Bike frame/parts drought 2021

I have pretty much the same feeling. This year I unloaded all the weird and old-standard-that-won't-fit-anything-anymore parts I had that I thought I'd never ever sell, like EC49 headsets, 135x12 rear hub, 3x10 shifters, etc. I bought a spare of almost every part on my main bike, and made sure that my fatbike and old hardtail were in perfect shape but those three will stay in my stable for a looonng time. Everything seems to have pretty much reached a bit of a plateau so I will be happy to not buy anything new next year and the year after if I am lucky. Absolutely no lust for a new bike for now (mine is only 2 years old but still)

It's great to hear this perspective on dealing with supply shortages. It sheds a different light on what the industry pushes as "progression" when in fact that may be the wrong word for it. What is a trail bike now was clearly a full on enduro bike from 3-4 years ago. Many riders are moving backwards through modern "progression" towards shorter travel and hardtails. Heck, Andrew is reviewing an xc bike on the shore this month.

I didn't scratch the itch this past season but I could only hold out so long. Bought a 16 year old trials bike to fool around on this winter. Also putting together a fully rigid custom build. So although I admire your commitment to your current bikes, I must admit inadequacy when trying to do the same at my end. I feel somewhat bad being flush with bikes when others have none, but at the same time most don't lust after my bikes nor the new ones I am adding so that reduces my feelings of guilt.

On another related topic, ordered this today https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09K44291J?smid=APBLQ1U0XR3DA&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp&th=1

We will see how a 68$ cassette goes....

It's not all that selfless on my end ;-)

My wife bought a Thule bike trailer for our little baby last week. Guess what - my Occam (trail bike, really fun) is one of not many bikes on the market with a through axle which inserts from the drivetrain side. (which I should have noticed while building or wrenching it, before buying the trailer, but I absolutely didn't)

NO way to fix the Thule on there. (My wife LOVES biking, we´ll pedal with the trailer to our local trailhead and take turns there babysitting and riding, so not being able to fit the trailer would kill lots of riding opportunities as a family, no way ;-)

So I am swapping my Carbon Occam frame for a RAAW Jibb frame. It´s a lightly used Jibb from a guy who bought too small a frame for his height, he's selling locally. And I guess I can sell the newish carbon Occam frame for roughly the same amount and just swap parts.

I originally wanted the Jibb, but availability was a problem and I bought the Occam as a barely used (backup) demo bike instead during lockdown and came to like it very much.

What's great about the Jibb and somewhat in line with my earlier post, all bearings, tools etc. from my Madonna will fit. Also the special through axle for the trailer will swap right over.  Same stuff. Frame weight compared to the Occam is almost 2x

But I expect the bearings etc. to last much longer and it'll be much more robust as well.

=)

Hopefully I'll love the Jibb as much as the Madonna in terms of riding fun ...

Things might be about to get a whole lot worse. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/ValueInvesting/comments/qwrql0/update_on_the_global_shipping_crisis/

Things have gotten much worse in Canada over the past 24 hours. Prior to this week, shipping through Vancouver was already basically impossible as no vessels were arriving to take cargo so all cargo was being diverted to Canada's other major port, Montreal. Now, because of the backlog of cargo and lack of containers in Montreal, our transloader in Montreal is refusing all inland deliveries effective immediately... both truck and rail, and they are the only facility that can transload from rail to containers at the port in Montreal. Additionally, the shipping lines essentially have no available containers in the port which means they are not sending any inland… So we cannot get containers anywhere in Canada.

To add further pain to Canadian shippers, a record setting storm hit the west coast this past week which has destroyed multiple sections of the rail line that brings cargo to the port and the highways used as a secondary route to the port. So even if Vancouver was able to get vessels, for at least the next 2-4 weeks, there will be no way to ship through Vancouver as there is no possible way to get cargo to the port while repairs take place.

This means that as of yesterday, Canada has essentially been cut off from global containerized markets.

How did this all start you may be asking? For a quick recap:

1. China shuts down thx to covid
2. US and European stimulus gives consumers never before seen levels of disposable income
3. Consumer demand = extreme purchasing levels of consumer products made in China
4. Shipping lines divert all available ships to china to fulfill consumer product demand (which include toys, kayak, computers, car parts, ect). Consumer product sellers (walmart, amazon, Home depot, Ford, coke, ect) are willing to far out pay traditional markets for containers as they know consumers will pay whatever prices (case and point, vehicle prices skyrocket yet there is still a ton of demand)
5. Containers and vessels are no longer available for traditional shipped goods from North America or any market for that matter (grain, wood, ect) and lines increasing prices monthly while reducing service

I'm pretty happy I have more than 1 bike to ride and a decent supply of consumable parts. Some friends were going to drive up here for a visit and some riding, but they haven't been able to buy gas for their van so for the time being they are staying at home.

