anyone ordered from probikekit?

[Kines]

I am a little confused, and so I aborted just before placing the order. Even though you choose country at the home page (I chose USA) and US dollars show up on the catalog, when you place the order it switches to pounds, and then there's no mention of shipping (except upcharging for expediting).

So, is it being shipped from the UK? Will I pay additional shipping or customs that isn't showing up? Will it take a month to get the goods?

TIA
KN

[gomez308]

I've only ordered once. No shipping costs and the package came in less than a week. Easy squeezy.

[jemoryl]

The final conversion from pounds to dollars will be made by your credit card company; they will use the rate that is in effect at the time it is processed and probably add a 3% fee for a foreign currency transaction (something they thought up in recent years to pad their bottom line).

Shipping to the US is usually free from PBK and the items can arrive surprisingly soon, often in a heavy duty plastic bag. Everything I've ordered has come within a week or so. I've never been assessed a duty - apparently customs doesn't think it is worth the effort for small items.

[Dave]

See if the total price of the goods matches the price in pounds, when converted to dollars. Today's conversion rate of 1.76 is better than it was just a week ago at 1.86. Since the company is in the UK, you must pay in pounds. They occasionally offer free shipping if the order is large enough.

I just completed an order for over $300 and there was no shipping charge.

[Hardlyrob]

I bought a Campy Centaur group, tires etc. for the new Kirk through them. Great shipping time, no shipping charge, no duty etc.

The currency conversion is made by the credit card company, so the actual price may be slightly different than the currency converted on the web site. I still found them to have the best combination of prices and selection.

Be careful on the website though - somehow I managed to order two rear der's. It wasn't clear to me how I did that. I ended up selling the extra one here for what I paid for it, so no big deal.

Cheers!

Rob

[BumbleBeeDave]

The final conversion from pounds to dollars will be made by your credit card company; they will use the rate that is in effect at the time it is processed and probably add a 3% fee for a foreign currency transaction (something they thought up in recent years to pad their bottom line).

Shipping to the US is usually free from PBK and the items can arrive surprisingly soon, often in a heavy duty plastic bag. Everything I've ordered has come within a week or so. I've never been assessed a duty - apparently customs doesn't think it is worth the effort for small items.

That final conversion is done by your CC company. Yellow Vittoria Open Corsa CX's on sale for $37 each, free shipping, and they were on my office desk in 3 days. LOOK Keo Carbon's for $150, again free ship, and on my desk in four days. It's hard to beat that! . . .

BBD

[Onno]

Can anyone explain why their prices are so low? Someone suggested to me that they must be buying stuff on the gray market (whatever that is), since their retail prices can be below American wholesale prices. I'm guessing that buying from them skirts duties that American wholesalers have to pay.

[Kines]

I gave it a go, picking up the 09 Centaur for $237. I haven't seen it for sale elsewhere, but since that's lower than most prices I've seen on 08 Centaur, it seemed worth it to me.

Now I'll wait and see...

KN

[rwsaunders]

Several orders over the past year and never a problem.

[SoCalSteve]

I gave it a go, picking up the 09 Centaur for $237. I haven't seen it for sale elsewhere, but since that's lower than most prices I've seen on 08 Centaur, it seemed worth it to me.

Now I'll wait and see...

KN

Nothing to wait and see about. It will show up and it will be what you ordered, maybe minus the boxes, maybe not.

[PaulE]

Can anyone explain why their prices are so low? Someone suggested to me that they must be buying stuff on the gray market (whatever that is), since their retail prices can be below American wholesale prices. I'm guessing that buying from them skirts duties that American wholesalers have to pay.

US import duties must be part of it. I also suspect that since the UK's 17.5% VAT is part of the retail price on everything over there it leads to some sticker shock for the ultimate consumer, as opposed to our sales taxes which vary substantially state by state and are not part of the retail price quoted. As a result, the wholesale prices may be a little lower in the UK. Also, the UK pound may be viewed as a more stable currency than the US $, so the manufacturers may have a slightly lower wholesale price in that currency, as they don't want to be raising prices several times a season and they don't want to get squeezed if exchange rates go against them.

All this is speculation on my part, I've often wondered the same thing. And then on top of their low prices they offer free shipping on everything except wheels, frames, bikes and other big items. How do they do it?

[SoCalSteve]

Can anyone explain why their prices are so low? Someone suggested to me that they must be buying stuff on the gray market (whatever that is), since their retail prices can be below American wholesale prices. I'm guessing that buying from them skirts duties that American wholesalers have to pay.

Maybe they buy OEM since they do "make" their own line of bikes...They can also buy in large bulk. Also, they can buy complete bike build packages and then break them up...Its the free shipping that I dont get....What is their profit margin that allows them to do this???

[Ti-Boy]

Few orders. Never a problem.

[Hardlyrob]

I don't know the specifics, but clearly the Campy parts through PBK are not destined for retail sales - they don't come in spiffy boxes, just a plastic bag, sometimes with the manual or instructions, and sometimes not.

The tires also do not come with retail packaging (sleeves and whatnot) - just tires in a box.

This may be how they have the prices they do.

Cheers!

Rob

[jemoryl]

Can anyone explain why their prices are so low? Someone suggested to me that they must be buying stuff on the gray market (whatever that is), since their retail prices can be below American wholesale prices. I'm guessing that buying from them skirts duties that American wholesalers have to pay.

I personally think that the cycling culture of the US vs. Europe has a small part to play here. American roadies tend to have a lot of disposable income whereas cycling can be a more blue collar sport in Europe. Our importers, operating at low volume, realize that they can charge a lot and some will even take that as the sign of a superior product. How many times have you read 'you get what you pay for' on a cycling board? I thought SRAM Red was a ridculously overpriced group destined for failure, but not everyone is a penny pincher like myself.... And now we have Super Record!

