Mountain Bikes

[Carl and Liz]

We're about to make the move from Los Angeles to Wellington. I need a new mountain bike. I'm guessing the prices/selections are cheaper/better here in LA, but the savings may be wiped out by having to ship it. Anyone have any insight to mountain bike prices and selection in NZ and methods/costs of shipping bikes. We are not doing the container thing but instead got rid of almost everything and are shipping over several boxes only.

Thanks for any input.

Liz

[ruthyroo]

Don't know how helpful this is... we ended up bringing two bikes with us. It cost a wee bit more but was worth it. If you do decide to buy new here then definitely do it using savings rather than waiting till you start earning NZ$$!

Prices for a bottom of the range mountain bike start at a couple of hundred $$... and go up to the dizzying heights of the $3000 Mr Rr paid for a custom-made bike...! So the full range is available here, and if you are buying it from savings won't necessarily seem too expensive.

[Miffy]

Trust me they go alot higher than a 'mere' $3,000 !!! for a good mountain bike.

It really depends on what type of biking you plan to do. If its just a bike around the park, maybe a bit around town and occasionaly do a bit of proper off road stuff, then you can buy over here in NZ. there is a alot of choice.

If you plan to do alot of serious mountain biking (XC, DH or freestyle) espcially if you plan to race then you maybe better of getting your bike in the US.

There are alot of top notch bickes here, but the range and makes are limited and they are pricey (I compare with prices to the UK and they are similar or slight more so they will be alot more compared to the US) - mainly Giants, Trek, Avians and Specalised, with a few stores have one to two others brands.
The bike shops can get you any bike you want, but they will possibly be imported it them selves.

Ian (the bloke) is on the look for a new mountain bike. His super duper one (FSR Specialised Stump jumper) got nicked in the UK about 6 months before we came out.
He is seriously considering flying to LA to get the dream bike he wants and then flying home with it (not stopping in LA just fly in and then out) as this will save on import tax, and the cost of shipping it is similar to the flight prices but actual bike price is cheaper (and has the make / model he is after).

When I get home tonight I'll ask him for some of the links for NZ bikes shops so you can compare the range and the price.

[Miffy]

Here are some bike shop web address (taken from Ians favourite list - hopefully they do link to bike shops and are not a cover for p0rn .... )

www.rrsport.co.nz
www.beyondbikes.com
www.bicyclebusiness.co.nz
www.bikeshack.co.nz
www.bikeshop.co.nz
www.cyclexpress.co.nz
www.cyco.co.nz
www.ridecycles.co.nz

[Carl and Liz]

Wow! Thanks for the info. Miffy, your bloke sounds like a serious rider. If there's anything I can do on the LA end (for the few days I'm still here) let me know.

[Miffy]

oh thanks for the offer!
Doubt you will still be there when he greats around to actually buying one.
He is still madly saving and hopefully will be in a postion to make that special purchase around xmas time or just after.