Tandem Cycling - Nashbar does not see South Africa as clients!!!!!!

Why is it that Nashbar does not want to deal with South Africans. Are we not seen as a viable client base.... the darkest Africa syndrome perhaps..... we do cycle and cycle a lot in South Africa and no there are no Lions or Elephants walkin around freely.... I promise!!!!

Keep those wheels spinning ... we do in Africa.... even without Nashbar!!!!!

Big H

There's a general problem with a lot of US mail order companies who won't send to anywhere outside the States, and sometimes even Hawaii and Alaska are a bit far!

Performance bike, Harris Cyclery and Prescision Tandems are three I know will send to NZ, so try and use them.

Ian

I do know that several of the South African sprint car drivers say that their country has very restrictive import laws which make it very difficult for an individual to bring in parts. I suspect that is the reason Nashbar does not deal with South African clients.

Doc

I cannot comment on mailing from the US, but Homeland Security has slowed down the incomming shipments to a crawl. I have ordered items from Bitz4bikes (London) off of Ebay and it has taken 2 months to arrive.

Have you asked Nashbar?

Yeah, ask them, I'm sure there's a reason: custserv@nashbar.com

Why is it that Nashbar does not want to deal with South Africans. Are we not seen as a viable client base.... the darkest Africa syndrome perhaps..... we do cycle and cycle a lot in South Africa and no there are no Lions or Elephants walkin around freely.... I promise!!!!

Keep those wheels spinning ... we do in Africa.... even without Nashbar!!!!!

Big H

because Nashbar is based in America, and you live in a dirty little third world country :D

And that make WHAT of Americans ..... I would rather refrain form telling you exactly what I think of a ****less creep like you!!

Thanx shot I sent an email to Bashbar and I am waiting for their reply. Pity there are people like gear head around who thinx he is smart by having an attitude.

because Nashbar is based in America, and you live in a dirty little third world country :D

Normally, like any other malicious and inappropriate comments made to the Tandem Cycling area I would simply report your posting to the list moderators and ask that it be removed along with any subsequent replies that good people like BigH felt compelled to provide.

No, it doesn't provide the instant self-gratification that shooting off a reply with a sharply worded smart-aleck personal attack does, but it's a small sacrifice that one must make in a civil society. And, no, adding an friendly emoticon after a ugly statement does not magically transform an ugly remark into humor anymore than adding, "just kidding" or when talking about someone else, "bless their heart" does in a public forum with people whom you are unfamiliar.

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I apologise to the Tandem Fraternity as well as other cyclists or people who fraternise this messagebord. It was not my intention to act in a irresponsible way but my response was more in defense of our society that is still not immune from bashings we received in the past. My posting to Nashbar WAS in anger that they would not be willing to do business with South Africa.

One should never react to anything in anger as this takes you to the same level as the person who wronged against you.

All I can say is that I am sorry!!!

Big H

As an ending to the Nashbar saga I sent them an email asking if there was any specific reason they did not want to deal with South Africa to the following email address..... custserv@nashbar.com on 11 December 2004. They did not even have the decency to answer. I opted out instead to place my order with totalcycling.com in Britain. The prices was a bit more that what I could get in the USA but their commitment to service an willingness to deal with postal orders superb. Shipping on larger oreders was much better as USPS does not want to handel oversized parcels. I know that my order is only a minion in the sea of orders received in great cycling countries abroad but at least I now know who to deal with.

I think that before anyone gets too defensive, you have to consider certain facts. I own 2 web based businesses, plus do a fair amount on ebay. A large portion of credit card fraud is perpetrated out of Indonesia and certain African locations. Post a pro-level camera on ebay, and you will get an inquiry asking if you take credit cards and can you ship DHL. Always to Indonesia or Nigeria. Do a search on ebay, and you'll see plenty of folks stating outright that they don't ship there, as they have gotten tired of the scam artists asking. It is very hard to verify credit card details with overseas banks as well. To get Pricepoint or Supergo to take my credit card (I'm in Australia), I have to fax or email an image of the card and a copy of my license. As they are not getting an actual signature, they have no recourse in the case of fraud. Not every customer is a criminal, but I think there are just too many risks for the retailers to try to cater to what is probably a small market when compared to the big picture.

If you need any smaller items, email or PM me, and I'll see if there's any way I can help you out. I can ship USPS from California, or EMS from Australia.

As far as gear head's comments, I'm not sure he meant it in a derogatory way. I'm certainly not going to defend him if he did, but I think what he may have been trying to convey was that Nashbar is a big American company that is concerned only about profits, and don't need to sell to international customers to stay in business. Of course, had he paid attention in school, he would known Africa is neither small, nor a country.

Cheers.

And that make WHAT of Americans ..... I would rather refrain form telling you exactly what I think of a ****less creep like you!!

He used a smiley! Where's your smiley!? And where's your sense of humor? He was poking fun at Nashbar, not South Africa which IS a country, I believe.

He used a smiley! Where's your smiley!? And where's your sense of humor? He was poking fun at Nashbar, not South Africa which IS a country, I believe.

I was just thinking the same thing.

On a (sort of) related topic, has anyone here read Spoke Songs by Willie Wier?

Blush Blush my mistake..... I did not see the smiley .... I only saw him calling us a DIRTY LITTLE THIRD WORLD COUNTRY.

Big H

PS. Nashbar still did not have the decency to answer my email enquiring why they do not deal with South Africa