Temu for cycling goods

[Martin Albrecht]

1 hour ago, dexterdent said:

I bought something from Forkmods in Australia, and unfortunately they used SAPO. Suffice to say it has now been stuck at JIMC for a month and customer service just says "they are experiencing some delays, no ETA". Pity, because previously SAPO has not really given me problems.

TEMU has been much better. I think the lack of itemised invoice is due to the way they bring packages into the country - so far it feels like I tend to pay less duties/VAT on every package than expected.

That basically means they are still doing something dodgy/illegal. If they are doing things properly, you should always end up paying exactly the right amount of duties and VAT. Exactly this is another reason I am uneasy about using TEMU

2 hours ago, shaper said:

As others say, chill, it will arrive.  Everything you buy from China whether Temu or Aliexpress, duty is calculated and paid before it arrives.  The only time this doesn't happen is if as back in the day it came via SAPO and then you had to collect at the local post office and pay the duties.  These days fortunately everything comes by courier, so the duties are calculated ahead of arrival and you pay.  It will clear today or tomorrow and they you will get either a whatsapp or email from the local courier saying they have been notified and will be shipped to you in the next couple of days.  It doesn't matter which airport, as you have paid for courier to your door and it will be delivered to your door.

If you get this stressed, you are lucky you never bought off Aliexpress years ago when it would get lost in SAPO for weeks.  With Temu, order, sit back, wait for any notifications, make payment when asked to and wait for the message to say it will be delivered in the next 48hr.  It will arrive and is pretty straight forward.  Many of us here have bought lots over the last few years without issue.  And even if there is an issue Temu customer services are pretty good, especially with refunds.

We import a lot of products regularly. I know exactly how international freight works. When we import using DHL, you always get an itemised invoice for the duties and VAT, based on the customs invoice of the shipment. It’s always paid in advance, and the shipment is pre cleared through customs. On the odd occasion, something is flagged for a random inspection by SARS, and then it takes a few days extra, but it’s still held at the DHL warehouse and inspected there. 
 

Having to pay customs and Vat without an invoice, and then having the tracking be as vague as “arrived at the airport, awaiting customs clearance”. Is not normal. Tracking will normally say which airport, and something that is pre cleared and paid for, shouldn’t ever end up with a status of “waiting for customs clearence”. 
 

They are definitely playing fast and loose with terminology here, and I suspect still doing dodgy things to avoid paying proper full import duties, which is not fair to other legitimate retailers.

Unless the stuff I ordered somehow absolutely blows away all my previous expectations, I highly doubt I will order anything off Temu again.

[BuffsVintageBikes]

I'd suggest you stay away from Temu, it doesn't sound like it's the place for you to do your shopping. You appear to be expecting 5 star service delivery and internal management systems for 1 star product pricing 🤣 

[NotSoBigBen]

Between my wife and myself we've bought quite a lot of stuff, we however don't stress and fret about the delivery etc.

 

When it comes it comes, never had an issue .... I've got loads of cycling gadgets and goodies, cable ends, valve cores, Garmin mounts, tools, Espresso cleats

Only had one thing that to my mind was a 'flop', a pliers thing to help release tight tubeless tyres ... doesn't work but was only a couple of ZA rondts

[Paul Ruinaard]

Everything I have ordered off Temu and Aliexpress has arrived - even some by SAPO - collected and duties paid.

Simply put if you dont like the experience no one forced you to put your credit card in at teh payments window.

So far I am a happy customer and have found it all very smooth to use once you get acquainted with what they do or how they operate.

Alos their returns or their credits for delayed delivery have been pretty good. 

Better than many other local sites.

 

 

[NC_lurker]

On 2/11/2026 at 9:45 AM, BuffsVintageBikes said:

I ordered Souke again. I find them perfectly fine for 1.5 to 2hr training rides.

For R250 you can't exactly expect Assos 😊

I'm looking for the Temu version of Monton 😄 

I've tried a couple of Temu bibs, for what it's worth here are my personal findings. 

- AHBK. Best fitting Temu bibs I've tried, but the pad is super thick, I somehow missed them stating that it was a 200 density. It's what I imagine walking around wearing adult diapers feels like! No leg grippers. I kept them for indoor and short (<2hrs) outdoor sessions.

- Souke. Not bad but there's some excess fabric on the front of the hips area. Pad seems to sit a bit weirdly in the front. Being used indoors only. Short sessions.

- Hiserwa. Good pad & placement. Shorts seem to be made from a single piece of fabric, no seams, not sure how that's possible. Unsure of how the fit would be actually pedalling. Shoulder straps far too short. Returned for full credit.

