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What would you be willing to pay for a “grey” bike?


DonatelloOnPinarello

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6 hours ago, DonatelloOnPinarello said:

and also excluding 15% import duty and 15% Vat. Our prices would be all inclusive.

Import duty on complete bikes is 100% 

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6 minutes ago, eddy said:

Import duty on complete bikes is 100% 

would/should work out cheaper to get them to ship the frame and suspension in once shipment and the remainder of the bike in the next shipment?

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interesting topic...as per the grey area bikes...is the bike make aware of these proposed imports ? would be interesting to see their reaction...

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My non serious cyclist 2c

i think too many people throw CPA around like it’s a silver bullet

parallel import as said above is simply that the same product that is available just not through the “local approved” distributor

honestly I got no issue, not all importers do the RIGHT THING when it comes to being the brand distributor 

if I know the brand and it has a strong foot print and reputation I’m in and more than keen to rake the “risk” as said every time u buy a new bike you are “at risk” of your LBS/brand simply saying 

“did you use a torque wrench” we suspect u over fastened XYZ

WE import parts through turkey Dubai that have agents locally and we have no issues

 

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2 hours ago, eddy said:

Import duty on complete bikes is 100% 

Yes it is, and these days almost no-one agrees to ship the wheels separately so you only pay the 15%.

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My first full-suspension bike was bought nearly new (on the hub nogal). I had done the research, it was a bit of a boutique Canadian brand, but there were agents listed in all the big cities. A few months afterwards, the brand (or its distributor) withdrew from the SA market and I was left unsupported.

Back then I had enough spare time to be my own maintainer, could trawl the internet for hours searching for equivalent hangers, could find some-one to custom make vesconite pivot bushes and hardware etc. So I got by, but with needless effort.

So there is a downside and a hidden future burden to having an unsupported brand bike. The experience has also made me steer clear of boutique brands, I am now sticking to brands that are too big to fail, and have a dealer in nearly every suburb. What a pleasure to go into the LBS, ask hopefully if they have a replacement bolt for part XXX, and they just reach into the random reclaim box and give it to you.

 

 

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We need more grey import parts/components if you ask me lol. The local support is so crap anyway…it wouldn't matter. What would matter was if you could buy the parts to service your broken shimano components for instance…or hell, just buy a new part at a fair price. Imagine that?

ps: if you want to make a quick buck right now…you’d find mid to upper mid range drivetrain stock somewhere, like enough. There is almost nothing going around atm. 

people will snap that stuff up like malva pudding at a kerk bazaar.

????

Edited by MORNE
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Speculation and what ifs...

Yes I'd buy a grey import

How much would I pay? Depends on the brand, and it has to be substantially cheaper than any local options with full warranty and support 

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I mean realistically..what support are you guys looking for? I’m assuming frame replacement? Real question

Even when i still had a cookie cutter bike, i never took it to the store i got it from for basic crap like servicing and parts. Even derailleur hangers aren't an issue these days with aftermarket options available for most in the form of the WheelsMFG catalogue. Some have mentioned ‘niche’ brands…i dont view things like rocky mountains(?) as niche bikes i guess. 
To me a propriatory cannondale crank or or lefty fork, or trek supercaliber rear shock or Giant’s wierd ass steerer size or Spez’s glued in Bb’s (lol) are alot more ‘niche’ than some if not most botique brand frames being compatible with stock standard readily available parts.

Edit: yes, those non standard things 

probably need support. But if your frame takes a bsa BB and a drop in tapered headset, stock standard bearing sizes..the only real ‘factory support’ you’d need would be if you broke the frame imo.
And is that then a consequence/risk of owning a carbon bike perhaps? They crack easier and might need replacement sooner/more often so you want the peace of mind?. I don’t know…just throwing some bones.

Edited by MORNE
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Given the OPs user name and the previous Carte Blanche history on grey imports, it must be a chinarello. Until the OP actually tells us the brand(I don't buy this hypothetical nonsense, unless they purely want to up their post count), I will consider them to be Tom Pidcocks bike that he created alongside his sponsor.

Edited by Long Wheel Base
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12 minutes ago, Long Wheel Base said:

Given the OPs user name and the previous Carte Blanche history on grey imports, it must be a chinarello. Until the OP actually tells us the brand(I don't buy this hypothetical nonsense, unless they purely want to up their post count), I will consider them to be Tom Pidcocks bike that he created alongside his sponsor.

Its vitus , OP mentioned it above

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54 minutes ago, BaGearA said:

Its vitus , OP mentioned it above

It can't be VITUS, they don't have a Multi Owner warranty, only Original Owner

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1 hour ago, BaGearA said:

Its vitus , OP mentioned it above

Wait, so we're talking about a Mythique VRX that should cost you landed ~R45k? Maybe if it was an Escarpe CRX or CRS for a better price than I can land it I'd be tempted, but for that money you can certainly find a better deal in the classifieds. 

Right now, I'm just riding my bike until the wheels fall off. Not going to be rushing to buy a new bike in this climate.

Edited by stefmeister
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11 hours ago, eddy said:

Import duty on complete bikes is 100% 

When did this change? As far as I know, this is still 15%. I cannot find anything more current than the following:  

 

Duties.JPG

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Okes, the Ninja turtle on the Pina is in the Import/Export game, he knows the cost implications of the deal, I think th at's a moot point.

He is asking if you guys as serious cyclists would be interested in buying the bikes.

IMHO if he was able to land reasonably priced 'Frame Only' options he would have more success with the trail crowd as they tend to want Hope anodized bling and non standard components.

I imported a 2019 Vitus escarpe landed for under 10k 2 years ago. I swapped it for a Jeffsy locally with a fella as the bike was looooong and a lot of bike for me and he wanted such a thing for shuttle days.

I don't see the trail crowd buying into 'whole bikes' but I do see them buying into well priced frame only options if the frames are good. 

BUT, having seen Commencal, Dartmoor and a host of other companies try to break into that market segment and fail, I think it's better left alone.

If it were my money and effort I wouldn't touch it.

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My two Cents....(Having worked in the industry for a bit).

If I had a few spare Mill to invest I think the last place I would invest is in a bike shop, importing bikes or components.

I think the market divided by the number of brands and complexity therein is overtraded.

Secondly, we stupidly overpay for new bikes - Looking at the latest Scott MTB's - I could get a KTM offroad (motor) bike for the same price.

Yes its very difficult to compare, but look at the engineering and R&D and materials that go into a motocross/enduro bike compared to a bicycle and I think we are getting ripped off. Partially due to too many middlemen and parts suppliers and standards etc.

I'm happy to shop in the used segment and have always managed to buy something that didn't disappoint.

Yes, with COVID there was a brief upswing in the cycling market here in SA as people decided they needed to excercise, bought indoor trainers etc but when you stop for a moment to consider what is happening to our economy (my wife is in the retail Health & Beauty trade and her revenues have dropped by 50% in the last 2 years) - Companies have and will continue to downsize, the property companies are starting to feel it as office space and retail space becomes surplus. Money is just getting tighter and tighter out there.....

To conclude, its my belief that there are so many brands of bike and component out there that for (another!) importer to scratch around to try to find a meaningful USP is going to be difficult. 

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