Eldest_oab is due to take a year out in Canada or USA, working and riding bikes 😎

He is saving for new bike, but are bikes any cheaper there rather than here?

I suspect the Canadian or US brands may be…?

Obviously depends on what he buys but simply the fact that he is paying in pounds effectively makes his money go twice as far. I’m not sure that bikes are a lot cheaper in North America.

He should definitely stash a couple of cotics and Croix de fers/longitudes in his carry on to flog there. They are hard to get and for some reason have a lot of interested buyers.

I’ve been to Florida a few times and have a friend in the bike trade. Whenever I’ve been over I’ve found that US made components are a bit cheaper but full bikes are more expensive. I’d be looking at buying a UK bike and a bike bag to ship it in.

Check online pricing for what he wants, but yeah buy and sell there should work out better

I’d buy there for warranty support, which could be a nightmare if bought in the UK.

Obviously it depends on the sales tax in the particular state or province, but things are a lot cheaper over there. I bought a set of bars there that were 25% cheaper when tax was factored in, and they were quite pricy.

Every bike I’ve ever compared has been waaaay cheaper in the States or Canada than over here. Parts less so, even US bike shops moan about Wiggle!

I think bikes are cheaper in Canada than the UK although it varies by brand and province. Sales tax in Alberta is only 5% for example.

I’d also advocate for having something with warranty backup etc.

A final point is being friendly with a LBS. Quite often they run group rides etc which could help with meeting people.

Final thought on budget. If it’s Canada and full year don’t forget skis / board will also be “needed”.

Pick a well known brand (e.g Giant) and compare. Ridley’s cycle in Calgary have website with prices for example.

I’d be buying stateside and selling back in the UK.
US is typically cheaper than Canada.

His aim is Whistler or Fernie. Fall back is looking States but not yet sure where.

I hadn’t thought of warranty, or the fact that ‘befriending’ a shop could be great socially.

Every time I’ve ogled bikes in the US they’ve always been cheaper, depending on exchange rate. Take a look online and see for yourself.

Try somewhere like Jenson USA.

Based on some of the offers I have seen on Jenson in US I second that Molgrips they seem far cheaper, from personal experience I know clothes are certainly cheaper.

Every time I’ve ogled bikes in the US they’ve always been cheaper,

Did you factor in sales tax? As it varies buying in the right bit of the right state helps a lot. Tourist towns add on a bit more local sales tax too so watch for that. There is a quick online guide down to county level for the US.

This is a bit of a tangent but Fernie and Whistler will be two very different experiences.

If you buy online in the USA no sales tax is added, but if you are in Canada making that purchase there will be customs fees and duties to pay.

If you buy online in Canada you are charged the sales tax rate of the province where the card is registered. Using a foreign card I suspect you’ll be charged the tax of the shop’s province.

In general, Canada isn’t a cheap country.

If your son decides to stay, it is easier to make the application while he’s there than after he leaves. Not that I’m trying to split your family up, but it could be worth setting some funds aside to fund any visa applications should he want to.

And to answer your question, I’d buy locally as it is a way to form a relationship with a shop and its staff. Giants were cheaper in Canada than USA or UK the last time I looked.

Whistler is a big holiday resort. A great place, but a more Canadian experience would be had in a normal town as there’d be fewer foreign (British and Australian) workers.

You can’t beat whistler and it’s access to the sea to sky corridors riding for
a summer experience , but I’d avoid whistler in the winter and head to a smaller resort.
Whilst Whistler’s summer of riding opportunities is unbeatable, it comes with it own specific challenges and it depends on your lad and how he can manage those.

What kind of work is he looking for? If bike shop or riding related then waiting till he’s dialled in his employment would be wise. Bike Shop jobs or guiding jobs for the mountains will open up discounted bikes.
However that comes with a cross over period where he’ll need a bike in the mean time.
Whistlers is also a tricky one as he’ll need/want two bikes. All other BC resorts and you can pretty much ride one bike.
Buying a bike in BC only adds 5% tax. Most shops would probably offer up 10% off MSRP (RRP) when asked.
I have a large 2018 Genius tuned for sale.. pm me for details if you want 😉

In general, Canada isn’t a cheap country.

Seconded. Online shopping in Canada is also complete bobbins, so if he wanted (for example) to check out a bike in the UK, then buy it cheaper in N America, the US would work better for that. He’s likely to get a much better selection, and better prices, in the US than Canada; but Canadian customs is a complete ballache – if buying in the US and then going to Canada, he’d want to ride it a few times in the US so he can plausibly claim he’s already owned it and he’s not ‘importing’ (to sell) it.

