ezoo said:
I hear about this everywhere I go to shop for bicycle parts:
"All the production in CHINA is on hold now all the bikes are out of stock everywhere...because they are protesting not working."
I noticed that a lot of bike parts sold out until further notice or has to be prepaid and reserved for future shipment day. What's REALLY going on?
The supply chain has been busted for a year. By the time we had lockdowns and a huge spike in the demand for bikes, China had been dealing with factory closures and shipping delays for months.
On this end, some folks couldn't go to the gym anymore, so they went looking for a bike. Others didn't want to share public transportation anymore, so they went looking for a bike. Many were just bored from sitting around at home. So demand outstripped even a normal supply, but the supply wasn't normal.
In this case, I think widespread shortages probably led to manufacturers prioritizing items that were most profitable rather than most needed. If everybody is asking for everything, it makes sense to focus on the things that work out best for your own business.
Protests in Hong Kong may have caused delays in shipping bikes and parts through nearby ports, but HK is not a bike manufacturing hub. I don't know of widespread protests elsewhere in China.
On the other hand, I'm sure that Chinese quarantines, stay at home orders, and social distancing have negatively affected production capacity in bicycle factories, just like they have affected manufacturers here in the USA.