Do you buy from CRC?

anyone ever buy the custom wheelsets from them? Looking at doing the Hope Pro 2's with 823's and they seem like a good price

Yes. Price is extremely difficult to beat. Priced out a set at CRC vs local and it was half the price even after duties. I couldn't justify it.

Good build quality and packaged very well.

Do you have a link for this hope pro 2 mavic 823 wheelset? It's my favourite combo, but I can't find it on their website.

Can someone confirm this? Do all their standard free shipping go through DHL?

CRC Website says Worldwide DHL Express is "a priority paid for tracked service."

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ca/en/customer-service/delivery-options#worlwidedelivery

I do the free shipping which is untracked and it gets shipped by ParcelForce (Royal Mail), which (like USPS) never has extra charges.

CRC Website says Worldwide DHL Express is "a priority paid for tracked service."

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ca/en/customer-service/delivery-options#worlwidedelivery

I do the free shipping which is untracked and it gets shipped by ParcelForce (Royal Mail), which (like USPS) never has extra charges.

That's how I understand it and that's how it has always been shipped to me. Mr.bubbles says otherwise which would be unfortunate.

My last order with CRC arrived via mail. It was levied a duty for a complete bike, it was almost a complete bike but only parts which are duty free. A quick google search and I had the correct HS code and a means to reclaim my duty but not the GST.

Here is the link to recovering incorrectly charged duty.
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/postal-postale/dispute-contestation-eng.html

On the "support your LBS" front.

Was stoked to go into my LBS for a new tire and discover they had one 26inch tire. Not one type - one tire. So long LBS, was fun while it lasted.

Anyone ever return something to CRC? Just received a set of size 48 Shimano AM 41 that are waaay too small.

Anyone ever return something to CRC? Just received a set of size 48 Shimano AM 41 that are waaay too small.

Yes,and it took a long time. but it worked out.

Anyone ever return something to CRC? Just received a set of size 48 Shimano AM 41 that are waaay too small.

Yes I have. Even though it was shitty because of the downtime, they sent out a courier to pick it up. All I had to was print off documents, package it, look at some porn, got bored, left the package outside my door, went for a ride, came home to find it was indeed picked up by the courier. Got a refund a few days later.

They probably switched to DHL because of the postal service losing packages. Happened to me twice this year.

On the "support your LBS" front.

Was stoked to go into my LBS for a new tire and discover they had one 26inch tire. Not one type - one tire. So long LBS, was fun while it lasted.

Most LBSes carry very little stock (especially components - Dunbar is one of the exceptions, but they have an online presence as well). If you have a parts emergency, your options are to call all the LBSes in your area or look up local sellers in the buy-and-sell. Otherwise its order online and wait, wait, wait. Quick 2 or 3 day turnarounds seem to be a thing of the past unless you order from a domestic Canadian supplier. Most things from overseas seem to sit for about a week in Canada Border Services customs.

That's how I understand it and that's how it has always been shipped to me. Mr.bubbles says otherwise which would be unfortunate.

My latest order shipped yesterday, and its with Parcelforce. So no DHL on free shipping (yet)? But like their sits says, the use DHL for express tracked shipping.

Most LBSes carry very little stock (especially components - Dunbar is one of the exceptions, but they have an online presence as well). If you have a parts emergency, your options are to call all the LBSes in your area or look up local sellers in the buy-and-sell. Otherwise its order online and wait, wait, wait. Quick 2 or 3 day turnarounds seem to be a thing of the past unless you order from a domestic Canadian supplier. Most things from overseas seem to sit for about a week in Canada Border Services customs.

My latest order shipped yesterday, and its with Parcelforce. So no DHL on free shipping (yet)? But like their sits says, the use DHL for express tracked shipping.

My latest CRC shipment (free) came via DHL. $150 in parts cost me $7.50 GST, $9.95 DHL handling fee, and $4.95 COD fee. At least this shipment didn't take 5 weeks like each of my last 4 CRC orders.

On the "support your LBS" front.

Was stoked to go into my LBS for a new tire and discover they had one 26inch tire. Not one type - one tire. So long LBS, was fun while it lasted.

Thats one more 26" tire than the last LBS I went into looking for a tire. That's right….they had none.

As a former shop owner I can tell you that justifying buying stock that you know will sell vs something that might just sit around for months, is a pretty easy call to make. A shop could sell 650b tires 10:1 over 26". You need cash flow from month to month. Eventually that 26" tire will collect dust and people will expect a discount on it. Hell, the shop owner will eventually put it on sale to clear up the space. 26" tires are just going to be for entry level bikes and that's probably all you'll see on the shelf pretty soon.

That said it won't hurt having a couple on hand.

There are still tons of super nice 26"-wheeled bikes in the trails. One could actually argue that these people are even more likely to need replacement tires than people riding a brand new 27.5 bike with fresh tires.