Commuter Bicycle with fenders, chainguard, rack, etc., Any available in the U.S.?

Don Wiss wrote in message
. ..

Also I have applied for a VAT refund. At Schiphol, next to where I bought
the bike box for 20 Euros, is the place to get your paperwork stamped. Then
you have to mail the original back for a refund. In my case this is 122
Euros. The bike was 764 Euros (899 Euros less 15%). Purchased in Rotterdam
not too far from the train station.

So how did you get the bike to Schipol? Are you allowed to take it
on the train, or did you ride it from the shop to the airport? I haven't
decided on the U.K. or the Netherlands yet, depends on the availability
of tickets with my miles, and what bicycle I want. The Batavus bikes are
cooler, but the Giant bikes may be more practical and are less expensive.

It all seems a little insane to me to even be thinking of flying to Europe
to buy a bicycle (though I've brought 3 folders home from Taiwan).
You'd think that at least one major bike manufacturer could sell
reasonably priced commuter bikes in the US., it's not like they'd have to
design anything new, i.e. Giant has sveral models that they sell in Europe
for $250-400 or so, that they could sell here as well; someone decided
that no one would buy them, so commuter bikes become a boutique
item, sold at high prices.

"Steven M. Scharf" wrote:

Don Wiss wrote:

Also I have applied for a VAT refund. At Schiphol, next to where I bought
the bike box for 20 Euros, is the place to get your paperwork stamped. Then
you have to mail the original back for a refund. In my case this is 122
Euros. The bike was 764 Euros (899 Euros less 15%). Purchased in Rotterdam
not too far from the train station.

So how did you get the bike to Schipol? Are you allowed to take it
on the train,

Yes. It costs an extra 6 Euros to take a bike on the train.

or did you ride it from the shop to the airport? I haven't
decided on the U.K. or the Netherlands yet, depends on the availability
of tickets with my miles, and what bicycle I want. The Batavus bikes are
cooler, but the Giant bikes may be more practical and are less expensive.

What is impractical about a Batavus (or the similar Gazelle)?

Don donwiss at panix.com.

"Steven M. Scharf" wrote:

It all seems a little insane to me to even be thinking of flying to Europe
to buy a bicycle (though I've brought 3 folders home from Taiwan).

I would think that you can order one and have it shipped over. I would
think that the VAT would come off right upfront, and it could cover the
shipping. You can call the place I ordered mine from. It is H.T. Frensch.
Ring up 011-31-10-465-3223 and ask. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Don donwiss at panix.com.

Thanks, I'll try that. I e-mailed a shop in the UK that has on-line
ordering and says to inquire about shipping rates to the U.S.
Their response, "we don't ship to the U.S.." Probably they
meant that they don't ship complete bikes; not suprising since
most bike makers prohibit mail order sales.

"Don Wiss" wrote in message
...
"Steven M. Scharf" wrote:

It all seems a little insane to me to even be thinking of flying to
Europe
to buy a bicycle (though I've brought 3 folders home from Taiwan).

I would think that you can order one and have it shipped over. I would
think that the VAT would come off right upfront, and it could cover the
shipping. You can call the place I ordered mine from. It is H.T. Frensch.
Ring up 011-31-10-465-3223 and ask. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Don donwiss at panix.com.