I’m not sure if anyone here will be able to answer this but I thought I would ask.
I’m hoping to move back to Canada in a month or so and will need to buy a new bike. I’m wondering if anyone knows if bikes are a lot more expensive in Canada, just a bit more expensive or about the same.
I’m debating buying a new bike here and having it shipped to Canada. I don’t think I can take it one the plane with me because I don’t think I’ll have the luggage space since we’re bringing a lot of stuff.
I’m not looking for a top of the line bike but I don’t want a crappy one either. I have no idea about bike prices since it’s been a while since I bought one (here or in Canada). The last bike I bought was literally 20 years ago for NT$12,000. I like that bike and ride it almost every week but figure it’s probably time for a new one.
I did look at some Canadian websites at new mountain bikes and they all seemed quite expensive (CAD$5,000) and quite ugly looking (at least to me).
When I was in the US bikes and its parts were very expensive. 10,000nt gets you a really good bike in Taiwan but that money got you a basic crappy used bike in the US.
I don’t expect Canada to be different. There’s Walmart though…
I bought a Merida in Taiwan years ago and brought it to the US. Checked the whole box in at the airport (original box from factory, unopened). Yes, cheaper than the US. However, you’ll have to pay a bike shop to put the bike together for you. It was like $30.
My wife is talking about bringing a new bike on the plane when we leave but I’m worried that it will get bent if it’s just in a box–but then again, I don’t want to spend a fortune on a hard shell bike case that I will never use again.
Plus, I need to see how much stuff we have to bring and whether we’ll actually have the room to bring a bike.
No need to get a hard shell case. It’s not a cello. A bike can take some knocking. Just use the factory paper box. Don’t open it and try to rearrange things. It’s meant to be shipped. You can put tape around it for reinforcement. Just check it as a piece of luggage. Ask them to put a fragile sticker on it if you’re worried.
I don’t know about bikes, but they don’t really seem cheap in Taiwan, and lots of things are generally more expensive in Taiwan than other places including things made in Taiwan.
Just an fyi - bikes are pretty much out of stock everywhere in North America right now. You can get lucky and find one, but it takes a fair amount of searching. After my bike got stolen from our garage (gotta love Winnipeg!!), I was looking for over a month, and I found one on a website that had just came in (and they only had one). With Covid, everyone is outside doing whatever they can do to keep sane and (relatively) healthy. Just something to keep in mind.
True last year, not so much this year. Last year everything was bare, but this year, there seems to be decent stock everywhere (at least in the SE U.S.).
Not in Canada. There is nothing anywhere. Same goes for boats, canoes, etc… We tried to buy a canoe (new), and the salesperson laughed, saying that they were ordering into summer 2022.
The easiest way would be to hone in a few bikes you are looking at and price compare and also check bike shop inventory as not only is the US/CAN/EU stripped for parts, so is Taiwan! I do not think Canada has an online bike specific website, so you may have to do some searching for local bike shops in your area to see what they carry.
Do keep in mind that if you buy the bike in Taiwan you will have to have it assembled in Canada! Last time I checked, manual labor outside of Asia is 2-3x more expensive! If you buy a complete bike that is 95% already assembled from a major brand (Giant, Merida, Specialized, Trek) assembly fees may vary. Best check your local bike shop pricing. If the cost of assembly off sets the discount you get in Taiwan, might as well buy it in Canada. Sometimes basic assembly is included when you buy from the shop.
Another issue you have to consider is the warranty! If there’s issue a warranty will cover, make sure that it’s a global warranty. If it isn’t, you might be shit out of luck! Do not think because it’s a global brand, warranty is covered everywhere!
Shipping
If you were to buy from Taiwan, make sure you communicate with the bike shop that you intend to bring it overseas. I would suggest to have the shop remove the bike from the box to make sure there’s nothing missing or any damages. Some extra fees may apply, but personally, I would feel safer knowing there’s no issues with my bike before taking it with me half way across the world.
Shipping in the cardboard box should be perfectly fine as long as it is packed correctly. Do not forget, that’s how it arrives at the bike shop from manufacturers! A fragile sticker from the airline/courier will go a long way.
Current cheapest way is to check it in at the airport. Post isn’t too expensive, but it may take up to a month to arrive. Intl couriers like FedEx and DHL will cost you an arm and a leg since some economy services have been cancelled.
Stuff some of your belongings in the bike box! Don’t waste space!
