SJS delivery

[Matt2matt2002]

Always good to receive a package from SJS.
A wee treat for the Raven.

[hendrich]

Sad times for us in the states, shipping cost from SJS is very high due to covid.

[Matt2matt2002]

Sad times for us in the states, shipping cost from SJS is very high due to covid.

Sorry to hear that.
In the parcel were x2 Schwalbe 26"x1.50.
I used them to replace the 1.75's.
A quick spin today between showers and noticed a speed difference. The 1.75's were 3 years old. Only one puncture. Not sure of the milage but I average 2,000+ / year. I think they had more milage in them but had the cash to splash and fancied something narrower.

[leftpoole]

Sad times for us in the states, shipping cost from SJS is very high due to covid.

I am uncertain to why this should be? Do you actually mean that cost is higher because Standard postage is taking longer, so one has to use Express?
I again repeat, I see no actual reason for higher costs, simply slower delivery due to illness etc.
John

[rafiki]

In my experience they now only courier to Spain rather than pop things in a jiffy bag in the mail. For example an eccentric BB £30 is offered only with express courier at £38! I've had to start buying from Germany and France or Wiggle UK if available.

[j-ms]

In July I wanted to order some spares for delivery to South Africa and after discussion with the, as usual, very helpful Sarah, decided to wait until the unusual shipping charges due to COVID-19 returned to normal.  Cost of items ordered was 238.19 quid.  Shipping cost was 219.98 quid.  I have enough spares to last at least a year so hopefully things will return to normal by then.

[John Saxby]

Just ordered and received very quickly (via DHL) a set of SKS P55 silver chromoplastic fenders and a new eccentric for my Raven.  Courier costs were about 40% of the total -- COVID costs, wotcha gonna do?  OTOH, the package arrived in about 6 days 

I was also looking for a UN 55 BB, 73 x 118 mm - not 100% sure I need one, but I plan to use it as I trace/fix an irritating occasional creaky/clickety in the right front of my drivetrain.  UN 55's now seem to have acquired scarce-as-hens'-teeth status, odd sizes like mine especially.  Happily, I found one at the Bike Doctor in Saskatoon, and that's due this week.

[WorldTourer]

In my experience they now only courier to Spain rather than pop things in a jiffy bag in the mail. For example an eccentric BB £30 is offered only with express courier at £38! I've had to start buying from Germany and France or Wiggle UK if available.

Same here. I live on the continent but SJS has been my go-to shop for years due to the excellent service. Sadly, the dramatic changes now occurring in shipping from the UK mean that now I have to turn to continental shops.

[leftpoole]

I am not sure why SJSC should be charging so much. I have done a couple of my own checks on shipping to USA with Parcelforce.

[PH]

I have done a couple of my own checks on shipping to USA with Parcelforce.

Are you a business account holder?  If not your "checks" are pointless.
I can tell you, as a fact, even without checking, that Parcelforce currently have a surcharge on most international parcels, , it varies by country, but is I think in all cases based on the weight.

[leftpoole]

I have done a couple of my own checks on shipping to USA with Parcelforce.

Are you a business account holder?  If not your "checks" are pointless.
I can tell you, as a fact, even without checking, that Parcelforce currently have a surcharge on most international parcels, , it varies by country, but is I think in all cases based on the weight.

Indeed, following further investigation it appears most sellers around the World are doing the same due to shipping costs. However EU to UK are the same as usual!
John

[hendrich]

Just ordered and received very quickly (via DHL) a set of SKS P55 silver chromoplastic fenders and a new eccentric for my Raven.  Courier costs were about 40% of the total -- COVID costs, wotcha gonna do?  OTOH, the package arrived in about 6 days 

I was also looking for a UN 55 BB, 73 x 118 mm - not 100% sure I need one, but I plan to use it as I trace/fix an irritating occasional creaky/clickety in the right front of my drivetrain.  UN 55's now seem to have acquired scarce-as-hens'-teeth status, odd sizes like mine especially.  Happily, I found one at the Bike Doctor in Saskatoon, and that's due this week.

Yes, indeed, hopefully I do not yet need to hoard square taper BBs and the BB depression is yet another covid depressing coincidence. UN55's have been out of stock most place for sometime now, so I picked up an Interloc BB (just in case).

Regarding sjs shipping cost, I was going to order another pair of the magical Duremes (2" 26's) among other items, but the shipping cost was ~US 100. I can wait.

[PH]

UN55's have been out of stock most place for sometime now, so I picked up an Interloc BB (just in case).

I understand Shimano has discontinued the manufacture. 

[hendrich]

UN55's have been out of stock most place for sometime now, so I picked up an Interloc BB (just in case).

I understand Shimano has discontinued the manufacture.

I have heard this before, but people gave evidence on the bike mechanic (bike forum site) that this was not the case. I hope it is just a covid depressive rumor.

[Andre Jute]

UN-xx is Shimano's Bottom Bracket generic code. Higher numeric numbers are of superior material or design or construction. I too have UN-55 on at least one of my bikes. I bought it because the UN-2x I wanted, which was the previous best value almost-generic Shimano BB had gone out of stock everywhere simultaneously, all of a sudden. Without any announcement that anyone here saw (we discussed or at least mentioned it about ten years ago), Shimano had made the UN-55 their new quality/value standard. COVID-19 upsets aside, I expect that soon a UN-xx where the the xx is definitely a number higher than 55 will be the Shimano price/performance leader at everyone's LBS and from all the mail-order houses.

Shimano UN-71 Bottom Bracket, photo ex Ebay

Trivia: Through all this, the best (highest numerical coding) Shimano square taper BB has been the near-mythical UN-71. I've never met anyone who has seen one in the flesh though they have been offered for sale; here one sold for just short of USD140 delivered: https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Old-Stock-Shimano-BB-UN71-Bottom-Bracket-70x115-mm-Made-in-Japan-/272192192462 The question arises, When Shimano runs out of numbers below -71, do they give us the -71 for a popular price? My bet is they'll renumber the -71 as the UN-101 to give themselves breathing room.