In reply to Antigua:
Depends when the shop bought the bike.
If they bought it while the distributor was selling at full price, i.e. before the lead up to the next model year, then any sale offer will reduce the shop's profits, however the shop will need to get rid of the bike to make room for next years.
Alternatively, if the distributor still has sock near the end of the model year (if its a popular bike they usually sell out in the first few weeks), then they will offer it to shops at a reduced price. If the shop manager thinks they can be shifted easily, then they might buy some. The shop will probably still make a smaller profit, depending on what mark-up they go for (its not likely to be big) but the profit will be better than in the first scenario.
Bigger shops tend to keep their own stock somewhere which they will buy at the start of the model year, based on how many bikes they estimate they can sell (if its a chain then at a central warehouse, otherwise in a celler/attic/back room), so are more likely to have bikes they need to sell off cheap at the end of the year. Smaller shops probably won't keep much more than what they have on display. Though a small shop is under more pressure to sell off its stock as each bike represents a greater proportion of the shops capitol and it also creates more storage problems.
Hope this makes sense