Importing Powertaps
mclarent
Posts: 784
Has anyone else noticed how cheap powertaps are in the States? Could save £100 on hub prices ordering through Amazon.com alone(!) And savings on the built wheels I've seen are all of the same order (I'm just using Google, custom or standard builds). Amazingly, a Pro+ hub seems only to be around $100 more than an Elite+!
Why are we paying so much more in the UK?! If I can save that much as a retail customer, the sellers over here must be making serious margins.
Why are we paying so much more in the UK?! If I can save that much as a retail customer, the sellers over here must be making serious margins.
"And the Lord said unto Cain, 'where is Abel thy brother?' And he said, 'I know not: I dropped him on the climb up to the motorway bridge'."
- eccolafilosofiadelpedale
- eccolafilosofiadelpedale
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A Powertap Pro+ from cyclepowermeters.com is 697.50 http://www.cyclepowermeters.com/powerta ... -466-p.asp
So even if you were flying over there yourself and could bring it back (thus avoiding the shipping, and the shipping companies charges for collecting the duty and VAT) then you'd save 25 quid. If you had it shipped, the typical FedEx charge alone will eat up the saving, let alone the ~50 quid cost of shipping.
Of course you could avoid the taxes by carrying it yourself and smuggling it in, but the difference in price appears to be all down to tax.
BTW, I get the duty rate at 4.7% not 6%, but doesn't change the overall picture.
- eccolafilosofiadelpedale
Eh? What would be different about it?
But that doesn't mean the Pro+ is overpriced in the UK case, it could be that the Elite+ is overpriced in the US, price differentials not being the same don't really say anything.
Good luck with your smuggling!
Completely true. But the differential makes a purchase of a PRO+ from the US (relatively) more attractive though.
- eccolafilosofiadelpedale
Paligap distribute and do all the customer service in the UK. if you had a US bought PT you may struggle if owt goes wrong.
FWIW the service by the powertap lad (Alex) at Paligap is bloody marvellous!
Even with the UK taxes, there's a lot of bike stuff which is more expensive in North America, I'm continually amazed by the cost of tyres everywhere else in the world.
When I asked some North American friends where to buy some stuff online, they generally listed 3 sites which were worth looking at, Wiggle, ProBikeKit and Ribble...
Yes, powertaps are great (I have 2), but they do go wrong - my number 2 hub has failed 3 times - all in warranty and fixed very quickly FOC by Paligap.
I wouldn't get a grey import without a UK warranty.
"Because the cycling is pain. The cycling is soul crushing pain."
- eccolafilosofiadelpedale
Let's face it - pretty much everything in this world will have 'reliability issues' at some point. Some devices are more prone to it than others - especially ones that rely on a combination of delicate electronics, brute force and exposure to the elements.
That being said - I've never had any problems with mine (and fingers crossed I won't as it is one of the grey market imports we are talking about!)
When it was done (which was bl00dy quick) it developed an issue, I returned it and again it was sorted (bl00dy quick)...
The wired was fine for the 18 months until I had it upgraded. It's been fine since it went back. Touch wood.
Fantastic bits of kit!