MK3 Audax In America

[Tourista829]

Hi,
Newbie, female looking to replace my light touring bike(Car ran a stop sign)
1. Fit has been a problem, long legs shorter torso. I am 5'6" tall and very   
    slim. Other than a custom frame, the above may be a good option. Andy
    suggested a 555-S frame. I like an upright riding position.
2. I live in Tampa, Florida and would like to see a sample of the Audax MK3
    or a similiar SJS bike. I am sure workmanship would be excellent.
3. I see the dollar/pound exchange rate is favorable. Has anyone, from the
    U.S. or U.K., ordered a bike and had it shipped to the States? Andy
    gave us the cost of shipping but was curious if there was import duty
    involved and what % it might be.
Finally, how do you like your bike and your experiences dealing with SJS. Would welcome comments for all genders

[jags]

can't really comment on the bike your after ,i ride the sherpa.
but as far as service from sjs goes ,it's second to none.
i live in ireland so i got my bike mail order the service was (is)  brilliant.

[Dingle]

I had an SJS bike shipped to NYC two years ago and was not charged import duty.

As Jags said, their service is flawless.  Due to a comunication hiccup my bike arrived with wrongly specced tyres and fenders.  The correct ones were shipped immediately and without question or charge.

I do not have the bike that you are considering, but the bike I have is every bit as good as they say it is. 

[Spinnerz]

I can thoroughly recommend the Audax Mk.3.

I've had one since Nov 2007 and built mine up from a frameset. The build went really well (including getting the redundant Shimano BB out and slotting a Campag BB in) and I built mine up with Centaur 10-speed and Ultegra 57mm brakes. It actually fits me better than my Cyclosportif as the head tube has a much more sensible length and the extra weight is just not worth worrying about.

As for workmanship, then it is what it is. A tig-welded compact frame, in a fairly basic tubing with a simple paint finish. The tig-welding is very good however and the paint is tough and durable (apart from the drop-outs my frame would pass for brand new). If I could change anything in the design I'd like to see the fork pannier eyes removed as they look terrible.

My final recommendation? I've just bought another!