An update on availability and stock shipments
It's safe to say that the past year has seen unprecedented challenges, across almost every aspect of our lives. The cycling industry hasn't escaped these challenges and whilst it's fantastic to see more and more people out on their bikes, this doesn't hide the fact that we are being impacted on a daily basis by a number of factors.
A combination of increased demand, reduced shipping capacity and massively increased shipping costs have all combined to put a huge strain on our supply chain, with a knock on effect on stock availability. So much so, that we are receiving a huge number of emails from customers asking about our stock levels and when they would receive a new set of wheels.
So I wanted to lay out a bit about how we operate and also the challenges that come with it.
Our suppliers and manufacturing partners are based in Asia, so we then have to bring wheelsets over to our UK warehouse before shipping out to customers. In the past we have largely relied on surface (sea) shipping for this, but as many people will be aware, container costs for this route have increased in some cases by a factor of 5. Not only that but transit times are increasing due to a lack of capacity both on the ships themselves, but also at ports in the UK. Increased demand on UK customs due to Brexit has also not helped.
This was all before someone decided to park a large ship in the Suez Canal of course...
We are therefore proactively working to bring forward future stock shipments, as well as introducing air shipping for outstanding customer orders. As a result, we are aiming to minimise any delays on orders already placed.
For future orders, we have a system in place to keep availability updated as-live on the website. Each product page will have a listing that explains when new orders will ship. All stock is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so if you are intending to order, the sooner it's confirmed, the higher up on the list your order will be when stock arrives.
Please also note that whilst we are working as hard as possible to avoid delays, we cannot currently rule these out on any of our shipments. Of course we will keep customers updated should a delay arise, but if you have a specific date in mind (e.g. an event or a race), please get in touch prior to placing an order.
Otherwise, please bear with us, we are working flat out to get as many wheelsets to as many customers as possible.
Dov Tate (Owner and Founder)