I build bicycle wheels and a handful of custom bikes per year. Right when Covid hit, I started to build a pair of Surly Wednesdays for a couple across the street. We literally got the last large frame in existence. The hubs, rims and spokes came easily. As time went on, I noticed parts were starting to thin out. I currently have everything locked down for the wifes bike. I cannot locate the cassette or front tire for the husbands bike. Gotta keep scouring the internet.
A second couple asked me to build them bikes. I cannot locate ANY frames in the husbands size or even really a frame that meets their price point. Everything is gone.
I asked my friend at a big bike shop what the deal is. He said the factories that make all the hardware for just about every frame sold in the world are in China and they shut down on March 3rd. That means any frames in Taiwan or China or Malaysia or anywhere else are sitting idle waiting to be completed so they can be shipped to us.
He went on to say he always sells about 1700 bikes per year. This year, he sold 1600 as of May and doesnt expect to see any new bikes this season.
His shop is swamped with repairs at this point. I called yesterday for small parts like tubeless valve stems and headset spacers. Even that stuff is getting scarce.
I am also doing full tuneups on two older Treks for different neighbors. Tires, tubes, shifters, seats and grips. Took me a couple of evenings to find tires and some of the other parts. The shipping is also taking forever.
The other day, at the shop, I was purchasing a flip bike. It was a near mint trade in that needed a repair. As I was taking it, my friend showed me a Jones that looked like it had never been ridden. I looked the bike up and it retailed for 1795. Shop wanted a G for it. I took it. Sent a picture of it to the second couple and said it would fit the wife and was the perfect bike for what they were looking to do. I hoped they would take it so then I only had to build one bike. Their son in law said that bikes no good. It doesnt have a suspension fork or a dropper post. He sent them a Bikes Direct link. I tapped out. I sent a picture of the Jones to a second friend. He snatched it right up.
I owned that bike for a total of two hours. If it had been a bigger frame I would have kept it.