General Cycling Discussion - how to buy an American bike from Overseas?

For the time being we live in the SOuth of France. After todays ride, the president of our bike club asked about sites for purchasing American made bikes. (Is there such a thing.?) He is espceially interested because he thinks the value of the American dollar will give him a real deal. Maybe. ? I told him Colorado Cyclist? Not sure of what others might work. / I am soon going to Michigan. Told him I'd help him. Maybe even bring the bike back when I board the return flight?
So , any suggested web sites for buying USA made bikes. How would we get them shipped here, should I not bring it back for Frederick. He checked out a couple French bike stores. They are not giving any discounts on bikes due to the weakness of the US dollar. / Any ideas on how to help out my friend buy a US bike. I recommended Cannondales, Litespeeds. I see a local bike shop , where I will be specializes in Kesterel? USA made? / Think he wants a race bike. thanks.

ps. Are there any comparative 'find a bike ' type of websites for cost comparsions? My friends' English is fair. He wants a US bike.? Why, when he can have an Italian bike? Its' his money. Guess, he thinks he'll get a real buy with the US dollar worth 70 some cents. Considering that, I'd go Litespeed or Klein? Which do you think the best American bike. ? Guess, I think shipping US bikes abroad is rediciliously expensive. reason, I'd be willing to help him out by bringing it back on the plane.

The only true American bike is the Cannodale. The rest are made overseas as far as I know so still subject to the poor dollar performance. Cannodale was very popular in Italy, it would not surprise me if you can finfd them in France. But even the Cannodale has so many Shimano components, I'm sure their prices are going up too.

I doubt European retailers of American bicycles are going to lower their Euro price because of the weak dollar, unless competition forces them to do so. To save any money on the purchase, you would have to purchase from a U.S. retailer. By the time you paid for shipping, you would loose the amount saved on the purchase.

Don't see too many titanium bikes here in Europe. Litespeed is not American. ? I think shipping bikes other than personal luggage on an aircraft is obscene. I'd do it for my friend upon my return. As long as it is insured. No. I see Cannondales at some nearby bike shops. They are sometimes marked as American. No sign of price reductions as of yet. Does that mean they are taking advantage of European buyers?

Don't see too many titanium bikes here in Europe. Litespeed is not American. ? I think shipping bikes other than personal luggage on an aircraft is obscene. I'd do it for my friend upon my return. As long as it is insured. No. I see Cannondales at some nearby bike shops. They are sometimes marked as American. No sign of price reductions as of yet. Does that mean they are taking advantage of European buyers?

In the UK- Whatever the price in $'s-- They transpose to £'s so a $1,000 bike in the US is £1,000 in the UK. (Although you can deal a bit on the price) So buying in the US is probably half the cost of the same bike in the UK. When I went to France this year- I looked at a few French bike shops and they were expensive by UK standards.

I looked into Buying in the US and without shipping back but with Purchase tax etc - I was going to be about 30% better off so Well worth looking at for your friend.

Step. I just called my favorite bike shop in Ann Arbor, Mi. I will be there next week for Thanksgiving. They quoted a Canadian titanium frame for 2200 dollars. In Euros'. Wow. Carbon frames about the same price. I will lug it back on the plane for my friend Fredrick, as long as I know it is totally insured. Sounds like a good deal. The LeMond frame was carbon, the titanium, a Canadian bike known as Guru Chron, I think. Guess, he will be happy with a Canadian Titanium? Woe is me. They have a Waterford on sale. My size. Don't think I would bring back four pieces of luggage? You say in the EU there will be a vat tax. Guess the percentage in like 19%?

Step. I just called my favorite bike shop in Ann Arbor, Mi. I will be there next week for Thanksgiving. They quoted a Canadian titanium frame for 2200 dollars. In Euros'. Wow. Carbon frames about the same price. I will lug it back on the plane for my friend Fredrick, as long as I know it is totally insured. Sounds like a good deal. The LeMond frame was carbon, the titanium, a Canadian bike known as Guru Chron, I think. Guess, he will be happy with a Canadian Titanium? Woe is me. They have a Waterford on sale. My size. Don't think I would bring back four pieces of luggage? You say in the EU there will be a vat tax. Guess the percentage in like 19%?

