Cube Issues Statement On Delivery Delays - 'Unlikely to Improve in the Foreseeable Future'
Cube said in a statement on its website that production disruptions in Asia, transport route constraints, and an electronic chip shortage are all hampering the brand's ability to produce and ship bikes at full capacity.
In its explanation, Cube wrote that although it has increased its assembly and logistics capacities substantially over the last two years to meet growing demand, it can only use about 75% of that at the moment. The cumulative effects of several factors has meant that delivery dates to customers have been repeatedly postponed and remain uncertain until very short notice.
Asian suppliers have faced numerous waves of shutdowns, keeping production wildly unpredictable. Many cannot legally return to production at more than 50% capacity. Raw materials and labor are also scarce for many factories, due to the chain effects of the demand increase and illness, respectively.
Even if all the parts can be manufactured, moving them proves just as complicated. Companies have been playing a virtual game of whack-a-mole when it comes to the transport of raw materials, components, and complete bikes. Sea freight capacities have been especially affected, with shipping ports clogged and a resulting shortage of usable ships and containers. For a while, rail freight became a viable workaround when sea freight prices skyrocketed, but the war in Ukraine has halted that. Cube said those recent developments have delayed wait times another six or seven weeks.
 | Unfortunately, the situation is unlikely to improve in the foreseeable future. The Ukraine conflict is impacting production capacities further as a result of shortages in essential raw materials. |
And then when it comes to e-bikes, the electronic chip shortage isn't helping anything. Cube doesn't receive delivery dates for chips until two to four weeks in advance, which is incredibly short notice for companies that need to plan their future production.
For all the above reasons, Cube - like other brands - has to be more flexible than ever when planning bike production, assembly, and shipping. "A bike model that we could theoretically build over the coming weeks according to our production plan might be missing a part tomorrow that we have to wait eight weeks for," the statement read. "It only takes one lacking component to prevent us from building a bike altogether." Working with long lead times and short notice means that Cube accepts all deliveries of pretty much any parts they can get, even if they won't need those parts for quite some time. In the statement, Cube explained that it has repurposed a storage facility for completed bikes to become a parts warehouse and has started to operate five more regional satellite warehouses, all of that meaning that the company is taking on extra financial risk.
Still, the company said, it is unable to ramp up its capacity utilization by any significant degree.
"We apologise for the lengthy waiting time and the missed rides this has caused. We are doing everything we can to produce your bike and get it delivered as quickly as possible," the statement concluded. "We appreciate your patience, perseverance and understanding at this time!"
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@DylanH93: tell it to Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia
@spaced: priced out of existence
images.app.goo.gl/V8JoWhVMRsoMZMoX7
Make more money
www.google.com/finance/quote/2603:TPE?window=5Y
Link is from this fine article on ship disposal:
hakaimagazine.com/features/how-the-shipping-industry-sails-through-legal-loopholes
Now for the elctronics:
You are wrong again. Electronics will make your new bikes even more fun and more reliable. Sure when you can't ride because your bike is in the shop to get the motor fixed (WTF?) you will still have more fun while waiting for it to be fixed.
Recap: You are wrong, go buy new bikes.
You need electronics on your bike, it's life changing
Tell me you know nothing about supply chain management without telling me you know nothing about supply chain management.
I'm pretty sure somewhere out there is a frying pan with a temperature sensor and a bluetooth connection which can be used to display a timer and the current temperature in a app that needs your browser history and your current location to work...
Yup lol
Nah. I can check, but they're all poly-gone.
Example: if the delivery of my bike hangs on a missing saddle, stem or bar, I would say: "ship it as is - I have the parts in my garage" and I guess a number among us would go that way, too.
Now I see that this could be difficult to manage for the manufacturer (client A accepts without saddle and stem, client bB accepts without a chain, client C .....), but you could get bikes out to the clients.
I am lucky, though: no new purchase envisioned before 2025. I just saw what you get for 3k+ today and look at my 2020 YT Jeffsy (budget bike field test 2020) - SRAM guide 4-piston brakes, RF cockpit, DT-Swiss wheels - for just over 2k. I guess I could still sell it for the price I bought it. Crazy times.
But, Cube is one of the largest, if not the largest European bike manufacturer... I presume their supply chain issues are a bit more in-depth and complex than GG's or smaller domestic brands.
That was from 2012 to 2016! And every year it was the same - customers were waiting between 6-7 sometimes 8 month for their bikes. They were in Germany just super well priced(good parts for good pricing) for a LBS bike - this is why people sticked with their orders.
Went back to my old shop back in 2019 - and the situation didn't change at all. So when i read Cube can't deliver - thats not new - thats been a 10 year anniversary problem already!