For the record I'm 79kg @ 1.85m with a long torso. Definitely not an SA boereseun build 😆

At the price, even taking into account losses on duties I'm willing to try a couple more given that local options start at around R2500+

Edited February 12 by NC_lurker
More info

[Martin Albrecht]

1 hour ago, BuffsVintageBikes said:

I'd suggest you stay away from Temu, it doesn't sound like it's the place for you to do your shopping. You appear to be expecting 5 star service delivery and internal management systems for 1 star product pricing 🤣 

I will be thanks. Maybe I have too high standards, but I don’t care what the price point is, I expect a service to be provide at normal industry standard service levels. 
 

International shipments tracking using AWB is standard practice across the industry, with actual information provided - like which airport your item is actually at during different legs of the journey. 
 

Pre payment of customs duties and VAT is also standard practice, but normally this is based on a proper itemised customs invoice, which shows under which HS codes the items are being imported, what their customs value is, and what you are paying. Sending an email saying “your package cannot be delivered - here’s a link, pay Rxx.xx so your package can be released, and then later being sent an update saying your package is currently awaiting customs clearance (after you have already paid the duties), is not a normal level of service. Regardless of the price point.

[Martin Albrecht]

26 minutes ago, NC_lurker said:

 

At the price, even taking into account losses on duties I'm willing to try a couple more given that local options start at around R2500+

But at least the R2500+ local options fit as advertised, and last. 
 

I understand wanting to save a few bucks wherever one can, but I can’t see the sense in dropping somewhere between R50k and R150k on your bicycle, spending months preparing for a race/event/tour whatever, spending a couple grand in travel costs to get there, a couple more grand on accommodation, meals etc, never mind the R5k - R50k the entry fee would have cost you, just to have the entire experience spoiled by saddle sores thanks to your bargain basement bib. 

[NC_lurker]

22 minutes ago, Martin Albrecht said:

But at least the R2500+ local options fit as advertised, and last. 
 

I understand wanting to save a few bucks wherever one can, but I can’t see the sense in dropping somewhere between R50k and R150k on your bicycle, spending months preparing for a race/event/tour whatever, spending a couple grand in travel costs to get there, a couple more grand on accommodation, meals etc, never mind the R5k - R50k the entry fee would have cost you, just to have the entire experience spoiled by saddle sores thanks to your bargain basement bib. 

I'm afraid you're making loads of assumptions there...

Agreed the option to try on before you buy is definitely something I'd much prefer! But getting time to go to multiple shops is problematic.

My R2500+ Monton bibs are just less than a year old and aren't holding up well.

Another local brand who's R2k bibs I really enjoy has a defect where the mesh in the front of the pad breaks after a year...same result with 4 pairs bought over about 3yrs.

Another local brand no longer exists. Another one just doesn't fit me as well as I'd like.

I rode in Rapid Sport kit for years when they were one of the only local options and they worked for my body shape, unfortunately they don't any more.

At last count I have 7 bikes, combined spend on 6 of them was R65k and that includes my carbon Cannondale roadie at R25k...not everyone subscribes to the same spending behaviour...

If you're training in the bibs and they work, then you aren't suddenly going to have saddle sores just because you're taking part in an overpriced event.

I've been messing around with bikes for 35yrs, my first shorts had an actual chamois, I **** you not! At least they weren't woollen like some other members probably used 😆

If there was a local option that fitted me well, lasted, and didn't make me feel I was being gouged, then I'd buy without hesitation. I'm trying the Temu options because I've run out of ideas locally and am not willing to drop R2500 on the off chance the bibs might work for me...

Edited February 12 by NC_lurker
Clarity

[cadenceblur]

Does anyone have experience with Heart rate monitor belts from Temu.

My Garmin belt is looking worse for wear and is already losing signal.

[NeverNotRolling]

5 minutes ago, cadenceblur said:

Does anyone have experience with Heart rate monitor belts from Temu.

My Garmin belt is looking worse for wear and is already losing signal.

Been using one since sept 2025 and it connects each time, my garmin strap would only connect like 70% of the time. Cant comment on exact accuracy but im happy and will buy again. 

[HdB]

5 minutes ago, cadenceblur said:

Does anyone have experience with Heart rate monitor belts from Temu.

My Garmin belt is looking worse for wear and is already losing signal.

Have you tried the Forza straps? At around R400, mine is lasting much much much much better than the Polar straps it replaced (of course now I've jinxed it)

[cadenceblur]

Thanks guys, will give the Temu one a shot and see, at the price it's a safe gamble. 

Gets alot of use, so need something durable

Will bear the Forza option in mind as well

[Thomo]

1 hour ago, cadenceblur said:

Does anyone have experience with Heart rate monitor belts from Temu.

My Garmin belt is looking worse for wear and is already losing signal.

R149 options on Takealot if you're wanting a quicker.

[babse]

HR strap was actually 1 of my first purchases on Temu almost 2 years back. Not a days issue.

 

*Note the monitor is from my original Garmin strap.

[babse]

1 hour ago, Thomo said:

R149 options on Takealot if you're wanting a quicker.

Probably can't beat this 

[cadenceblur]

51 minutes ago, babse said:

Probably can't beat this 

For sure