PBK sells a lot of stuff without retail packaging too, which is fine with me.

[Joel]

...never any problems. The final invoice that shows up at home is also in Pound Sterling. Credit Card charge comes through in Dollars at prevailing conversion just like when you buy something abroad.

As with others...big blue bag...of goodies usually arrive in seven to eight days after ordering.

Just received tires for Lori's bike on Wednesday seven days after ordering. 3 tires and 3 three tubes for what just 2 tires would have cost state-side retail or mail order.

Joel

[Onno]

Yes, things arriving without the packaging is OK, but it also makes one wonder. Do they remove the packaging to save money on shipping, or are they buying the parts off a truck in Hong Kong, or Kiev....? They have far too many parts in stock to be taking them off complete bikes.

[Dave]

PBK reminds me of the old 11speed.com, that is now out of business. I made a couple of orders with them and the parts were always wrapped in Shimano instruction pages. The best deal I eve got was 16 Michelin Pro 2 Race tires for about $23 each. I'm still using them.

The only problem I've had with overseas orders is improper charging of import duties. I got dinged for $15 on an order that included items like chains and tires that are not subject to import duties. The package was described as bike accessories, so I got charged. When UPS sent me a bill for the duty, I refused to pay it and explained why. Never got a second billing.

[palincss]

I am a little confused, and so I aborted just before placing the order. Even though you choose country at the home page (I chose USA) and US dollars show up on the catalog, when you place the order it switches to pounds, and then there's no mention of shipping (except upcharging for expediting).

So, is it being shipped from the UK? Will I pay additional shipping or customs that isn't showing up? Will it take a month to get the goods?

TIA
KN

I bought a pair of Pro2Race 25mm from them a couple of years ago, when they had a big sale on and free shipping, and I've ordered from St Johns St Cycles several times. Ordering online from the UK is not much different than ordering from Nashbar or Performance. The goods come via Royal Mail from the UK, in about the same time as from Nashbar, and no customs duties. When figuring out the cost, you usually need to subtract VAT and convert currency.

The UK's a great option for things that simply aren't available here, such as silver (rather than black) Tubus racks, or the Stronglight A-9 headset that was my most recent purchase: entirely out of stock in the USA, still available in several places in the UK, even as recently as last week.

[jemoryl]

......The only problem I've had with overseas orders is improper charging of import duties. I got dinged for $15 on an order that included items like chains and tires that are not subject to import duties. The package was described as bike accessories, so I got charged. When UPS sent me a bill for the duty, I refused to pay it and explained why. Never got a second billing.

UPS is the problem in the above. PBK sends by Royal Mail, which winds up being delivered by the USPS. UPS wants to make some extra money by trying to extort from you a 'customs administration fee' or some such - I think FedEx will do this too. The post office doesn't.

[dannyg1]

UPS is the problem in the above. PBK sends by Royal Mail, which winds up being delivered by the USPS. UPS wants to make some extra money by trying to extort from you a 'customs administration fee' or some such - I think FedEx will do this too. The post office doesn't.

It's a mandatory 'brokerage' fee charged via their contracted customs broker. Don't know ow legit the set-up is but it's their broker that forces a 'customs fee'.

As an aside, a post above mentioned chains and tires as no-duty items. Which items aren't 'dutiable' and why?

Thanks

[Dave]

It's a mandatory 'brokerage' fee charged via their contracted customs broker. Don't know ow legit the set-up is but it's their broker that forces a 'customs fee'.

As an aside, a post above mentioned chains and tires as no-duty items. Which items aren't 'dutiable' and why?

Thanks


Do a search on Harmonized Tariff Schedules of the United States. There are many pages of documents listing specific items for bicycles. I have no idea why some things are charged and others are not, but bike frames are subect to tariffs, while tires and chains are not. I've bought one frame from the UK, but it didn't get charged. It depends on the point of entry into the US and how diligent the customs people are.

[jemoryl]

Do a search on Harmonized Tariff Schedules of the United States. There are many pages of documents listing specific items for bicycles. I have no idea why some things are charged and others are not, but bike frames are subect to tariffs, while tires and chains are not. I've bought one frame from the UK, but it didn't get charged. It depends on the point of entry into the US and how diligent the customs people are.

Just to clarify, what Dannyg1 and I are refering to is a fee levied by the shipper (UPS or FedEx in this case) to take care of their expenses for clearing your stuff through customs. Or so they say. This is above and beyond the actual duty. It does seem that customs doesn't bother collecting a duty on most shipments of bike parts.

[Dave]

Just to clarify, what Dannyg1 and I are refering to is a fee levied by the shipper (UPS or FedEx in this case) to take care of their expenses for clearing your stuff through customs. Or so they say. This is above and beyond the actual duty. It does seem that customs doesn't bother collecting a duty on most shipments of bike parts.

The bill I got from UPS came a week or two after I received my shipment and specifically referred to tariff or duty, not some fee from UPS. UPS said that they paid the duty for me, so I owed them reimbursement. That's why I refused to pay it. I told them to learn what is in the package and not pay unwarranted duty charges.

[sandbox1979]

i ordered some brifters and a chain a few months ago... got the stuff in about 8-9 days (CO), with no charge for shipping. the only extra charge on my card was like a 1% (somewhere around $2.50) fee for an international transaction. i will definitely order from them again.

[Kines]

Sure enough. They arrived today, original sealed Campy box.
Just put 'em on, will ride 'em tomorrow....

KN

[Kines]

Oh I just noticed I never mentioned what i ordered.

'09 Centaur shifters to go with my current Record 10.

KN