This may be a long shot, but has anyone imported Fairlight Strael 3.0 complete bike into the US?
If so, what import duties did you pay?
Any other experiences with importing complete bikes from UK are welcome too.
This may be a long shot, but has anyone imported Fairlight Strael 3.0 complete bike into the US?
If so, what import duties did you pay?
Any other experiences with importing complete bikes from UK are welcome too.
Yes, I just did in the past couple months and got hit with import duties like 45 days later. $415 on $3500 total. Fairlight is very by the book, which I understand.
I bought a Felt FR4 from Wiggle (UK) a couple years ago and did not pay import duty.
Thank you. Very helpful as I go about budgeting a new bike.
Check duties for a frame and whole bike. In EU they are different and buying the frame and components in the store is cheaper than a whole bike from Fairlight (I have also checked strael 3.0). And given the components in us are usually cheaper it can be good solution for you.
Bicycle duty is bizarre.
Road bikes (“both wheels not exceeding 63.5 cm in diameter”) appear to have an 11% general duty. There’s a 0% “Special Duty” based on various treaties, none of which seem to apply to the UK.
Frames have a 3.9% duty. It appears forks are duty-free. Other parts vary between 3 and 10%. I’m sure the various bicycle companies have managed to rig it so they import the parts in a configuration where they pay as little duty as possible, but that might be a bit impractical for an individual.
Buying a frame only is an alternative I am pursuing as well. On one hand, it allows me to fine-tune the components. OTOH, bike manufacturers buy OEM components at a significant discount, negating a lot of the potential savings.
Yeah but it all depends on calculations for duties and taxes. So in my case, importing to EU whole strael was negating all the benefits of oem components (full bike is 14% duties + 23Ă· VAT, frame is 4%).
The same was the other way, when I was calculating fezzari - in US the price for the value is awesome, after duties and taxes - nope. So just calculate the build and see what sticks.
If it helps anyone, I looked into the actual tariff codes because I believed a frame I ordered overseas was being charged the wrong duty rate due to the code from DHL. Complete bikes fall under 8712 HTS codes. Parts, including frames and forks, fall under 8714 HTS codes and are supposed to be charged a 0% duty fee.
Frames over $600 are 8714.91.20 and have a 3.9% tariff. Forks are 8714.91.90 and have a 0% tariff. If they’ll give you a separate value for frame and fork I believe it would be legal to list only the frame’s value under 8714.91.20.
Reminds me of the book burning scene in Day After Tomorrow - “guys, there’s a whole section on tax law here that we can burn”.
every time i watch that movie i always smile when that scene comes on.
Not in answer to your question: you’ll love the strael, I’ve got a 2.0: amazing bike, brilliant ride!