Get a second invoice at a lower price. And the tax charged for imports-Sporting Goods?- is lower than the full rate.

thanks. My biggest issue for my friend. Is , is it completely insured. Only way I will do it. I will be flying Lufthansa Air.

I used to know a guy who got a 1990 Belgian Tour De France bike from evilbay for 200 bucks shipped. It can't be that hard to ship a bike.

Mich. Two years ago, a call to Fedex and UPS, they said , 500 dollars please. Times change? And I thought the airlines riped us off. I just called a bike shop in Ann Arbor. They said, they no longer ship overseas. (whole bikes.) Its not worth it.

Ti? Moots. Handcrafted in Colorado. ;)

Is there a wait time on Moots. As there are with Vanilla. Stepfam. What do you mean by second invoice. Sale price? There is a lower tariff on sports gear? appreciate the tip.

Is there a wait time on Moots. As there are with Vanilla. Stepfam. What do you mean by second invoice. Sale price? There is a lower tariff on sports gear? appreciate the tip.

I had mine custom due to my bad back. That was 12 weeks. But if you get one that is not custom I'm sure it would be shorter. Click on my profile and go to my homepage. That's where mine came from. :)

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o286/Flycrow/ride2.jpg

oh. nice bike. Its sort of my friends choice, unless I loose control and bring one back too. Think his top choices are titanium. Titanium seems a little uncommon over here. I have not seen many. As long as a Ti bike is not Litespeed, maybe one can find a deal?

Thank you. :) Look at the welds.

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o286/Flycrow/moots10.jpg

Really nice. At our club's rest stop today, there was a Colagno. The headset was carbon and designed so it was outset about 3 " above the head tube. It would surely impact negatively upon one's sternum. Beautiful bike otherwise.

oh. nice bike. Its sort of my friends choice, unless I loose control and bring one back too. Think his top choices are titanium. Titanium seems a little uncommon over here. I have not seen many. As long as a Ti bike is not Litespeed, maybe one can find a deal?

Lose.

one o.

an obvious mistake./ The way I like to be around bikes. maybe a neat job would be representing American bike manufacturers. It might help our lousy balance of trade. Moots/ Vanilla/ Litespeed/ Cannondale/ Waterford/Klein . America has something left to export.

+ Trek

Frederick said he'd like an American bike.A Trek? Maybe he just mean't bought in America, due to the lousy dollar. Lousy dollar for Americans at least. Quoting a price given by my Ann Arbor shop, sounds pretty good for him ; when you figure the dollar is worth .68 euros.

Well the 2 CF treks I own were both made in America.

A guess since Trek has become so successful that even their products still made in the US are no longer considered American?

Colorado Cyclist does have deals on Litespeeds from time to time.

I think Trek's higher line bikes are made in America. Same with Gary Fisher.

A Canadian Ti bike called Guru Crono. , I think my shop's Ann Arbor web site said. A Canadian Ti bike on sale for 2200 US dollars. A good buy. A good bike. ? 1760 euros.

Linky?

Maybe that's why the Guru is an end of year special. Their web site is down.

I emailed Bicycling Magazines', "Bikefinder' search feature, from their web site to Frederick. Anyone used it. Find it helpful.?

I'd say find out what he wants and just plan to bring it back for him on the plane.

Supposed to have Frederick's family come over tonight. Well do some web site hopping, to help him find what he wants. with the euro , 1/3 off can't be too bad a deal. more than pay for the VAT tax when I bring it back. As long as it is fully insured, of course. by whom ever.