One thing I would dispute is that the stimulus was not the only or even the primary reason there is so much consumer demand. That's a bit of a political myth/narrative to justify not helping people IMO. The bigger reason is that a huge chunk of the population did not have their incomes disrupted [all the WFH folks] and were both hesitant to spend when things were less understood then couldn't spend on the things they normally would [travel, entertainment, eating out, etc...] . So there certainly was a huge amount of money that was available for online shopping once people felt safe to spend it. I don't think you can say it was primarily stimulus money though.

My current hoarded stock (DH bike/27.5 Hard tail/29er dually trail bike):

• 4 spare tires for both the hard tail and suspension bike. One new set (27frnt/26rear) for the DH Bike.
• 2 sets of 4-piston Shimano style brake pads, and 4 more on the way from local suppliers (all 3 bikes use the same).
• A spare 11spd chain and derailleur for the hard tail and a spare 12 speed chain/der for the 29er. Both have another half-season left on the current chains and both use steel cassettes that I'll get another 2 seasons out of.
• A spare rear rim for the 29er and one for the DH bike, and both use the same size spokes as the current ones. The hard tail is on recent beefy carbon wheel builds so they're G2G for a while. 
• A half-liter of Shimano mineral oil and 2 full bottles of Stans.

I'm feeling pretty good about standardizing all of our bikes to Shimano 11 speed and stocking up on spare parts over the last 1.5 years. Also I am still loving my 2019 Knolly Fugitive. Dont plan on getting a new bike any time soon, even if I could.

Posted by: skooks

I'm feeling pretty good about standardizing all of our bikes to Shimano 11 speed and stocking up on spare parts over the last 1.5 years. Also I am still loving my 2019 Knolly Fugitive. Dont plan on getting a new bike any time soon, even if I could.

11speed 4 life. A decent xt cassette can be had for 100$. A 100% steel sram cassette weighs the same as xx1 12 speed and only costs $150. I haven’t paid more than 40$ for a high quality chain in years.

Posted by: RAHrider

Posted by: skooks

I'm feeling pretty good about standardizing all of our bikes to Shimano 11 speed and stocking up on spare parts over the last 1.5 years. Also I am still loving my 2019 Knolly Fugitive. Dont plan on getting a new bike any time soon, even if I could.

11speed 4 life. A decent xt cassette can be had for 100$. A 100% steel sram cassette weighs the same as xx1 12 speed and only costs $150. I haven’t paid more than 40$ for a high quality chain in years.

Same here. Shimano 11 speed [and compatible] is all I am buying new for bikes. We have SRAM GX Eagle on the two bikes we bought complete a few years ago. It's fine and we'll keep it rolling until it's worn out. Then they will go Shimano 11 speed as well.

Reading reviews of AXS equipped bikes makes me feel a bit like I am banging this post out on a manual typewriter in my hand built shack deep in the forest by the light of a bacon fat candle, but that's okay. I'm hoping I can fund my bike habit in retirement solely from finding and reselling ejected AXS batteries on the trail. ;-)

Posted by: Vikb

Posted by: RAHrider

Posted by: skooks

I'm feeling pretty good about standardizing all of our bikes to Shimano 11 speed and stocking up on spare parts over the last 1.5 years. Also I am still loving my 2019 Knolly Fugitive. Dont plan on getting a new bike any time soon, even if I could.

11speed 4 life. A decent xt cassette can be had for 100$. A 100% steel sram cassette weighs the same as xx1 12 speed and only costs $150. I haven’t paid more than 40$ for a high quality chain in years.

Same here. Shimano 11 speed [and compatible] is all I am buying new for bikes. We have SRAM GX Eagle on the two bikes we bought complete a few years ago. It's fine and we'll keep it rolling until it's worn out. Then they will go Shimano 11 speed as well.

Reading reviews of AXS equipped bikes makes me feel a bit like I am banging this post out on a manual typewriter in my hand built shack deep in the forest by the light of a bacon fat candle, but that's okay. I'm hoping I can fund my bike habit in retirement solely from finding and reselling ejected AXS batteries on the trail. ;-)

I'd be 11spd for life as well, if I didn't buy a complete bike in 2020. I don't really see any benefits in the 12 speed Sram/Shimano mix I have on the new bike.  It works well, but so does 11spd, and the 11 stuff is cheaper/lighter.

Posted by: skooks

I'm feeling pretty good about standardizing all of our bikes to Shimano 11 speed and stocking up on spare parts over the last 1.5 years. Also I am still loving my 2019 Knolly Fugitive. Dont plan on getting a new bike any time soon, even if I could.

Having a Fugitive does make me think about a Tyaughton as well though.....

our warehouse is now full, like REALLY full. problem is to get the message out that we have bikes and others dont. quite slow right now.

Posted by: Sethimus

our warehouse is now full, like REALLY full. problem is to get the message out that we have bikes and others dont. quite slow right now.

Sorry I may have missed the reference in a previous post, but which warehouse/company are you talking about?

Posted by: DanL

Having a Fugitive does make me think about a Tyaughton as well though.....

I gaze longingly and/or sit on the Ty at my LBS every time I go in. If I had Superboost wheels in the fleet I'd already have a Ty. So ya just do it! Assuming you can get the size/build you are after.