best time to buy bike in the off season

I have noticed some of the best deals around December. That's when I got my new bike. The 2006's will have just been unvailed and the LBS will want to blowout the 2005's

i just got my FELT S25 for $1183 usually $1799 - it was a clearance sale - now is the time!

Okeedokee...I'm keeping watch at the LBS and eBay.

You can probably get the best deal during November and December, because your LBS is trying to sell as much inventory as possible to avoid paying taxes on the inventory. The problem comes in that they might not have your size, because they are not buying as much inventory before Jan 1, so now is a good time to see what is in stock and start making your budget and talk to them about prices.

The time is now. I was at the LBS today, 15% off all new bikes, Cervelo Dual 10s for $1445.

I visit many different bike shops (yeah, we have many around these parts) just to see what they have in stock and what their pitch is. Some shops are ready to drop their pants so to speak as you walk in the door....by the time you are looking at the bike, it just went on sale, that's how aggressive some are, there are real deals to be made with these guys...then there are others that grudgingly give you your club discount.....find the aggressive dealers, that would be my strategy once I knew what I wanted to buy.....you can get service from any shop. I actually have my bike in service in a different place from where I bought it. FWIW

Was that LBS in  N.O.? :)

Edited by madcow 2005-09-14 3:58 PM

Here in Canada, many of the bike shops also carry stuff for a winter sport or two. Now is when they are moving bikes off the floor and setting up for next season.

Edited by Micawber 2005-09-14 4:35 PM

Buy a map, cow. Not everything in Louisiana is in New Orleans. I'm three hours away on a good day.