Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Japanese shops accepting overseas orders.

Hey, I'd like to know if there are shops in Japan that accepts orders from Europe (let's say "overseas").
I'm talking about real japanese shops selling NJS (Panasonic etc) at the official retail price, not the "foreign-owned" expensive shops. Thanks!
I found Cycle Yoshida quite good price-wise, but haven't heard from them after I sent my request for a Panasonic NJS frame. That's why I'm looking for another source.
Thanks.

Tryin to build up a sweet fixie, huh?

Sorry. I only buy Chinese built American products.

Assuming you want an FPC01S/H...retail is 90,000yen. Shipping by EMS will be roughly another 10,000yen or so. At the $/yen rate of roughly 91 yen/$ this comes out to about $1098. Pisto Poseur sells these frames for $1100 shipped so I think that will be the easiest for you since you can communicate with them.

Buy a Yamaguchi. 3Rensho chops, in Colorado.

those panasonic frames look tantalizing. my only concern is, are they safe to ride on city streets? Then road/track bikes were never really meant for the streets.

Thanks for the reply. The one I'm after is the Panasonic FPC11.
After a bad experience with CIOCC (they promised to customize a Mockba 80 for me in march and now it's september and they still can't ship it...).
So I decided to go Panasonic :-) It's price is 76,000yen in japanese shops, but the online stores sells for 1000$ or so.

those panasonic frames look tantalizing. my only concern is, are they safe to ride on city streets? Then road/track bikes were never really meant for the streets.

they are not so different than any fixie you see, maybe just a bit lighter?

So, I've been googling japan last night, trying to find a store that accepts the Panasonic FPC11 *** custom order from overseas. Only found foreign-based ones yet, and the deals are not good. I don't see why a japanese shop charges around 76,000yen and foreign-based ones 90 or 100,000.

So, I've been googling japan last night, trying to find a store that accepts the Panasonic FPC11 *** custom order from overseas. Only found foreign-based ones yet, and the deals are not good. I don't see why a japanese shop charges around 76,000yen and foreign-based ones 90 or 100,000.

Umm, read your post. Stop and think. You still wondering why (beside simple economic reasons, which actually have more to do with it) there is a mark up!?!?!?!?!?

Of course, it's obvious that the foreign-owned company is usually not a company, simply some guys buying retail-priced gear and selling it on the net...

Now the real question is: which japanese-owned stores accepts overseas orders.

http://tracksupermarket.com/

best prices on NJS stuff that I have seen

Now the real question is: which japanese-owned stores accepts overseas orders.

Not many. Most of the shops I go into out here turn people away if they don't speak some Japanese. And I'm actually in Japan. I have yet to find any store that would take all the time and effort to mail a frame to some foreigner in another country that cant communicate with them. Now if you speak fluent Japanese, that might be another story.

I speak a bit of japanese and live in Tokyo 4 months a year. Now back home. It'd be convenient to have a store where I can order some gear when I'm not in town.

It's true that 99% of japanese doesn't speak any foreign language. Now, it's supposed to be recession time, they could make some serious business! Now time and effort: for a shop that does japanese domestic mailorder why couldn't they ship overseas. shipping is shipping, no matter where you ship.

And I guess if online stores like tracksupermarket exists it's because there is a demand.

There are alot of international mailorders in japan, for other kinds of gear (car parts! books, etc).
With all the great pisto stores in Tokyo, I'm sure there must be some that'd like to get some more income.

Why not just get a frame from a local framebuilder? They'll probably even speak your language and work with you to get what you want.

local framebuilder in switzerland? hehe... I don't think there are any.
I was a Ciocc (italy) only till now, and want to taste a bit of an exotic frame :-)
I could wait till February though, and place a Panasonic *** order then. But then I have to ship it home myself which is a burden really (you know how it is, carrying a big box throughout the city when you don't have a car :-)

If those NJS frames were easy to get then everyone would have them and no one would want them.

It's a vicious cycle, really.

Wasn't the CIOCC name purchased by someone else who restarted it without the original owners? And aren't those original owners/ builders working with Gorilla building their frames?

If you really want a custom Italian frame, try Torelli. They recently built a frame for a friend (for his shop). Columbus Brain tubing. So smooth.

Ciocc is now Cicli Conti. In 2009 they made a new batch of Mockba 80 which is a great great frame. It was pretty much the only frame I ever wanted. Unfortunately the company is a bit shady. They say they're going to build it and a few months later they ask you to put the money into their bank account but they can't even say which color or size they built for you :-( Still I wanted to buy the frame. It's 800 euros ppd, a good deal for this kind of gear.

