VIDEO. Bicycle shortage: why is it so difficult to buy a new one?

“It’s not delivered,” “It’s not delivered,” Vincent Canzano says in front of a stack of purchase orders. The founder of bicycle shop Franscoop in the 11th arrondissement is finding it increasingly difficult to fill his store. The children’s ward in the basement is nothing more than a huge empty basement. Beyond these stone walls, not a single balance bike or tricycle protrudes anymore. The rest of the store has the same meager shelves, from city bikes to road models, including recreational ones: “I don’t have a single mountain bike anymore.”

Exceptional demand

Like him, many bike retailers have been struggling to meet rising demand since the first lockdown was lifted. For some high-demand models, such as gravel or road bikes, wait times may extend until next spring. For our bike sales specialist, this pursuit of cycling is unprecedented: “When the first mountain bikes came out, the demand was very, very strong, but not to this extent. It’s truly exceptional,” assures Vincent Canzano.

And even industry giants like Decathlon or Intersport sometimes still have empty bike departments.

“We had to speed things up”

This surge in demand has also shocked bicycle manufacturers. Luxury e-bike brand Mustache, which assembles its models in the Vosges, was close to a shortage: “We managed to replenish some stock, but a few weeks ago the shelves were almost empty,” says Gregory Sand, co-founder of the company. brand, in front of rows of boxes of new bikes.

Vosges plans to produce 200 to 300 bicycles every day to meet growing demand. “We had to speed things up when we saw the speed at which the market suddenly began to move,” explains Gregory Sand.

At the beginning of summer, a new ATV assembly line appeared. Although the plant expansion had already been planned, its rollout accelerated in the wake of the health crisis. The result is 40 new employees, with an additional team arriving by the end of the year.

“Almost every day we get closer to supply disruptions.”

To be able to increase your production capacity, you must also be able to import spare parts in sufficient quantities. “It’s a globalized market,” says Emmanuel Annotot, another co-founder of the mustache-wearing French brand. “If I place an order for a derailleur, for example, Shimano, today, then in a year I will have it,” the company manager regrets. “For small components, we are approaching a supply shortage almost every day.” Emmanuel Annoteau does not expect a quick normalization of the market: “It will take two years for the situation to stabilize. By 2022 everything should be back to normal. Many component manufacturers will increase their production.”

At the Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry, we also feel that supply difficulties are likely to persist: “It will take several months to fill this gap, but this does not mean that there will be no bikes in stores,” assures Manuel Marcilio. General Director of CONEBY.

Does this mean there will be fewer bikes under the tree this winter? “In our case, there are Mustache bicycles for everyone who has already ordered them,” smiles Emmanuel Annoteau.

Bicycle shortage: why is it so difficult to buy a new bike?