Bike stock: Why is there a shortage and how have we responded?

Bikes are difficult to obtain right now, with increasing demand and a shortage of stock being felt around the world. Here we’re going to explore the reasons behind the global stock shortage, what we’re doing to help and where you can find the latest information about our stock levels, so we can find the right bike for you.

What’s caused the stock shortage?

Since the pandemic began, the world has seen a huge surge in the demand for bikes and a shortage of the raw materials needed to build them. This has put a significant strain on the global supply chain, especially because bikes are complex products with components that are sourced from around the world.

Here at Halfords, we source bikes from a wide range of different places including factories in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Europe, Indonesia, Northern Africa, Taiwan, the UK and Vietnam. Many of these factories have been impacted by Covid, with localised lockdowns, suspensions in production and social distancing measures leading to unavoidable delays. There have also been Covid lockdowns at ports across Asia that have further delayed the supply of essential components to these factories.

What are we doing to help?

As the market leader in cycling, we recognise that the shortage of bike stock is extremely disappointing, so we’re doing everything we can to bring our bikes back into stock as quickly as possible.

We’re continuing to source from factories around the world to do our best to ensure a continuous supply of bikes to the UK. We’re also working closely with our factories to change components where possible and speed up the production of new bikes. Finally, we’re introducing a number of new, limited edition models, to give you more opportunity to buy the bikes you love.

Our efforts are ensuring we have tens of thousands of bikes arriving in our distribution centres every week, so keep an eye on the pages below to secure your bike as soon as possible.

How can I find out what bikes are in stock?

Due to the ongoing disruption caused by the pandemic, it remains difficult for us to provide concrete information about future bike stock deliveries. However, by using our postcode finder you can find stock in stores near you or available for home delivery to maximise your chances of getting the bike you want:

• Bike stock finder: Simply enter your postcode and our bike stock finder will show you the bikes that are in stock near you.

When can I reserve a bike for Christmas?

We are planning on opening our bike reservations even earlier this year to make sure you can secure the perfect gift for your loved one. Keep an eye out over the coming months for more details on halfords.com.