Importing my used bicycle from Germany to Vietnam (2021)

I brought a used bicycle to Vietnam once but it was as excess baggage.  No problems with customs but treatment of accompanied baggage and shipped freight could be very different.

I’m watching this myself because I have a very nice Trek that I want to ship with me rather than later. Your point about treatment - does that mean they barely survive the journey due to rough handling?

As long as you wrap it properly, I don't think that transportation itself is going to be a problem. It's only the import tax that bothers me.

Buy a bike here and save the hassle of importing.

Buying a bike here is not a good deal. You either buy a new one for 25+ mio. or a second-hand one which is crazily overpriced. I found it difficult to find decent second-hand ones.

You may regret it once you stsrt dealing with customs, they are a greedy bunch.

After a couple of extremely trying experiences receiving prescription drugs from my sister, who got them from the pharmacy for me and shipped them, Customs has banned me from receiving any more unless I get an import license, so now I buy them locally. 

It turns out that the cost of buying my drugs here is roughly the same as the cost of shipping them from the US via FedEx.  Avoid Customs if you can.

Kjmwest wrote:

I’m watching this myself because I have a very nice Trek that I want to ship with me rather than later. Your point about treatment - does that mean they barely survive the journey due to rough handling?

When you say "with me" I assume you mean as baggage.  There are specially made boxes for airline shipping of bicycles.  You will have to remove the handlebars and maybe the pedals and loosen the front wheel (it has been a while since I did it) but it all fits in the box. You may have to pay dimensional oversize charges but the box should be within the absolute size limits of the carrier.  I bought the one I used at a specialty cardboard box store but where to obtain one in your vicinity may vary.  In Honolulu, some of the bike stores sell the boxes as they have them left over from importing bikes.  Maybe you could call your airline as some airlines have the boxes for sale. 

You shouldn't have a problem with customs if they question you, as long as you firmly assert that the bike is yours and used.  This is a case where you don't want your wife to interpret.  Just keep repeating the word "used" in English until they give up.  They know what it means.  I expect that if shipped separately there could be customs problems.

THIGV wrote:

Kjmwest wrote:

I’m watching this myself because I have a very nice Trek that I want to ship with me rather than later. Your point about treatment - does that mean they barely survive the journey due to rough handling?

When you say "with me" I assume you mean as baggage.  There are specially made boxes for airline shipping of bicycles.  You will have to remove the handlebars and maybe the pedals and loosen the front wheel (it has been a while since I did it) but it all fits in the box. You may have to pay dimensional oversize charges but the box should be within the absolute size limits of the carrier.  I bought the one I used at a specialty cardboard box store but where to obtain one in your vicinity may vary.  In Honolulu, some of the bike stores sell the boxes as they have them left over from importing bikes.  Maybe you could call your airline as some airlines have the boxes for sale. 

You shouldn't have a problem with customs if they question you, as long as you firmly assert that the bike is yours and used.  This is a case where you don't want your wife to interpret.  Just keep repeating the word "used" in English until they give up.  They know what it means.  I expect that if shipped separately there could be customs problems.

That's okay, as long as he is going to fly back to Germany and bring it with him as excess. He is now in Saigon.

colinoscapee wrote:

That's okay, as long as he is going to fly back to Germany and bring it with him as excess. He is now in Saigon.

I think you are referring to the OP, truongvu3.  My reply was specific to Kjmwest who indicates that he is in Los Angeles, which is why I quoted his post.  No hard feelings.

Still, the advice about shipping in a specially designed bicycle box would still  probably be true even if using a shipping service.

Ok, I didnt see that at the top of your post.

THIGV wrote:

Kjmwest wrote:

I’m watching this myself because I have a very nice Trek that I want to ship with me rather than later. Your point about treatment - does that mean they barely survive the journey due to rough handling?

When you say "with me" I assume you mean as baggage.  There are specially made boxes for airline shipping of bicycles.  You will have to remove the handlebars and maybe the pedals and loosen the front wheel (it has been a while since I did it) but it all fits in the box. You may have to pay dimensional oversize charges but the box should be within the absolute size limits of the carrier.  I bought the one I used at a specialty cardboard box store but where to obtain one in your vicinity may vary.  In Honolulu, some of the bike stores sell the boxes as they have them left over from importing bikes.  Maybe you could call your airline as some airlines have the boxes for sale. 

You shouldn't have a problem with customs if they question you, as long as you firmly assert that the bike is yours and used.  This is a case where you don't want your wife to interpret.  Just keep repeating the word "used" in English until they give up.  They know what it means.  I expect that if shipped separately there could be customs problems.

I'm curious:

How interchangeable are bicycle derailleurs and frames?

I had a French racing bike back in high school that had reallly great derailleurs but I would have been happy to switch out the frame.

I'm just thinking maybe someone could salvage the best parts of a bike and bring them here without needing to include the bulky frame.

truongvu3 wrote:

Hello everyone,

This is my very first post, and I hope you are all doing fine.

I have been living in Saigon for one year now. As I cannot find any reasonable priced second-hand bikes that fulfil my requirements and needs, I would like to import my personal bike from Germany.

Checking the prices on the German DHL website, I found out that the shipping cost will be around 90€ for a bike that is less than 10 kg. However, I expect that I might face problems at the customs.
A friend of mine has imported an electric skateboard and said that he did not have to pay any taxes. Reading other posts about having to pay horrendous amounts of money for import bicycles, I am a bit confused.

