand bikes, I was in at my local bike shop last week and owner was saying he is starting to see lots of barely used bike appearing second hand as people were just desperate to buy bikes during the spring and summer, hence a lot of bike were missed sold, wrong size, wrong type etc, and now we are into winter people are now trying to sell them.

 mike123 08 Dec 2020
In reply to The Potato: As above , in a normal year September / October is when shops receive next years stock so will discount this years and heavily discount the year befores . Some shops simply don't have the room to keep last years . I was in wheelbase Kendal about a month ago , they often have very good deals oct / Nov. The last couple of years they've had some high end cannondales at very good discounts and also various other odd and ends . They did have a few deals  this year but nothing like previously. Well worth checking out their website. 

Edit : you did say your budget , but take a look any way to get an idea

https://www.wheelbase.co.uk/products/sale-bikes/?filter_discipline=road#mai...

Post edited at 21:24
1
 gravy 09 Dec 2020
In reply to The Potato:

Next autumn - not now there is a massive bike shortage. 

Normally "next year's" models are launched late in the year so "this year's" models are sold off in the autumn and prices go down.  The catch is, if you want a particular model in a particular size you may have no availability.

 mondite 09 Dec 2020
In reply to The Potato:

Second hand will probably be pretty good right now when everyone who brought bikes in lockdown look out the window and then sees how little they rode it when it was sunny.

Aside from that as others have said this year and probably reasonable part of next options will be limited.

 nniff 09 Dec 2020
In reply to The Potato:

Some good deals through Merlin at the moment, if they've got your size...

 Webster 09 Dec 2020
In reply to The Potato:

in short, when you need it...

sorry, couldnt resist.

but there is always a sale on somewhere, so at any time of year you can find a good deal if you look around. as others have said, autumn is when the current years stock is discounted, if there is any left...

 Mr Fuller 09 Dec 2020
In reply to The Potato:

At the moment the second hand market is full of people trying to take advantage of the short supply of bikes. Many of the asking prices are 30-50% higher than they would normally be. Whether anyone's buying at these prices is hard to tell.

For new bikes, September is normally a good time to buy last year's models but a lot is going to happen economically between now and then which could affect bike prices. In any case, some manufacturers are now moving away from the 'yearly' business model.

 kevin stephens 09 Dec 2020
In reply to The Potato:

December 2019 

(sorry...)

 chris_r 10 Dec 2020
In reply to kevin stephens:

> December 2019 

> (sorry...)

I think you're right. I don't think there will be an bargains to find in the next 12 months. Maybe in 2022 if international travel starts again and people start to sell off their covid purchases realising that they are no longer using them now that they can jet around the world once again.

If you want a new bike, buy the one you can find in stock and afford now, or potentially have a long wait for that perfect balance of great bike at discounted price.


New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...