Speaking as someone who lives in Canada, I’d be looking to buy in the UK or US, myself, but spending a lot of time on Google to compare prices is the best bet.

Walleater is your man. He’s a bike tech at Republic Bicycles in Squamish and a jolly good fellow.

I don’t think crossing the us/Canadian border with a bike opens up any major tax concerns when on a temporary working holiday visa in the same way it would for a perm resident/citizen who’s here to stay. But yes, if you’ve travelled cross border for it then you’d absolutely want to grab a few days in Washington riding it for the fun aspect 😉 it’s still only 5% if declared anyway.
Shipping a bike from the UK/us means you can’t avoid tax/duty though.
I just ordered a Solaris frame from the UK. Less the VAT and plus the shipping it’s still cheaper than UK retail but I’ll have to pay the 5%, duty and brokerage fees when it’s assessed by the courrier at the point of importation.

BC only adds 5% tax

I thought sales tax in BC was 12%

BC tax is confusing, No tax on essential foods, eggs, milk etc,
5% goods and services tax, 7% provincial sales tax which is 8% for accommodation rentals. 2-3% tourist tax on accommodation.
Many sports goods are 5% only,
clothes, cars and TVs etc are 12%

Matt, if he checks out something like jensonusa.com, which is like their version of CRC. Some of their ready built custom spec bikes are amazingly cheap compared to over here. I’d buy one there.

BC tax is confusing

So it seems.

Obviously depends on what he buys but simply the fact that he is paying in pounds effectively makes his money go twice as far

Eh?

C Cyclist just put last year’s Highballs on special.
The bikeshops in Fernie are all great; there are even some 2nd hand bikes up for sale in the Gearhub.
Straightline are superb for Santa Cruz and servicing.
There is also the Guides Hut and Ski Base for every other make you could want.

Fernie and Whistler are very different – they give you free beer just for riding your bike in Fernie; they would charge for the air you breathe if they could in Whistler.

Back to bikes, the direct sales company Fezzari may have an off putting name, but their la sal peak is getting good reviews with prices starting at US $3500.

“Walleater is your man. He’s a bike tech at Republic Bicycles in Squamish and a jolly good fellow.”

Never heard of him / them!

In all seriousness there is something to be said for buying a bike locally. We’ll happily spend four hours building a bike by stripping it down, greasing / threadlocking pivot bearings and hardware etc and getting the bike 100% dialled. In contrast, the YT that is currently in my stand must have been assembled by a drunk Gorilla.
If price is 100% the deciding factor then buying on-line or out of Canada is probably the best bet but be prepared for a potential poo-show. Shipping / postage here is such a farce that I just pay more locally. Time is money etc.

Eh?

He will be required to show he can support himalef for the duration of his stay. Even if he gets a work visa he will have to demonstrate he has enough money to support himself until he can earn enough. That money will be money he earned/has in pounds, as he will bring it with him from the UK. The pound goes about $1.70 can at them moment. Ergo each pound is worth twice as much in dollars.

Yeah but stuff that sells for £1 doesn’t necessarily sell for CAD $1.

Bikes are a bit cheaper but mainly because you are not paying UK vat and duty and shipping.

Given the pretty poor exchange rate it’s not a huge deal.

I’ve bought in 3 bikes from the USA. One was an amazing saving because the manufacturer did me a deal but it had the necessary vat and duty put on it. And it was still an amazing deal.

The others I bought and rode out there for a while and I bought them back myself. They saved about £600.

Thanks all.

Visa’s etc – he’s working already and will have way more than needed in savings for visa, plus hoping to get a job (he works for Hilton) plus has the cash for a new bike already on top…

Location – I too am not convinced by Whistler, everyone we speak to in Canada suggests other places. I’ve even got an old colleague living in Fernie (she is ski patrol, husband is mountain guide) another current colleague on Vancouver Island who are offering to help out if needed… But at 17 all you do is see the a-line videos and dream….

