Flying over to the us to buy a bike.

PB Forum :: Downhill
Flying over to the us to buy a bike.
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flag likeomg
Posted: Mar 8, 2011 at 12:47 Quote
im going to America skiing at easter... going to find a bike shop and fill my suit case... (little things) Salute
flag laurie1
Mod
Posted: Mar 8, 2011 at 12:51 Quote
oceen246 wrote:
When flying, I might be wrong but if it's for personal use you are golden.

I'll tell you that you're wrong. Personal use or not, you still have to declare the value of your items. There is no "getting around" this unless you lie and want to risk your item being seized, a fine, or jail time. With international baggage being scrutinized, since 9/11 and the more recent ink cartridge bombs, I can guarantee that they’ll open a bike bag or box as who knows what can be put into one of those other than a bike. Even when I’ve traveled with my bike, the bike bag has been x-rayed and was opened/inspected after it had gone down the conveyor belt.
flag Cata1yst
O+
Posted: Mar 8, 2011 at 12:52 Quote
Bummer youre 18. You cant hide behind mommy and daddy. (and if youre in CA or some other US states they still dont give a shit when it comes to state crimes)

You always run the risk when you do things like this. You can state that the value is X and that you bought it used with cash, but if they bothered to stop you in the first place, you already are in a pretty big hole.
flag knobzy
O+
Posted: Mar 8, 2011 at 13:01 Quote
what is the savings from buying in the US, compared to in the UK?

I've done trades VIa countries.

Flew over to the US with a marz fork bag with a 66 and swapped for a 888 and flew back. Same day, no customs nothing.

perks to flying in a personal plane.
flag laurie1
Mod
Posted: Mar 8, 2011 at 13:04 Quote
knobzy wrote:
what is the savings from buying in the US, compared to in the UK?

About half. Frame is 3000 GBP and in the US it equals to 1800 GBP
flag oceen246
Posted: Mar 8, 2011 at 13:05 Quote
knobzy wrote:
what is the savings from buying in the US, compared to in the UK?

I've done trades VIa countries.

Flew over to the US with a marz fork bag with a 66 and swapped for a 888 and flew back. Same day, no customs nothing.

perks to flying in a personal plane.

If i flew my own plane, i would not worry about bike parts. as a matter of fact i would by me a new bike on location. Traveling light is tight!!!
flag likeomg
Posted: Mar 8, 2011 at 13:05 Quote
knobzy wrote:
what is the savings from buying in the US, compared to in the UK?

I've done trades VIa countries.

Flew over to the US with a marz fork bag with a 66 and swapped for a 888 and flew back. Same day, no customs nothing.

perks to flying in a personal plane.

same build!!!!!!

uk: Cost: £7,799 | Weight: 35.08lbs = $12,600

usa: SyndicateDH

$7799 - £4800
flag oceen246
Posted: Mar 8, 2011 at 13:10 Quote
Something bothers me. When a bike is manufactured in Taiwan, China, or anywhere else in the world except the US, Canada, and Europe. Whys is the price so different? Are the bikes built then shipped to the US to be then shipped to Canada or Europe?
flag hampsteadbandit
Posted: Mar 8, 2011 at 13:15 Quote
laurie1 wrote:
The government just wants their cut of the items you purchase abroad if you're over the allowable limit. Customs/duty is not something you want to BS with as they have no problem confiscating your item and assessing fines. It is also illegal to lie to border guards. Just be honest and pay the taxes and you will not have any issues. Sure, you can take your chances in not declaring the true value of your items but is it worth your frame being in jeopardy, a huge fine, and even jail time? Also, you have to declare the value of gifts and items you received/purchased abroad so you cannot just say you got a gift. The gift’s value counts towards your allowable limit.

Santa Cruz frames in the UK are priced like Orange frames here in North America. After the government adds in import tax, the shipping cost, the distributor has their markup, the shop has their markup, etc, you get a result of a frame being very expensive.

and also a frame with no warranty

its often worth paying the extra and buying the frame in your own country to gain the additional support of a proper warranty, as the distributor in your country has no legal onus to offer you any warranty on a frame bought overseas Wink


if you end up cracking a weld within the warranty period, you can end up with an expensive bill to try and ship the broken frame back to the overseas dealer, or pay the distrib. in your country a top dollar price for any replacement parts they can supply Frown
flag knobzy
O+
Posted: Mar 8, 2011 at 13:35 Quote
likeomg wrote:
knobzy wrote:
what is the savings from buying in the US, compared to in the UK?

I've done trades VIa countries.

Flew over to the US with a marz fork bag with a 66 and swapped for a 888 and flew back. Same day, no customs nothing.

perks to flying in a personal plane.

same build!!!!!!

uk: Cost: £7,799 | Weight: 35.08lbs = $12,600

usa: SyndicateDH

$7799 - £4800

wow, that is a massive difference. For a 5000 difference, i'd be saying screw warrenty.
flag likeomg
Posted: Mar 8, 2011 at 13:40 Quote
knobzy wrote:
likeomg wrote:
knobzy wrote:
what is the savings from buying in the US, compared to in the UK?

I've done trades VIa countries.

Flew over to the US with a marz fork bag with a 66 and swapped for a 888 and flew back. Same day, no customs nothing.

perks to flying in a personal plane.

same build!!!!!!

uk: Cost: £7,799 | Weight: 35.08lbs = $12,600

usa: SyndicateDH

$7799 - £4800

wow, that is a massive difference. For a 5000 difference, i'd be saying screw warrenty.

i got screwed by santa cruz anyway when my bullit went crack...
flag James-Carey
Posted: Mar 8, 2011 at 13:46 Quote
sorry to hijack the thread, but does anyone know if i will have problems bringing back a helmet and a sprocket?
flag pbuser102331
Posted: Mar 8, 2011 at 13:59 Quote
oceen246 wrote:
Something bothers me. When a bike is manufactured in Taiwan, China, or anywhere else in the world except the US, Canada, and Europe. Whys is the price so different? Are the bikes built then shipped to the US to be then shipped to Canada or Europe?

Yes and no,taiwanese builders are on a lot less than american/candian builders they also make more frames per man than say american/candian builders,however there is a flaw in candian law that states if the frame was finished in canda i,e frame paint/stickers it is classed as canadian built.

I would like to know how specialised can have the cheek to charge the same as devinci are for a taiwan built frame over a canuck built frame.
flag hoolydooly
O+
Posted: Mar 8, 2011 at 20:40 Quote
because everyone is buying them now. since Sam Hill moved to them, they are now the top DH bike company, after giant.

EDIT: and they are probably getting close to giant in terms of sales as well.
flag tom666
FL
Posted: Jul 22, 2014 at 4:07 Quote
This is a huge gravedig for this thread. 3 years....





I'm thinking of bringing a beater bike out to Whistler with me, buying a Santa Cruz whilst I'm out there, riding it the whole time and then try and bring it back home as if it was the same bike I brought out... You can bet it's going to look pretty well used after a summer's riding in Whistler... I think it's pretty likely that I would get away with it - but I would really hate to get hit with a tax charge on the way back in. Has this worked for anybody?

 


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