Torelli is a great brand (their corsa pista is something!) But so is Panasonic's NJS Keirin models... hehe

If those NJS frames were easy to get then everyone would have them and no one would want them.

It's a vicious cycle, really.

they are very easy to get. it's just a matter of money.
still, I am not willing to pay a thousand dollar or more for one when the usual price is about 76000 yen

Ok, in face the FPC 01S or H is pretty much the same as the FPC11. Who knows the actual differences between the S, the H and the 11 ?

Thanks alot.

I bought a bike directly from Performer of Taiwan. Paid by paypal, Arrived in 4 days (5 Days was quoted).

Alex bikes from Japan sells the Panasonic for + or - the japanese retail price (without shop discount) which is pretty good. anyone ever bought from that shop? it's : http://tinyurl.com/mcjw73

I speak a bit of japanese and live in Tokyo 4 months a year
:crash:
Brain sploded.
Just be patient and buy the frame when you're in Japan in X months?!?!?!
If you live here 4 months out of the year and presumably do business here and speak some Japanese, I would expect that you could answer your own question about why J companies don't like to deal outside of Japan.
Anyway.
Just go into Bomber Pro, Kalavinka, Baramon, Peloton, etc. (I dont know where u are based), and talk with the owner, develop a report and they will hook you up. Alternatively, just go and place an order on a Gan Well or a Panasonic at Bic Camera or Y's, respectively.
Done.

Based in Gotanda (Tokyo). But wanted to save myself the hassle of shipping the frame back home myself. I usually pay visits to tokyo bicycle stores, but your idea of Big Camera and Yodobashi is great! I never thought about this, brilliant! Never visited the bike sections of both stores. Now that they have the big Yodobashi in Akihabara, they must have a good bike section there. I should check it out in a few months. Now, regarding the J companies and shipping, it's true that there's a level of protectionism, and also just plain laziness when it comes to anything "overseas" haha :-)

Bic (not Big) Camera in Yurakucho often sells track frames. They have a brand new Panasonic NJS frame hanging on the wall for 75000 yen ($750).

hehe, I don't like Bic Camera anyway, since the big giant Y rules Tokyo :-). Good to know they sell track bikes though. I usually visit smaller shops though.

Lame.....

Go where ever has the best deal. Bic camera is a good shop.

I just bought a sony TX1 camera and they gave me 1 year unlimited damage and theft support for ¥500. They said they will cover the full cost of the repair, no matter what.

i persisted and asked, "but what if your girlfriend get out of the car, and forgets the camera was on her lap and as she steps onto the ground, accidentally grinds the camera into the tarmac???" (true story of my last camera)

"fully covered!" they replied!!!!

I responded with a hearty "YOSHI!!!!!"

opps, I went a bit off topic there. At least I didn't turn it into a thread about cats.

although there was a tv show today talking about cat cafes. And all the cats were really cute and I said to my girlfriend about how I want to go to one and play with the cats..........

But I refuse to let this turn into a cat thread like so many before.

****, now I can't stop thinking about cats, and I have to wake up early tomorrow for work. ****ing job not giving me national holidays!! it's pay your respects to elders day! the official silver week!

haha, well, let's just say that I buy alot of photography gear and bic camera never have the gear I'm after... I remember last time I wanted to buy a fisheye for my GRDII and bic promised they'd have it and made me wait a few weeks. In the end, I went to the big Y in Akiba and bought it right away. Of course this store is so big, they have stock...

which bic camera did you go to? one of the shibuya ones??

they suck! they are tiny with little range. Labi (yamada denki) in shibuya is probably the best option for it in shibuya.

Went to Shinjuku's (west).

oh not to mention, I really dig Y's relaxing chairs in Akiba, they have such a selection!
damn, we're totally going off topic here!

ah man, have you seen the new CM on tv for the new sofa massage chairs?

they look like normal sofas, but all the massage bits are hidden. It looks awesome!

I dig those chairs too, even though I am not an ojisan.

damn I'd like to buy one and bring it back to europe! haven't seen that CM (yet!) but I've spent my whole summer back home in Switzerland...
no need to be an ojisan to use these chairs, after a good bike ride, it's very relaxing. I'm addicted to them, I must confess.

lol
i feel like an ojisan if i sit in them in the store, because its the ojisans who use them.

they say to the family, "go and look at all the new stuff, I'm gonna sit here for the next hour until you are all bored. And hopefully don't want me to buy you ****"