[Closed] Buying an ebike from the EU

What you going to do when it conks out, send it back?

I think commencal send a courier to pick up the motor and have it repaired within a few week. I've taken all this into account and I know how problematic shimano motors are...unfortunately its extremely hard to find the right ebike for me in this country... thanks for your helpful advice.

thanks for your helpful advice.

It wasn’t advice. It was a pertinent question.
Good luck all the same.

It'll be left hand drive and the cut-off will be configured in KMH, not MPH...

Nice one. 👍

20% VAT

Yes, but Commencal knock the French vat off before you pay them.

6% import duty

It might be zero.

shipping and handling is included

If you're in the EU. They charge about 120 euro for shipping to the UK.

Thanks Kelvin.

It wasn’t advice. It was a pertinent question.
Good luck all the same.

Absolutely this.

iirc the bike has to be 70% European made to be taxed at 6% otherwise it is 14% or 16% can't remember which. The motor and battery will almost definitely be manufactured in the far east, as will probably the gears and brakes. Without starting to work out where other parts are manufactured I think it would be a struggle to claim any major brand ebike is 70% European.

Completely different thresholds for rules of origin, and different tariff rates if failing them, for E-bikes and normal bikes.

The import duty of 6% is payable if the ebike doesn't meet Rules of Origin, which it won't.

Cycling holiday in France ?. Ferry over with Halfords special, return with Ebike 😀

I have an ebike. I wouldn't "distance purchase" again. Motor failures could send you over the edge.

If you’re in the EU. They charge about 120 euro for shipping to the UK.

They're based in Andorra, I think, so you'd have been boned for import duty even if we were still in the EU.

edit- budget whatever import duty is plus VAT, plus the courier's 'handling charge' (use a random number generator for this.)

They ship from France.

Ah, ta.

I have an ebike. I wouldn’t “distance purchase” again. Motor failures could send you over the edge.

This is the reason I bought local. Took everyone's advice that if something goes wrong,trying to return it would be problematic at best, a complete pain in the proverbial at worst. Plus time having it to ship one into France and then back again.
Even from the point of buying from the likes of crc. A local shop I can phone the same day, have the bike there a day later.
Are there no stockists near you ?(wherever you may be)

I bought a Giant in france a few years ago on holidays.I had a warranty issue with the rear wheel, freehub collapsed, and giant UK just made me register my warranty with a local shop who handled the whole thing, was lovely and painless. I got a new rear wheel complete with disc about 10 days after.

UK shops will be able to get commencals. let them worry about it.

You are beta testing the product, expect it to fail and take the necesaary measures to make it as painless as possible to get it fixed, buy from somewhere local/good.

I bought a Giant in france a few years ago

so Pre Brexit. Whole new world of pain now.

so Pre Brexit. Whole new world of pain now.

My point was on warranty, others seem to have addressed the bringing it in problems...