Korean Job Discussion Forums

[thomas pars]

I have had it trying to find decent 2 wheeled transpo in this
lousy country. I refuse to fork over 1600$ for a 600$ stateside bike.
So the question is: Has anyone bought a bike stateside and had it shipped to Korea? What kind of taxes am i looking at? Shipping fees?
I suppose i could lie to customs and say the bike is used and hope they
dont open the box.

Shipping from home( USA) Is this a good idea? Or in the end will it
amount to the same cost as bikes here?

Thanks.

[Cedar]

bring it into the country with you, even if you have to pay extra baggage fees, you'll skip the import duties b/c you can claim you'll take it with you when you leave and that you didn't bring it for resale, just like your notebook computer.

[retrogress]

I went through the same issues about 8 months ago. I had a bike shop back home box up my old specialized. They put it in two boxes and even then, one box was still too big for usps to take.

UPS would have costed 400 bucks through an independent shipper. If they did it themselves it would cost 700 dollars. Needless to say the bike is still stateside.

Your best bets are:
1. buy a used bike. I picked up a very nice Kona in Seoul back in 2002 for 600 bucks. It was top of the line, very rigid, very tight.
2. take a trip to china on your next vacation. Have a bike custom built there. Find a bike shop online (through a DAVES ESL user). Pay 200 dollars round trip to go from Inchon to Yantai or Qingdao. Get your bike built on your second day there and then ride it for a week and then come back.
There are shops like www.cdbike.net all across china. Prices are lower than in Korea (of course). You can get an entire shimano LX package disc breaks to shifters to crank for about 500 dollars. A nice aluminum frame will cost you about 100 bucks. A set of top of the line ergo grips is like 50 dollars. Clipless pedals, rims and tires. A cheap seat. A set of Fox front forks.
You're stylin for much less than the Ajoshis paid.

Plus you got a nice vacation, met some cool folks AND got to custom build your bike.

[jahson4]

How many bikes shops have you been to? Because I've found plenty of nice bikes for good prices.

[John_ESL_White]

My proflex touring bike is eagerly awaiting my return trip stateside to box it up and check it onboard for almost nothing compared to the cost it would take to have it shipped.

My advice is to find a newbie heading over, have your bike boxed for the plane and give them 100US-200 for their troubles.

I can't wait to get a round tri cause the only things I'll be bring ing back are shoes, pants, shirts and my bike.

[nosmallplans]

look at giant and scott bikes, both are priced better here in korea than back at home.

don't bother trying to buy anything from the 'states and having it shipped here. it's too big and will cost too much. they will raillllllllllllllllll you so bad on shipping.

[kiwiduncan]

[thomas pars]

right i saw the the GIANT selection is somehow cheaper here than the states.
Trouble is i cant find the store, either in person or online. any idea where to go about finding where the bikes are at?

thanks. Oh by the way looking for a decent track bike. I dont want to pay LSD 2000 USD for a bike. I mean really. 2000 dollars...?!?!?

[nosmallplans]