Road Cycling - cheapest place to buy a Colnago...

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matchy99
04-14-04, 08:24 PM
Hi members,

Any Colnago owners out there? I have an "around the world airline ticket" and I want to buy a Colnago road bike with a Campy grouppo while I'm travelling. Does anyone know what country sells Colnago C50, C40, CT2 or CT1 cheaper than the US ??

Thanks...

Smoothie104
04-14-04, 08:31 PM
With the Euro better than the dollar at the moment, you could probably get a sweet deal in Italy, find the factory and knock on the back door.
531Aussie
04-14-04, 08:34 PM
Hmmmm...let's see...Italy? :D

Sorry -- couldn't help it.

pinky
04-14-04, 08:35 PM
My guess would be Italy though you could probably pick up a really cheap copy in China. I know http://www.xacd.com.cn sells a Ti3Al2.5V custom road frame for 300-400 plus shipping...
Lone Ranger
04-14-04, 09:52 PM
My guess would be Italy though you could probably pick up a really cheap copy in China. I know http://www.xacd.com.cn sells a Ti3Al2.5V custom road frame for 300-400 plus shipping...

Probably Italy. Buy it there, ride it enough so it is used, and then ship it back. VAT gets refunded and I think it enters the US without customs duties if it is used. Look into the details, but I think this is about the best you can do.

You may find a dealer somewhere else in Europe that sells cheaper - ask for some large dealers and contact them.
Guest
04-15-04, 06:51 AM
VAT may or may not be refunded, depending on if the shop you bought the bike from participates in the Tax Refund program. I found out the hard way. :(

Koffee
MacMan
04-15-04, 09:54 AM
To get a really sweet deal if shopping overseas, you need the dollar to be strong against the Euro or the target country's currency - not the other way round. You have to convert your dollars into Euros first - strong dollar == more Euros.
Hunter
04-16-04, 12:24 AM
There ia no cheap Conago's as far as I know. However you may be able to find a inexpensive one somewhere. Italy sounds good although knocking onthe factory door will probably get you nowhere.
Guest
04-16-04, 08:31 AM
You'd think that, but when I did that at two other bike factories in Italy, they had a number of used (barely used) bikes they were selling pretty cheaply. Bikes were everywhere occupying space, and I'm sure I could have gotten a good deal, had I not wanted a new one so badly.

Koffee
matchy99
04-16-04, 12:25 PM
You'd think that, but when I did that at two other bike factories in Italy, they had a number of used (barely used) bikes they were selling pretty cheaply. Bikes were everywhere occupying space, and I'm sure I could have gotten a good deal, had I not wanted a new one so badly.

Koffee

Thanks to everyone who replied. With the dollar losing so much ground against the Euro in the last year, I was thinking it may be cheaper to buy Colnago's somewhere in Asia, namely Thailand. For now, the dollar appears to be making a comeback so I hope by the time I reach Europe, it appreciates substantially. Just out of curiosity, has anyone noticed the price of Colnago's being marked up in the US over the last year to account for the US dollars depreciation against the Euro?