thehammerdog

Just finished a quick review of my new road bike action where they review bikes in europe. It appears thatthey have far more choices on some very cool looking stuff. Why can't we get access to these bikes. Several from northern Europe area. Are bikes required to pass some inspection process or something?

TrojanHorse

Like what in particular are you pining for that isn't available here?

Jaymadd

Just because they are not available at your LBS doesn't mean that you cant get them in the U.S.

Hiro11

Conversely, I'm sure if you asked European cyclists, they'd kill to have US-style pricing on their bikes. It's almost always dollars for pounds or dollars for Euros. Notable exception: tires.

Machka 

Thorns aren't sold here in Australia ... but we ordered them in. I'm sure if you wanted a particular brand, you could order it in.

longbeachgary

I don't think it's a matter of inspection - It's a matter of a distribution network.

look566 rider

Exactly. Some european makers simply prefer not to deal with the hassle of selling over here. What these hassles are, I would like to know.

merlinextraligh

The U.S. is still more affluent than most of Europe. Consequently high end goods tend to be more readily available here.

Go in your average bike shop in most places in Europe, and the offerings are much lower end than you'll see in bike shops in the U.S.

eja_ bottecchia

I can't think of a single bike that I would want to own that is not available in the USA.

Gluteus

Don't you think we have plenty of choices in the US?

Maybe the market is kind of saturated?

Maybe the big players (Trek, Specialized) play hard ball to keep the competition out (exclusivity agreements with shops and distributors, etc)?

Elduderino2412

besides Canyon i can't think of any major brands you can't get in the US

adamdunn

ye ye

Hiro11

Off the top of my head:
Boardman
LaPierre
Cube
Corima
Merida
Ghost
Bridgestone/Anchor
Condor Cycles
Dolan
Gazelle
Kinesis (not sold in the US under their own brand)
Kuota (used to be sold here, no longer I believe)
Vitus
...etc

Elduderino2412

half of those you can get here. I have friends w/cube, ghost, kuota. I believe you can get boardman bikes here also, as i have seen them before
Other half i would'nt really consider all that major of a brand. Except maybe Lapierre, even though they don't have many major sponsorships.

thehammerdog

they reviewed Vandeyk, scapin,olympia,rolo, All looked very cool.

mustang1

I trawl both American (like this one) and British bike forums and it *seems* like in America people are more likely to buy higher end bikes but I dont think it's to do with your salary, but more that you like to enjoy you time and thus more willing to spend money on your hobbies.

UK is smaller (heck, we're minute with a big population) so more bike shops huddled together, well, atleast that's the case where I work, where there are, uhm, well, plenty of LBSs around (including chain stores). There are 5 within a 5 minute walk from my work, 2 more within another 5 minutes, and I guess at least another 5 within a 10 minutes subway ride.

Some stock more MTBs with a few race bikes, some with more hybrids than others, some custom builders, some town-bike specialists, some only cater for road bikes, and two very large ones that sell everything with big underground showrooms. I noticed more custom builders in america (maybe coz it's so vast) but after chatting to various british forum members, it seems like I am not well versed with british custom builders of which there are plenty. I'm not sure why I do not hear of them more often. I cant for example pick out a famous like I can with american builders, perhaps american builders market themselves better?

@hammerdog: which bikes do you see in europe that aren't available in USA... are you talking about volume production bikes or custom? Most of the LBSs here sell production bikes (the usual suspects, Scott, spesh, trek, 'dale and so on).

EDIT: ah, just read previous post of the bike brands. Yes, I think many of those are also available in USA. A special mention to Boardman bikes... love the colors and the frames are great looking, but UK distribution channel sucks... the bikes are sold at a place where bike aficionados typically do not loiter.

Jaymadd

The U.S. also has countless builders with superb bicycles such as Parlee, Crumpton, Seven, Independent Fab, etc. The magazine was just focusing on European builders for the article. Perhaps they are also going to do one for the U.S. as well.

StanSeven

Scapins are sold locally to me in the DC area. Olympia's are sold in Canada and can easily be ordered for the US.

THSdrummer

I'd love to have a Boardman dealer close by in the US just so I could experience them if I were to purchase one.

I went to Specialized's UK website and was actually very disappointed in the offerings. The US options are far superior (in terms of number of choices).

rebel1916

BD often sells Condors. And wee can easily get stuff that would be hard to come by across the pond. So, at worst it's a wash.

Hiro11

the condors from bd have nothing to do with the British condors.

rebel1916

I stand corrected. But I bet you could get a british condor if you put your mind to it. And I bet we can easily get a bunch of bikes that our Limey brothers would have to put some work in to get.

Hiro11

Sorry, you're categorically wrong.

Cube, Boardman and Ghost have all never been sold officially in the US. Kuota was but left the market a few years ago.

laPierre and Merida both sponsor major ProTeam teams and their bikes are ridden in the Grand Tours. FdJ rides LaPierre. Merida is one of the largest manufacturers in the world and is now a title sponsor of the old Lampre.

Kenesis is the premier alloy frame manufacturer in the world and sells great frames in Europe for cheap.

Bridgestone/Anchor is arguably the premier Japanese frame builder and makes awesome road, mountain and NJS keirin stuff.

Condor makes very cool steel bikes and is cosponsoring a new team with Rapha. Etc...

nhluhr

We have three lapierre dealers just in the seattle area.

botto 

magazines and reality are not the same thing. duh.