masi61

to the USA?

Normally I would not ask this but one of the German internet mailorder sites has the Shimano GRX 400 series 10 speed hydraulic disc integrated shifters for a price that is what I would consider fair. The US prices are very high and I would have to purchase the right shifter from one vendor and the left shifter from another vendor for a shift lever price for each side that is significantly higher than the price of the right or left shifter that comes with the hose and caliper coming from Germany.

Also, has anyone mixed Hope RX4 brake calipers with Shimano road hydraulic integrated shift levers? My plan was to obtain a set of the GRX 400's and build up a 10 speed road bike (2x10 or maybe even 3x10 gearing) with hydraulic disc. I will be using Industry 9 Torch mountain hubs that are 10 speed mountain spec.

rubiksoval

What law do you think you'd be breaking?

Koyote

As a very smart lawyer once told me: legal advice is generally worth about what you've paid for it.

unterhausen

It's not illegal. Good luck with warranty issues.

Don't do this right now with GRX components, the brakes are all being warrantied. Great time for Shimano to create a shortage on top of a shortage.

masi61

My sister would have to declare what the item shipped to me was. But "grey market" Shimano sales from Europe to the US were blocked by some commerce ruling or something several years ago. Ever since, the main source for Shimano parts in USA seems to be through the LBS or certain US mailorder sites for less than great prices. Also the inventory in the US is not that great either it seems with many items being "backordered". I realized these are extraordinary times and that due to Covid, shortages are inevitable but this Shimano Euro parts shutdown has been pretty comprehensive despite some Euro sites clearly having plenty of inventory available for sale on the continent.

cb400bill

Not illegal. However, do not expect Shimano USA to warrant a part not purchased thru Shimano USA. You would have to send it back to Europe for warranty claims.

rubiksoval

Buying and shipping a bike part isn't illegal. Since you have a $~700-800 customs threshold, a shifter isn't going to get any where close to what you'd need to pay a tax on, either. And even if it eclipsed that value, you'd just pay the tax. Still not illegal.

bikemig 

It wasn't that long ago that you could buy Shimano parts from European mail order places cheaper than in the US. I think it was Shimano that put an end to this but that is a contractual issue, not a government law making it illegal to recieve items from family members.

dedhed

So if a European relative buys something for you as a Christmas gift, and then ships it to you, it could somehow be illegal?

masi61

I'm tempted to go ahead and get the GRX 400 shifters since I really need them for this 10 speed disc road bike build I am planning.

Or, maybe I will just get the TRP flat mount hydraulic aero brake levers (I will have to look up the model name, can't remember it right now) to handle my disc brakes and then just run Shimano 10-speed indexed bar end shifters.

masi61

perhaps. With my luck, I would get into some trouble over some silly little thing like this...

Sy Reene

One piece of advice, check your browser and country settings on the site you found. If you have it set to USA, it will likely show a lower price than if you select the Euro country your sister is in, because VAT will get added back to the price.

masi61

Good point. I will double check the price shipped to Austria (to my sis).

Marylander

I've got TRP Hylex and like them. I'm using microshift bar ends.

Cyclist0108

TRP also makes road full-hydraulics: Hylex. I use them in conjunction with 11-speed microshift bar end shifters on a touring bike. You can also put buttons in for Di2. They are about $130 each, pre-bled, with calipers attached.

Cyclist0108

Sorry, I was putting the link in my post when you posted.

gene99

yes, it's illegal, if you also put cocaine in the package.

Reflector Guy

Typically, people fill out the customs forms using only the very vaguest of terms to describe the items.

"Bicycle parts". Done.

mstateglfr 

These are $399 shipped to your door. 2x11, not 2x10.
But if i were starting a hydraulic drivetrain build, it'd be tough to pass on and go for 2x10 for maybe slightly less.

Be sure to add in the cost to ship the 400 components from Austria to your door.



Also, grx doesn't support 3x drivetrains. You mention wanting g a 3x10 drivetrain in your first post. No go.

masi61

The GRX 400 shifters are 10 speed I’m pretty sure.

mstateglfr 

https://www.merlincycles.com/en-us/s...ed-196854.html

For some reason the link didn't paste the first time. Sorry, that makes for a confusing post.
Yes, 600 is 11 and 400 is 10. I meant to post some 600 levers and calipers. See the link.

Trevtassie

The Geoblocking thing sure cured me of my addiction to upgrade-itist and buying shimano stuff. I never used to buy SRAM because of geoblocking, now Shimano is out too.

masi61

Geoblocking - what an interesting term. And yes, that seems to be what is slowly happening with me. I’m glad I got some (Shimano) deals from e]several of the UK on-line bike shops several years ago, particularly having a small inventory of replacement “three by” triple road parts from the 9 and 10 speed era. I still like the idea of running a road triple (30/39/52) front crank with a racer friendly 12-23 nine or ten speed cassette. I see an opportunity for a cottage industry company to step in and provide replacement parts so absent in the “1X” market that is at apparent polar opposites from my favored “3 by” road drivetrains.

masi61

Thanks for the link. The 400 (ten speed) shifter seems more elusive....

HerrKaLeun

There is no law forbidding that. Shimano is just not allowing European dealers to ship to the US. But that is not based on a law, it is based on Shimano threatening them to not sell them any parts (inc. for their European customers) if they don't comply.

There is a $800 threshold above which you are supposed to pay custom. The same applies when you travel from Europe and enter the US. There are some obvious prohibitions and other limits on tobacco, alcohol, obviously illegal drugs, archeological artefacts, endangered species etc. but bike part is none of that.

One disadvantage of your relatives sending is they have to pay the local VAT (similar to our sales tax), which can be 19% in Germany and similarly high in other countries. So the good deal becomes somewhat less good. Also shipping for private people is quite costly unless they send you a package anyway.

For most parts I never need warranty. Even if I do, at half the price i could just buy a new part. Obviously if it is an iffy component, i wouldn't buy such thing to begin with at all. Like someone here mentioned a specific issue with the part in question.

It was a great time when CRC, bike24 et al still could sell to us. But the QBP/LBS crowd got all mad and wanted to maintain their huge profit margins in their byzantine distribution system. Same with DT Swiss, DT Swiss parts cost half in the rest of the world of what they cost in the US. At some point they also prohibited European dealers to ship to the US.