UK internet sites Merlin vs Ribbles vs Wiggles

[cd_davis]

Hello all - I've purchased from Ribbles and Wiggles UK in the past, had great service and no issues. Looking to buy DA Groupset from Merlin, better option selection and pricing. Any one made big purchases from them, what was your experience? Thanks, Chris

[jlwdm]

Here is a start from last month:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=173986&highlight=merlin

Jeff

[r_mutt]

Forget all of those and buy from Cuddles in Australia.

[adhumston]

Fyi, ribble has a 10% off coupon right now

[SoCalSteve]

I bought a Dura Ace DI2 group from Merlin. Perfect transaction. No issues. Showed up in less than a week. Great pricing and the components came in retail packaging. I was very surprised about that.

Good luck!

[tumbler]

All 3 are fine. Usually takes about 7-10 days for my order to arrive. Never had any issues.

[SoCalSteve]

All 3 are fine. Usually takes about 7-10 days for my order to arrive. Never had any issues.

Smaller stuff, yeah...7 to 10 business days. Complete groups, less than a week...:beer:

[ntb1001]

I've bought some groupsets from Bike24. I've been very happy with them.
https://www.bike24.com/

[donevwil]

I've purchased from Merlin a few times and not had an issue. I usually use Ribble, Total Cycling and GB Cycles when they have a discount. Right now both Ribble and Total Cycling have 10% off anything.

[Avincent52]

IIRC Ribble's discount doesn't extend to gruppos.

You might also price bike-discount.de.
There's a flat $25 per order shipping, but some of their prices are crazy low.
I bought a Brooks Swift for $84, which is $100 less than than a normal discount price or less than half price.

[shovelhd]

I've bought some groupsets from Bike24. I've been very happy with them.
https://www.bike24.com/

That's where I got my Bushido trainer. Pro form TDF Edition.

Another good one is Evans Cycles. They carry some brands that others don't, like Catlike.

[rnhood]

All Three are good outlets. I have ordered from each and all were good. Ribble shipping seemed to take longer than the others but, they answered my mail and I received exactly what I ordered. Having said this, I only occasionally order from the UK outfits as I prefer to buy from the LBS. But some things are just priced soooo much better from the UK outfits.

[Llewellyn]

Don't forget Chain Reaction. But any one of Ribble, CRC or Wiggle will be fine. I haven't bought from Merlin

[Neil]

I'd use PayPal with Chainreaction - their credit card database was breached a couple of years ago and they never came clean about it, which suggests they have probably never fixed it/taken security seriously.

[cd_davis]

From Merlin, ordered a DuraAce group set last Thursday night 10/22, PayPal transaction. It was delivered Monday 10/26 in Metro Boston, in retail, not OEM, packaging. Perfect transaction....
Regarding pricing, we are advantaged by the exchange rate and not paying VAT, and Merlin buys in volume, but that could not be the total explanation for their aggressive prices.
Go figure,
Chris

[jeffwidman]

I heard that in the last 12 months, all three switched to shipping their gruppos via UPS, which means you get dinged import duties + a fee for handling import duties by UPS.

Previously they shipped USPS, and most of the time USPS just ignored import duties because it wasn't worth their time to deal with and they were the government so they could get away with it.

Haven't ordered any gruppos myself so don't know for sure.

For Merlin at least, on any item you can check whether they'll ship it USPS or UPS on the item description page.

Also, heard the price difference is because in the UK there's some anti-price-fixing laws that don't exist in the US. I don't know the details, but the upshot is we get much cheaper bike parts. :beer:

[Wakatel_Luum]

I found with Chain Reaction the return of items procedure more difficult when compared to Wiggle, Ribble etc...no longer use them anymore...

[SoCalSteve]

I heard that in the last 12 months, all three switched to shipping their gruppos via UPS, which means you get dinged import duties + a fee for handling import duties by UPS.

Previously they shipped USPS, and most of the time USPS just ignored import duties because it wasn't worth their time to deal with and they were the government so they could get away with it.

Haven't ordered any gruppos myself so don't know for sure.

For Merlin at least, on any item you can check whether they'll ship it USPS or UPS on the item description page.

Also, heard the price difference is because in the UK there's some anti-price-fixing laws that don't exist in the US. I don't know the details, but the upshot is we get much cheaper bike parts. :beer:

You heard incorrectly regarding getting dinged with tariffs. I have ordered 2 groups in 2015, one from Ribble and one from Merlin. No tariffs on either. One was shipped via UPS.

[bcroslin]

I ordered several things from Ribble last month and they were shipped USPS without fees and delivery took 4 days! MY LBS can't do that.

[Tickdoc]

and so just to clarify....these are still the best places to buy a new campy groupset.....right?

I'm getting close but have just not been able to pull the trigger yet.

[Idris Icabod]

and so just to clarify....these are still the best places to buy a new campy groupset.....right?

I'm getting close but have just not been able to pull the trigger yet.

If you are uncomfortable buying from the UK, Velomine gets pretty close on price.

[oldpotatoe]

I heard that in the last 12 months, all three switched to shipping their gruppos via UPS, which means you get dinged import duties + a fee for handling import duties by UPS.

