# Cannondale shipping question



## rpthaus (Feb 15, 2010)

Hello all,

I'm currently living in Japan and I want to purchase a new CAAD9 4 Compact. There is an authorized Cannondale dealership near me, but they are charging well over twice the MSRP for the bike, and are telling me it will be weeks before they could get one in. I'm fairly certain that there isn't a 58cm bike on this island even if I wanted a different bike; they are all 52cm and below.

Basically what I'm asking is this: are there any online dealers who will ship a Cannondale to an APO address and retain the warranty? I think I know the answer to this, but I figured I'd ask the Cannondale experts before I look for another brand.

Thank you much.


----------



## tomato (May 16, 2002)

Welcome to Cycling Japan. Some great roads in this country but you are right: bike shops can be quite pricey. I think it’s going to be difficult to find a stateside shop willing to ship you a bike and while I am not sure about APO addresses, it is best to avoid Japanese customs if possible, the cost of import duties and taxes potentially negating much of your savings. If your bike has to go through customs you will always have to at least pay sales tax (5%) on the cost of the bike+shipping fee+insurance fee. Further charges might be applied and vary according to the weight, composition and purpose of the item. I know someone who works for customs but never seem to get a straight answer as to what the cost of importing something may actually cost.

I bought in the U.S. and carried my CAAD 7 to Japan myself back in 2006 and recently bought a closeout Specialized SL2 frame in Japan after considering import of a frame from the United States (R&A Cycles in New York seemed to have no qualms with shipping internationally but basically the closeout price here was low enough to more than offset shipping, taxes and duties). I am now researching where best to buy components from abroad. Campy is ungodly expensive here.

Things you might try:

1.) The buddy system. Some shops will sell the bike and ship it so long as someone comes into the shop to vouch for you. Or a friend takes receipt of the bike and ships it to you. Make sure the bike gets boxed appropriately for shipment (especially those delicate CAAD 9 tubes).

2.) UK Shops. I am not sure whether your salary comes in yen or dollars, but the pound is quite weak against the yen these days making stuff in the UK a good buy. Moreover, some UK shops are more than willing to ship internationally bikes that could not be shipped within or from the U.S. I am not sure whether this is due to different distribution agreements or not. Haven’t checked them out recently but Evans Cycles was once willing to ship a lot of manufacturer’s bikes internationally.

3.) Buy Locally. Yes MSRP are much more than in the States but some shops offer significant discounts on the MSRP, especially if the bike is paid for in cash or cash via electronic transfer—even with special orders. Generally discounts go up the further one gets into the current product year, although keep in mind that finding current year models becomes increasingly difficult after July. Seo Cycle always seemed willing to knock at least 20% off. I think their Cannondale shop is in Omiya. I bought my SL2 frame for nearly 40% off in a New Year’s sale.

Hope someone can chip in with a more concrete answer. Be sure to join some of the local races.


----------



## rpthaus (Feb 15, 2010)

Tomato,

Thanks for the detailed response. I have an APO address, which allows for my shipment to stay within the US Postal Service the entire way. It doesn't enter the Japanese system at all and, therefore, isn't subject to customs fees and taxes. The problem isn't really that I'm located in Japan, but that I can't find a Cannondale dealer who will ship a bicycle, period. I was just hoping that someone knew of a dealer that would. It seems that I can have just about any other brand shipped here just fine, but I wanted an aluminum frame, hence the CAAD9.

I'll do a little more research on the UK shops and local dealers. Thanks for the help.


----------