Does anybody have imported a bike recently?

I have also found local companies like Ezitrans or Indochinapost, that apparently to door-to-door delivery. Will they cover the taxes?

Thanks in advance!

Bikes here aee pretty cheap... there is a bike shop in Aeon Mall that has reasonable spec hybrid / mountain bikes for around 3 million vnd

Downside of imported premium bike is the chwnces of theft

My bike back home is a team bike with a Ultegra parts and carbon fork. A bike like that would cost 35+ mio here...

Unfortunately, I am already in Vietnam so I cannot take it as excess baggage. I am still wondering why my friend could get his electric skateboard sent over without problems..

Pot luck, some items go through customs with no issues, others get stopped and taxed.
Hign value items always arose suspicion

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

I'm just thinking maybe someone could salvage the best parts of a bike and bring them here without needing to include the bulky frame.

I think a big part of what makes a high end bike costly is the ultra light and ultra strong frame.

I just found an example in a Facebook group that depicts excellently why I dread buying bikes here in Vietnam.

An allegedly legit shop posted a second-hand roadbike with a full Tiagra 4600 set for 9.3 mio.


The frame as well as the parts are full of scratches and the front chainring is totally worn out. Bikes in Europe can be as old as 20 years and are still better maintained than this second-hand rubbish here in Vietnam.

I mean the bike itself might be okay but the condition and the price are not.

Maybe best you just get yours sent here and forget about buying one here. Contact someone in Germany to send it.

Probably pay more in taxes than buying a cheap one here.. plenty of shops sell news bikes chewp so if it only lasts a coiple of yeaes its no big deal.

Last time i looked plenty of shimano specced bikes in store, but this is the land of fake gpods

Hi.
Your name sounds Vietnamese, so I presume you are Vietnamese, coming back to your native country, which means repatriation.
I don't know how are the repatriation laws in Vietnam, but there should be a possibility to bring back your belongings without be necessary to fill the import papers.

So, I really think you can bring your bicycle without any extra costs.
Maybe would be better if you check the laws about repatriation or even relocation in Vietnam.

Best wishes

Sorin.d wrote:

Hi.
Your name sounds Vietnamese, so I presume you are Vietnamese, coming back to your native country, which means repatriation.
I don't know how are the repatriation laws in Vietnam, but there should be a possibility to bring back your belongings without be necessary to fill the import papers.

So, I really think you can bring your bicycle without any extra costs.
Maybe would be better if you check the laws about repatriation or even relocation in Vietnam.

Best wishes

I think you will find there is a time limit that things can be imported without incurring tax. I think it is 6- 12 months.

I just think you didn't understand my reply... but never mind...

Enjoy your time

Sorin.d wrote:

I just think you didn't understand my reply... but never mind...

Enjoy your time

You mentioned incurring costs and I responded to that.

Sorin.d wrote:

Your name sounds Vietnamese, so I presume you are Vietnamese, coming back to your native country, which means repatriation.
I don't know how are the repatriation laws in Vietnam, but there should be a possibility to bring back your belongings without be necessary to fill the import papers.

So, I really think you can bring your bicycle without any extra costs.
Maybe would be better if you check the laws about repatriation or even relocation in Vietnam.

Vietnamese name or not, the OP is a German citizen, therefore, he cannot utilize repatriation law. 

Also, what colinoscapee said (which you didn't understand) was important:  as the OP has been living in Saigon for a year, his bicycle is no longer part of the relocation allowance if that was even a factor to consider.

truongvu3 wrote:

My bike back home is a team bike with a Ultegra parts and carbon fork. A bike like that would cost 35+ mio here...

Unfortunately, I am already in Vietnam so I cannot take it as excess baggage. I am still wondering why my friend could get his electric skateboard sent over without problems..

____________________
** Ask your friend, best choice

THIGV wrote:

I brought a used bicycle to Vietnam once but it was as excess baggage.  No problems with customs but treatment of accompanied baggage and shipped freight could be very different.

THIGV wrote:

Kjmwest wrote:

I’m watching this myself because I have a very nice Trek that I want to ship with me rather than later. Your point about treatment - does that mean they barely survive the journey due to rough handling?

When you say "with me" I assume you mean as baggage.  There are specially made boxes for airline shipping of bicycles.  You will have to remove the handlebars and maybe the pedals and loosen the front wheel (it has been a while since I did it) but it all fits in the box. You may have to pay dimensional oversize charges but the box should be within the absolute size limits of the carrier.  I bought the one I used at a specialty cardboard box store but where to obtain one in your vicinity may vary.  In Honolulu, some of the bike stores sell the boxes as they have them left over from importing bikes.  Maybe you could call your airline as some airlines have the boxes for sale. 

You shouldn't have a problem with customs if they question you, as long as you firmly assert that the bike is yours and used.  This is a case where you don't want your wife to interpret.  Just keep repeating the word "used" in English until they give up.  They know what it means.  I expect that if shipped separately there could be customs problems.

Kjmwest:

It appears that in the context of his good and helpful posts, THIGV was talking about the customs duty "treatment" of shipped freight vs. accompanied baggage.

I don't see anyone in this thread stating that a bicycle shipped as accompanied baggage on a commercial airlines was ever subject to mistreatment.

Not to say that's never happened...

I am also trying to decide whether to bring my bike into the country or buy while there.
I am hooked in to a couple of cycling groups who recommend good cycling shops to buy bikes from.