Can someone explain Chain Reaction Shipping to me?

[Pegoready]

Like, do they have access to a time machine?

Ordered: Sunday

Dispatched: Monday

Arrived: Tuesday, to my home in CA, via DHL with lots of tracking updates to my phone

I don't think a shipment within the state of CA would arrive so quickly, let alone from the UK.

I ordered about $500 worth of stuff, free shipping, huge box due to handlebars. I'm kind of flabbergasted in a good way.



Order date:



Tracking updates, which ballparked Thursday, which I truly didn't believe. I assumed the tracking was for the package to get into the country or some next checkpoint:



And all of a sudden, Tuesday afternoon a box arrives. Yes, that's a suede Flite! And a 26.0 Deda bar with a modern shape! So excited for these things I can't find in the USA easily:

[Pegoready]

And yes, Chain Reaction beat some Amazon Prime orders I made on the same day. Crazy.

[RobJ]

I think the key is DHL. I had the same with CR and an order from SJS Cycles in the UK. DHL is always ahead of schedule and updates galore.


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[ColonelJLloyd]

They sorta do have an 8-hour time machine in some respects. Yeah, I've had insane delivery times from Merlin and Chain Reaction in the past. Most of the packages are in the lightest weight cardboard though and have little to no padding or air-packs in them. They look like a box from that Ace Ventura scene by the time they get to me. But, so far I've had nothing broken or scratched.

I'm currently waiting on a DHL delivery from Bike24 on which the tracking hasn't updated since it left Germany on 7/22. Could it be traveling by sea with the decreased air capacity?

[RobJ]

Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd

They sorta do have an 8-hour time machine in some respects. Yeah, I've had insane delivery times from Merlin and Chain Reaction in the past. Most of the packages are in the lightest weight cardboard though and have little to no padding or air-packs in them. They look like a box from that Ace Ventura scene by the time they get to me. But, so far I've had nothing broken or scratched.

I'm currently waiting on a DHL delivery from Bike24 on which the tracking hasn't updated since it left Germany on 7/22. Could it be traveling by sea with the decreased air capacity?

Germany (Bike24) is the odd one out for some reason. I ordered from them recently and it took about 5 weeks! The UK order showed up in 2 days.


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[Hilltopperny]

I had a similar experience with PBK earlier this month with a set of wheels. The common denominator being DHL. Had my wheels before the frameset I purchased a week earlier came from Seattle.

[fmradio516]

wooooahh cool Flite

[Blown Reek]

I ordered three items from PBK on Sunday, and two out of the three items arrived today.

[Seott-e]

I've had very good results with them too. Hope they keep it up it's gotta be helping them as well.

[primov8]

CRC is one of my favorite online retailers. This past June, I ordered a complete bike, a Cube Acid 240 for my son. It was ordered on a Friday evening, dispatched Saturday and delivered to NYC Monday afternoon. Their customer service, from a recent experience has been great too. I ordered a Shamal Ultra C17 wheelset. Fast delivery as usual but only the rear wheel was sent; no front wheel and no bags. I emailed the Monday evening I received the incomplete package. Tuesday morning, an email response stating due to the pandemic, a possible delay for the warehouse team due to limited staff. I wake up Wednesday morning and several emails from CRC apologizing for their mistake, the missing front wheel and bags were found and the tracking # via DHL. The front wheel and Campagnolo wheel bags were delivered Friday.

[charliedid]

It's crazy fast and it does seem that DHL is the magic sauce here. They built that company on crucial timeframe shipping not just volume I guess.

[flying]

I have been singing the CRC praises for months now.
Like you I am always amazed I get things from them so very quickly via DHL express

They were fast even before Covid when they used Royal Mail> USPS
But now super quick tracked to your door

Only downside is if you ever return something
They do make it easy using their rebound service & you can stuff multiple orders in one box for $18 but it is sloooooooow
I'm talking 7 weeks slow

But it does get there then they credit your return promptly

[peanutgallery]

Should 2 to 3 day shipping from Europe even be a thing?

They should at least charge you sales tax. It's a race to the bottom

[Louis]

Chewy (pet supplies online) is also scary fast.

[jkbrwn]

I was looking for some handlebars that were sold out everywhere in the U.S. Merlin had them for less than their RRP in the U.S. inclusive of two day shipping. I have been charged the same for shipping from the UK via DHL as I have been via USPS in the U.S. It is a no brainer.