Levo Gen 2 Glad I bought last week!

[Kave]

I was also thinking about upgrading my base Levo 2019 to a Comp Carbon but the price in Sweden for a Comp Carbon is three times what I payed for my bikes so I am back to upgrading the bike with better wheels and brakes. Luckily parts have not increased as much, yet.

 

[1Nixxxo]

About the price hike. There’s a HUGE price increase in shipping. My local friendly Merida dealer ships Merida themselves from Taiwan to Russia and they confirmed that there are a lot of problems on all stages from cardboard boxes to containers and to OEM parts including motors. So in the end, despite not including EU VAT (if they have bought bikes from German office it would be added as additional cost) price hike is already 20% (and can even be higher) thought Merida prices in Russia are always super low.
Merida owns 50% of Specialized and some part of Orbea, so all these brands have a lot of common problems as all aluminum frames are most likely welded on Merida factory anyway. Carbon is mostly outsourced, but the bikes are assembled in another place, so it too adds complexities. Supply chains are in shambles, so that’s why we see such a price hike, and it will get worth closer to summer as even Shimano OEM stocks are super low, so the new bikes will lack spare parts and will not be even shipped on schedule.

I previously was waiting for Merida eOne-Sixty 700, but approximately they’ll arrive at the end of June, so I ordered Levo 2021 instead, that is promised to be delivered in March (finger crossed).

My friend from Merida even told me, that if you manage to get emtb in 2021in desired size and color, count yourself a lucky person ))))

 

[Bigtuna00]

Did you read the thread. This was already discussed and debunked. The cost-per-unit shipping increase doesn't justify a 20% price increase.

 

[1Nixxxo]

Did you read the thread. This was already discussed and debunked. The cost-per-unit shipping increase doesn't justify a 20% price increase.

It not about that you have agreed that it doesn’t justify the increase, it’s about real life increase of supply chain. If, say, shipping container was 3000 EUR, and now you can get it only for 6000 EUR (and you need 1000 of them) — it’s your problem, cause tomorrow there will be NO shipping containers left. Same is for parts. If OEM sum of parts to build the exact model was 2000 EUR, from now on you will have to wait undetermined period of time till they arrive, or you can buy them from other supplier for 20% BECAUSE they have them is stock. Or you can even change parts due to maintain the initial cost if they are in stock, but it’s a common decision.
If you don’t believe me, that check availability of parts in any online shop (spoiler, 2/3 is out of stock). OEM bike parts collapse is 100% true, info from distribution.

in the end, price hike is not the way brands like to sell bikes (they’ll sell fewer in the end), there are not for 20% profit, it’s because of the world economy is a bit collapsed =))

 

[Bigtuna00]

A 100% increase on 1% of the cost is not a large impact.

The supply chain didn't collapse. I know it's a common assumption, but that's not what actually happened. Demand increased 300-400% and the manufacturers are not sufficiently motivated to adjust capacity to meet demand because they don't think it will be a sustained increase.