please reccomend foldable bikeshop in taipei, plus reccomend best way to take back to singapore

Hi all,
I would be going to taiwan for a quick holiday, Would really appreciate your advice on this.

1) any foldable bike shop to reccomend in tai pei? I googled, and there are too many !

2) What is the best way to get a foldable bike back to singapore? Should I ask the the bikeshop to pack it into a cardboard box, and then check the whole thing in? Or buy a "bike bag" specificically made for the bike? I will be flying Jetstar.

I am thinking of either getting the pacific Carryme. Or the Flamingo London (the brompton look alike, but cheaper, and in some ways better, haha)

I prefer the Flamingo, but the solid rim wheels of the Carryme will mean that it is more likely to survive the luggage handlers.

Thanks in advance.

think this should be one of the best ones out there. have not been there, but plan to when i go Taiwan. check out their online shop on the Info page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/%E9%AD%94%E8%A1%93%E6%96%B9%E5%A1%8A%E6%91%BA%E7%96%8A%E8%BB%8A%E5%B0%88%E8%B3%A3%E5%BA%97-STRIPE-Magic/195195274620

Regards,
Steve

Imo, if you need to check the bike, make sure they can put back into the original box. else, just leave it with the box and take the risk.

I suppose you llpdadw have your own check in luggage. Joe furthermore your are taking jetstar, you may want to indicate your need extra baggage weight for check in. but of course you need to pay extra. if you check in then you realise you overweight, it will be very expensive to pay for extra baggage

thanks tylsteve and prodik for the advice

standby to pay GST if get stopped. By right you need to pay GST at customs. If no one stop you, you are lucky, if you get stop just act blur say dont know and offer to pay.. don't argue.

when i fly i usually declare my bikes as sports baggage. the fees will differ depending on the airline. it's usually cheaper than paying for x number of kg and since the staff knows it's a bike, they will handle it more carefully as well. i also pack it up in the original box and pad the bike on vulnerable corners.

Have brought back bikes 2 times from oversea. 1st time, had everything dismantled to fit into hardcase luggage. Had a few places with paint chipped off, probably due to loose parts hitting or rubbing against each other. 2nd time was in the provided bicycle carton box. Everything came back well.

BTW, one airline asked me to release pressure from the tires. So do it before sealing the carton box.

Not sure about bike shop but I would encourage u to take ur bike on holidays. It is really fun and u get to see many stuff which u normally will not be able to see. To do that, try to keep the carton box that the bike came with...if u throw it away...just go down to ur local bike shop and ask nicely. Chances are they have some lying around. Here are some links of my work visit to Japan...which also show u my adventure lugging the bike... Enjoy!

http://smallwheelsbigsmile.blogspot.com/2010/11/lugging-brompton-to-sakura-ryokan.html << Brompton

http://smallwheelsbigsmile.blogspot.com/2010/11/creativity-needed-in-eleven-hour.html << Carryme

http://smallwheelsbigsmile.blogspot.com/2010/11/ride-aoyama-2010-21st-oct-sunday.html <<< So lucky..totally unintentional... just pure luck

http://smallwheelsbigsmile.blogspot.com/2010/11/yokohama-bay-area.html << Pottering around using Carryme.. works like a charm!

undeadlee wrote:

Hi all,
I would be going to taiwan for a quick holiday, Would really appreciate your advice on this.

1) any foldable bike shop to reccomend in tai pei? I googled, and there are too many !

2) What is the best way to get a foldable bike back to singapore? Should I ask the the bikeshop to pack it into a cardboard box, and then check the whole thing in? Or buy a "bike bag" specificically made for the bike? I will be flying Jetstar.

I am thinking of either getting the pacific Carryme. Or the Flamingo London (the brompton look alike, but cheaper, and in some ways better, haha)

I prefer the Flamingo, but the solid rim wheels of the Carryme will mean that it is more likely to survive the luggage handlers.

Thanks in advance.

thanks for all the advice, back from Taiwan, but didn't buy a bike there.

Went to about a total of 5 bike shops, and had a good time looking at the various types of folding bikes. Most shop assistants were quite friendly, and they were not nasty even though I ogled the bikes and left without buying.

Was really considering the Flamingo BP-01 (Brompton look-alike), and was quoted slightly less than Singdollar $1000 over the phone. But when I went I went down to the bike shop, bike shop says they would have to place an order if I really want it. This is about $200 cheaper than Singapore.

So if you guys are keen to get a BP-01, I guess you have to 'pre-order' from Singapore before travelling to Taiwan.

This was just as well, as since my wife bought so much stuff, we already exceeded the luggage weight-limit without buying a bike.

hey undeadlee, please share with us the location/names of the shops that you been to. which are the ones that you think are worth visiting?

Regards,
Steve

Hi tylsteve,

I went to the one you reccomended, hehe. "104 Taipei, Taiwan台北市中山區復興北路36巷1號1F". It was very well stocked with foldies, and it was the shop that quoted me for under $1k for the "Flamingo Brompton". Unfortunately, they stock that bike in the shop.

Getting there was quite easy by cab. I think we took a taxi there from an MRT station, and it was around 5 Singdollars (Cabs in Taipei are cheap and plentiful, the most expensive taxi ride was only around $10).

Another shop that I went to was Merida:
http://www.merida.tw/dealer.asp?btn=6
歐盛達-內湖
114台北市內湖區瑞光路100號
02-27901876


I saw a small "dahoh-type folding" foldie with rear suspension selling for around $250 Singdollars.

Next to this Merida shop is two other bikeshops, where on of them sells a Dahon, Birdy, and Carrymes.

Cheers!

tylsteve wrote:

hey undeadlee, please share with us the location/names of the shops that you been to. which are the ones that you think are worth visiting?

Regards,
Steve