Shipping bike to UK

[DCilliams]

Hey guys,

Anyone shipped a bike internationally in the last few months? I've got a potential buyer in UK and wondered if I should go bikeflights (UPS) or with another shipper (one who used FedEx). The taxes/duties are another hurdle relative to declared value of the bike. Anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks!

[jkbrwn]

Couriers sometimes slip through the net when something is received in the UK. My friend didn’t pay duty on his Firefly. Another friend did pay duty on his Baum. They will always invoice you after the fact though, eg, they’ll send you a notice in the post after receiving the goods. They won’t hold the item until you pay your import duties. Duties are a flat 20% on anything over £20.

Also check out shipbikes as they use fedex. Both are reliable couriers in the UK in my experience.

Couriers seem to be unaffected by COVID when shipping to the UK, too. It’s only shipping from the UK using Royal Mail that has been very delayed. My family have sent me small parcels that have taken over a month to arrive.



EDIT: *you* refers to the person receiving the goods. Oops.

[Pinned]

Do not use BikeFlights for this - BikeFlights charges you all of the taxes and import costs upfront (using the worst possible case scenario pricing, because they get billed after the fact and are covering themselves) so you'll overpay.

ShipBikes is the way to go - not only is the actual shipping less expensive but they bill after the fact so you generally do a good bit better.

It is expensive to ship into the UK either way, their import duties/tariffs are kind of absurd.

[ultraman6970]

USPS IMO, but you have to check the max box size 1st because some countries have size restrictions.

Funny thing, from other countries here you can ship a plane if you want tho.

[ddtn]

UK Customs agents are pretty aggressive. I've been charged on parcels from family – they hold your stuff until you pay the duty (they open and check as well), and there's no appeal. Generally if you want to avoid import duty on something like a bike, make it seem like you are shipping your own used bike to yourself.

[DCilliams]

Do not use BikeFlights for this - BikeFlights charges you all of the taxes and import costs upfront (using the worst possible case scenario pricing, because they get billed after the fact and are covering themselves) so you'll overpay.

ShipBikes is the way to go - not only is the actual shipping less expensive but they bill after the fact so you generally do a good bit better.

It is expensive to ship into the UK either way, their import duties/tariffs are kind of absurd.

Ah, good call. I was wondering why bike flights charged so much.

[NewDFWrider]

If possible, you may want to check in on shipping method and any backlog. We ordered a frog 55 for my kid, and apparently it is really delayed because of the dearth of international flights available. (Or maybe they are stringing me along).

[jpw]

I received bags from Andrew The Maker a couple of months ago. I took a little more than two weeks from sending to receiving.

[simonconnell]

Just to add to the above:

- Taxes and duties are levied on the declared value of the item. Taxes are 20% flat rate, and duties vary according to the item - from memory there is a difference between complete bikes, and components

- There are plenty of delays in international shipping at the moment, but also lots of unpredictability. I’ve had things arrive in days, and others take weeks and weeks

- Since bikes are quite light, it will be the volume of the parcel that drives the shipping cost more than the actual weight. So worth getting everything carefully into the smallest possible box