Buying a bike in Holland, then riding home

[geocycle]

In theory you are liable for import duty and vat so it could cost 30% of the price. Adorning it with scruffy panniers and riding like fury off the ferry might be the best option. Brexit eh!

 

[Baldy]

Assuming that the costoms down south are as concensious as the boarder force officers that spend their day's sleeping at Grangemouth docks. You've nothing to worry about.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

If I were you, I'd ring around a few bike shops first, tell them what you are looking for and ask if they can sell you what you want. There are supply chain problems over here too.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Having done this, I can recommend Henry's Workcycles.

Of course, at the time (2009) I took it for granted that I could just ride into Germany; I think a lot of people here realised afresh how fortunate we are.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Brakes will be the wrong way round.

Honestly, I've never noticed: I have bikes set up "properly" and bikes set up the European way around because it had become habit: it doesn't really make a lot of difference.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Yes.
Yes I am. I've ridden Dutch bikes a few times, and I'm convinced that they're the densest material known to humanity.
I like them immensely, but they do have a certain momentum-enhancing heaviness to them.

The first star ships will be Dutch…

 

[Ming the Merciless]

As above I bet if you take some bike luggage to adorn it with and ride it off the ferry no one will give it a second glance. Cyclists on that ferry all the time.

 

[MontyVeda]

Agreed. But some folk get their collective knickers in a right twist if brakes are set up European style.

riding around NYC on a bike with the brakes on the 'wrong' way round was perfectly fine until I had to a do an emergency stop and instinctively slammed on the back brake... only to quickly discover I'd slammed on the front brake Fortunately i was only going slowly and managed to bounce around on the front wheel a few times so didn't actually go over the handlebars and slam my face onto the tarmac. That was 11 years ago and I'd probably still be paying the medical fees now if I had hit the tarmac.

 

[alex_cycles]

riding around NYC on a bike with the brakes on the 'wrong' way round was perfectly fine until I had to a do an emergency stop and instinctively slammed on the back brake... only to quickly discover I'd slammed on the front brake Fortunately i was only going slowly and managed to bounce around on the front wheel a few times so didn't actually go over the handlebars and slam my face onto the tarmac. That was 11 years ago and I'd probably still be paying the medical fees now if I had hit the tarmac.

I once bought a mountain bike in Poland. 2nd or 3rd ride I thought it would be fun to pull a 180 on a grassy bank. Rammed on the left brake and straight over the handlebars. Thankfully only injured pride. Swapped them over as soon as I got home.

 

[Gwylan]

In this post Brexit balls up, what's the situation, thinking of going to Netherlands to buy a Dutch bike, then riding home.
I am sure it won't be as simple as it was, I intend to go across on the ferry, look for what I want,have a ride about ,then ride to the ferry and home.
What problems should I expect, will it be duty except seeing as we Brits are non Euro, will I have to pay VAT then claim it back, what might happen when I come off the ferry with it, should I go through goods to declare?
I have ordered parts from Europe, which were duty except at purchase, which then delivered by courier, to have import /duty charges to be collected when invoiced by the courier, something I am loathe to do again , hence the cunning plan ,plus I get a break as well.

Amongst other things they ride on the other side of the road.

Will that matter?

 

[Gillstay]

Seriously?

I guarantee noone will give a crap. If you're really paranoid, ride it through some puddles or give it a quick dunk in a canal to apply a patina of age.

Yes, but if you went over as a foot passenger and came back with a cycle it does give the game away. Esp if you buy a Koga then the VAT would be high. One of my students got caught with a new mountain bike and paid a lot of duty, despite having a low priced receipt. They did not accept it and he paid VAT on full market price. He was most upset.

 

[Andy in Germany]

From what I'm hearing here, there aren't as yet any checks on entering the UK from the EU, or is that only for freight?

 

[Jenkins]

From what I'm hearing here, there aren't as yet any checks on entering the UK from the EU, or is that only for freight?

The documentary checks and physical inspection due to be introduced for certain commercial goods has been suspended for another year, but there's still anti-smuggling checks as there always was.

Edited to add that evasion of smaller amounts of duty (which bringing in a brand new bike through the green channel would be) is way down the list of things being looked for.

 

[normgow]

Brakes will be the wrong way round.

What is the wrong way and the right way?

 

[Cycleops]

What is the wrong way and the right way?

Depends where you live in the world.