Bikes – I’m more a fan of speaking to a local shop and getting organised and looked after, especially as I can’t help with the spannering. I was just trying to avoid shipping a Can/US bike to UK, paying import costs and tax to then ship it back to country of origin! It makes sense that a local buy would/should be better value – and not just cheapest deal…

walleater – we may be in touch…

I used to buy quite a lot of stuff from Jensons and other US online retailers before CRC happened. Prices on clearance bikes can be really good, but it’s just a matter of luck whether you find something that suits you – often they have old stock XS or XL sizes only, or unpopular colors. Also, a lot of complete bikes are on-site sales only. They will ship the bike for you, but someone has to walk into the shop to sign for it. For example:

Giant Trance

The US just closed the Mail Order loop hole for in country sales too, so you have to pay the sales tax where you are not where it was shipped from I think.

Yeah but stuff that sells for £1 doesn’t necessarily sell for CAD $1.

No, true. Bikes, cars, food, beer, rent and too many other things to mention are a lot cheaper in N.A., so with the exchange on top your are literally quids in.

Thanks Matt_outandabout. My email is my username here @gmail.com if you’d like to contact me any time.

Whistler at 17 is a tricky one. A big draw for Whistler is the party vibe but the legal drinking age isn’t until 19, and bars check ID quite a bit IIRC. I was getting beer from the liquor store in Squamish last year, got checked for ID and I was 45!!! It’s going to be the same age limit everywhere in BC of course but something to think about more for Whistler as many people go there as much for the night life as the riding. Depends what his priorities are!

The pound goes about $1.70 can at them moment. Ergo each pound is worth twice as much in dollars

That’s not how foreign exchange works.

cars, food, beer, rent and too many other things to mention are a lot cheaper in N.A

absolutely not in my experience here in BC

[debbie downer]
“at 17”
IMO Whistler is probably NOT the place!
Regardless of how well adjusted he is, you can’t expect to put a 17 year old in a holiday town that is full of 19-30 shredders and not have him at some point make poor decisions or be pressured into poor decisions. don’t get me wrong, there are absolutely teens that make it work with no problem and have unforgettable positive experiences. Hes just a long way from help when he needs it. A trip to the clinic for a riding injury being the #1 on the list.
He can’t drink in the bars, weed is legal yet easily available along with all other recreational drugs, Whistler is the STD capital of Canada.
[/dd]
OK, moving along… I think you need a town with a support network in place IMO. Fernie sounds perfect from the networking perspective but its a but far from international airports (3hrs Calgary,10hrs Vancouver) which is a factor for visiting and not super close to other ‘key’ riding destinations (although BC is dotted with amazing places) and he’ll be vehicle reliant to move about.
Vancouver island is up and coming too. Ferry reliant for the mainland but Mount Washington is open again after a brief hiatus for summer mechanised riding (and winter ski ops). The local trail network is superb and whilst the island is typically an older population, it’s attracting more younger generations..
I’m not saying that other towns don’t have the same drug availability /decision challenges as whistler, its just that Whistler is compounded with the sheer number of people seeking that same thrill and the scope of the terrain and trails that are accessible.
Its without question a superb place to visit and vacation in, but working holidays for most mean working multiple jobs in order to be able to pay seemingly extortionate rent.
Jobs with accommodation for a 17yo will be scarce and even the hilton might struggle to prioritize him over an older candidate as he is a minor.
There also wont be many other minors working and living in those industries so he may be relatively alienated

However, the one job that I would absolutely advocate for in Whistler for a younger person is coaching the Whistler DFX kids programs. It has guaranteed first year hours unlike any other bike guiding job through the resort. You establish a network of co-workers immediately, you get the opportunity to live in slightly subsidized accommodation (like uni halls of residence and yes it has challenges) but you do need to do WB’s coaching course before employment at your own cost. But again, you are straight into a group of potential season long comrades who you could end up living with season long and end up with an industry leading certification.
Get the right group and the local kids are absolute rippers and a blast to ride with!
Work is 8-3 I think, so scope to trail ride evenings or work back end hospitality as a second job.
When we had our chalets, we hosted the accommodation side of the coaching courses for Whistlers hiring qualification course. We had the pleasure of hosting some exceptional younger adults who went on to have great Whistler experiences. Some were there for the wrong reasons and didn’t cut it but those with the right attitudes absolutely found their way.

Just my 2p.

cars, food, beer, rent and too many other things to mention are a lot cheaper in N.A

North America is a big place. If you factor in Mexico then things may be cheap. Canada isn’t cheap and the further north you go the more you pay.

Edit

I think whistler at 17 may end in trouble.

If he’s heading to the US then Steamboat in Colorado is stunning.