Previously they shipped USPS, and most of the time USPS just ignored import duties because it wasn't worth their time to deal with and they were the government so they could get away with it.

Haven't ordered any gruppos myself so don't know for sure.

For Merlin at least, on any item you can check whether they'll ship it USPS or UPS on the item description page.

Also, heard the price difference is because in the UK there's some anti-price-fixing laws that don't exist in the US. I don't know the details, but the upshot is we get much cheaper bike parts. :beer:

They buy from the manufacturer as a distributor, sign the contract. Then they sell direct instead of selling to bike shops. If in the US, they are cut off, no more product. In the Euro-Zone, illegal for manufacturers to do that.

Also some buy OE overstock..buy 2000 5800 groups, at OEM pricing, resell 500 of them to these places. Why 'sometimes' the stuff comes in a plastic bag.

Some distributors in the US 'own' retail outlets in order to compete. They are under enough layers to not be cut off.

[ravdg316]

I've been ordering exclusively from Merlin the past six months due to their pricing. I bought Athena (which I returned), Ultegra (which I sold locally), and currently DA 9000 which I'm holding onto forever. Today, I purchased some Ultegra bits for my second bike. I live in CA.

Through all these purchases, I was hit with import fees once -- on the Dura Ace groupset, which was indeed delivered through UPS. A few days later, Merlin emailed me, claiming there was an error on Merlin's part that caused the import fee, and they gave me a $50 credit for their site. I hadn't even emailed them to complain! Although the fee was $60, not $50, I was happy with the response.

The only problem: returns are a pain. You have to pay for shipping, so be sure what you're buying from these sites has a strong local/national market or you might lose some money.

[OtayBW]

I heard that in the last 12 months, all three switched to shipping their gruppos via UPS, which means you get dinged import duties + a fee for handling import duties by UPS.

Previously they shipped USPS, and most of the time USPS just ignored import duties because it wasn't worth their time to deal with and they were the government so they could get away with it.
I bought a SR crankset last year from Ribble who shipped it DHL with a nice tariff on it - and an incorrect code assignment no less. I appealed and won, but that's another story...

[stoosy]

I just received an Ultegra 6800 grouppo from Merlin. First time I've bought from them. Ordered on Monday, 1/25, shipped on Tuesday, arrived Thursday, 1/28, via UPS International-free shipping, 3 days shipping in total to the US Southeast! No customs duties paid. I have used PBK- slow shipping, 3-4 wks, Ribble- around 4 days, no customs paid on either. Really pleased with Merlin, killer price, killer fast/free shipping!

[zap]

If you are uncomfortable buying from the UK, Velomine gets pretty close on price.

Velomine has some of the best prices in the USA. Texas Cycle Sport is another.

[Birddog]

Another good E-store is eurobikeparts.com, they are in Chicago. I bought an Ultegra group from them about 4 mos ago and paid about $50 more than at Ribble. I felt better about it and there was no tariff. I had been hit previously on a small purchase from PBK and I was still pissed.

[Fatty]

I found with Chain Reaction the return of items procedure more difficult when compared to Wiggle, Ribble etc...no longer use them anymore...

Sorry you felt some pain returning something to Chain Reaction .

I had the opposite, a painless return to CR with a quick credit the same week I shipped. I should say painless except for the freight back over the pond.

[Neil]

Something that might be of interest to you chaps - here in the UK we buy from Germany (Bike24.com etc) as they are cheaper (generally) than Wiggle etc.

[BobbyJones]

I got "Black Friday'd" into ordering a DA9k group from Merlin.

Got dinged about 30 bucks in Duties + 10 for UPS Admin fees- according to the published HS codes, it was probably for the shifters.

What I find odd is that Merlin hands off all assignation to an automated UPS system so they have no way of telling WHAT you're being taxed on or what HS codes are assigned to which products according to the CS rep. UPS CS was a little more helpful to tell me which codes were used, but couldn't say to which products they were assigned.

[Wakatel_Luum]

Sorry you felt some pain returning something to Chain Reaction .



I had the opposite, a painless return to CR with a quick credit the same week I shipped. I should say painless except for the freight back over the pond.


I found a return could be processed with Wiggle on their website...

Chain Reaction made me print a form out that had to be scanned/emailed or faxed back to them...

I know first world problem... ;)

[Neil]

http://www.vaneyckstore.be/nl/p/shimano-ultegra-6800-groepset-compact

[chiasticon]

bought a lot of stuff through Merlin and Ribble. groupset through Merlin was the best - got it in like two days via UPS. everything else has been USPS and pretty slow. I'd say about two weeks on average. however, I ordered something from Ribble on Dec 20th and still haven't received it and they haven't answered repeated emails. I'm about to file it as fraud with the credit card company. :(

[Ralph]

I always use PayPal for all of them that takes it. Then settle up with PayPal.

[chiasticon]

I always use PayPal for all of them that takes it. Then settle up with PayPal.yep, that's what I did. should've phrased that better. intention was: they aren't helping, I need someone else to step in.