Well as most products in any market pricing usually is moved by marketing and not currency exchange levels. Margins due to imbalances in exchange rates are usually picked up by the industry as "gravy", As someone said before there are no truly american bikes... most are made abroad but pricing levels are matched to economic conditions of the country. So there is actually a possibility that a bicycle that your friend likes (that is European, like bianchi or BH) will be cheaper in the states than in France. So the question is not buying american but buying a bike that he likes and take advantage of currency imbalance by purchasing it over here. In my trip to Spain last september I went to see BH bikes... made in Spain. Found out they are cheaper in the states (for me) as I pay in USA $ than in Euros. Thus a Spaniard would be better off at some point buying the BH bike in USA and not Spain as he would take advantage of purchasing power due to euro strenght. Of course shipping costs would have to be taken in the equation. But if you are traveling there are many airlines which will not charge you for bringing it over..

Get a second invoice at a lower price. And the tax charged for imports-Sporting Goods?- is lower than the full rate.

I don't know how things are in Merry Olde England, but here in The States the men in suits call that fraud. Since it is being effected on a Government Customs Document they view it as a Federal offense.

Sacrifice a few years of my life to save a couple of bucks in duty? NFW mate.

Well if the purchase is of a bike that is also distributed in EU I dont see why not say that you were just touring in USA and now you are back...

^. there's an idea. why did I not think of that. Even if it is pretty new and shinny. My friend should be pretty excited . A Ti bike for under 2000 euros. Wish I could find a review of the Guru bikes. Ti bikes here are rare and I doubt you'd find one for under 4000 euros.

Well if the purchase is of a bike that is also distributed in EU I dont see why not say that you were just touring in USA and now you are back...Also fraud, and some countries want to see the documents that show you took it on the beginning of the trip. US has a declaration form you submit before your trip of items you plan to take out of country and bring back with you. Don't have that document and you may end up paying customs for old items you bought in the US.

You are incredibly confused.

No just wrong.

The Guru website is up today. The bike is really hot. I want one too. Ti frame. Anyone have a Guru.? As long as Luftansa insures the bike, it looks like its a go.

You claim not to be confused, but acknowledge that you are wrong.

If you weren't confused, would you have posted that "The only true American bike is the Cannodale"?

It is you Pete who are confused. :roflmao:

Follow the thread... You said 'spinnaker' was confused, then 'operator' stated that he (spinnaker) was "Just wrong" and now you're berating 'operator'.

For what?

Sometimes, the definition of American bike? Just like US cars. You think it American. Look at the label under the hood and it says made in (choose, country of choice.) ?

Mich. Two years ago, a call to Fedex and UPS, they said , 500 dollars please. Times change? And I thought the airlines riped us off. I just called a bike shop in Ann Arbor. They said, they no longer ship overseas. (whole bikes.) Its not worth it.

This was probably 2002. It might have something to do with it's cheaper to ship Europe to the US than the other way around.

Is there a wait time on Moots. As there are with Vanilla. Stepfam. What do you mean by second invoice. Sale price? There is a lower tariff on sports gear? appreciate the tip.

Tax on a bike or frame at $2,000 is a lot more than tax on a $500 invoice. I used to work in France and had several customers wanting to buy parts from the UK. Unless the Customs officer is well up on prices of a specialist bike- They will not know the prices.

The French VAT is 19% I think. So does that mean , at most; Frederick might be taxed at 19% of the full sale price. Say its 1800 euros on the Mich sales slip. that means. 342 euros. Wonder if he will have to pay vat on Michigan sales tax. ?

Encountered one potential problem. Lufthansa air. Their web site says their insurance is limited to 400 US dollars. The bike will at least be worth 2000 euros. I have never found a homeowners availbable to me, to cover anywhere near the value of a bike. Any ideas.? I don't want to be responsible for someone's elses property with that much value. It might be complicated should his homeowners cover lost baggage but carried by someone else. My policy won't.

"Their web site says their insurance is limited to 400 US dollars."

Is that per bag? You could dismantle the bike and spread it across a few bags and a carry on. You might even ship the frame back.