It would take me 30 minutes or so to do that kind of assembly (and perhaps more to make sure it fit me), but I'd want to setup the brakes and gears as well (cassette like a dinner plate...). And then give it a really careful look over. I hardly ever do that kind of assembly (like most people), so I'd want to take it slowly.
Looking at it has made me realise the popularity now of gravel bikes. People are craving something like an old-school mountain bike.
You don't know the half of it. I thought my biggest decision would be between a 'hard tail' and full suspension, but when I chose the latter I was then faced with: Enduro, XC, downhill or all mountain!
Let's see...as my wife says "all the gear and no idea"
Latest one from my gf: I told her that I'd joined the Global Cycling Network club and proudly showed her the (aforementioned cute) socks and badge they sent me. Her response, "are you a 12-year-old?"
I had my eye on a model that was listed on the German Homepage but not on the Swiss Homepage. I telephoned the Koblenz Customer Service and was given instructions on how to place the order for this particular model. Basically, send an E-Mail to [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) with the order details and they will place it in their system. Did that and requested the bike to be delivered to Waldshut Depot for pickup. The payment E-Mail came a few days later. The only strange thing was, it was sent from "Purecycling".
Strange because:
a. The model is not listed on the Purecycling Homepage.
b. I made the order directly with Canyon.com.
c. The payment was in Euros.
Called up Customer Service in Koblenz and was informed that the Payment request was correct and it was generated by the person on the telephone himself. He explained that the payment E-Mail came from Purecycling because I reside in Switzerland. This still does not make sense IMHO because the order is for a model offered by the German Branch and is to be sent to an inland address. And no, I did not request my address to be written on the invoice.
Note that at the time of placing the order (10.4.2018) and also at the time of payment (13.4.2018), the estimated delivery date for the bike model, as listed on the German Homepage, was 30.4 - 4.5.2018. It is always stated that this is a provisional delivery date and therefore, not binding.
Until 2nd of May, I still did not receive any E-Mail updates. I called up the Koblenz office to enquire. The lady informed me that due to the public holiday it was highly unlikely that the bike will be delivered that week. Her estimation was the following week but this was not a guarantee.
On Tuesday of the following week, I still had not received any updates. I sent an email to follow up. By Friday, there was no answer to my email. I called up the Koblenz office again and was informed that the order is still in "Ordered" status. The provisional delivery date had now changed to 28.5 - 1.6.
I decided to cancel the order. The only positive thing that came out of this experience is that they do not execute payment until orders are shipped, so there was no additional time wasted on getting my money back. Had they been able to give me a definite delivery date, I would not have cancelled the order. Instead, there were no updates on the order and a complete lack of transparency. On the following Monday (after I cancelled the order on Friday), I received a response to my E-Mail from the previous week. It basically read that Purecycling are responsible for handling my order because I live in Switzerland, and I should contact them about the order. A second response came a day later stating that they could see the order had been cancelled. Enough said...
Luckily, I had had my eye on another bike offered by a Swiss online shop before I changed my mind for the Canyon bike. I promptly placed my order, got regular E-Mail updates on my order and received the bike in 1 week. It may not be as good as the Canyon model but I paid almost half the price and I didn't have to drive to Waldshut.
So, perhaps 10 minutes was a touch optimistic! The handlebars went on fine, but he dropper seat post trigger was really tricky. The screw just didn't want to engage, but I got there eventually. (Canyon also didn't supply the correct size allen key for this one)
The seat post, however, was a huge PITA. The hydraulic line just wouldn't thread into the frame and by the time I had worked out that I need to pull it from the trigger end I had put a lovely little kink in it, which means that the trigger doesn't spring back quickly after being pressed. I'll get an expert to sort that out. Luckily the line seems too long anyway and the kink is at the top near the seatpost, so I can just get a few cm trimmed off the top.
I also spent a long time trying to find the other end of the spindle to mount the front wheel, only to work out that there is no 'other end' and that the spindle screws directly into the fork.
Other little annoyances: The crank came with a small scratch and the forks had 0 PSI pressure! (I panicked that I had chosen too small a bike, but it was just the forks sitting on the ground!)
Haven't been able to hit the trails, as I've got a cold and am all bunged up, but I now have all the gear. (Still no idea!)
Yea you've gotta sort that out soon, otherwise your wife's sarcasm will reach new heights. (Of course, I know that because I have experience with your wife's quantum superposition...)
I'm a bit lost with Cayon Swiss and Cayon, where is the catch behind those two brands?
For example, I want to buy Cayon Spectral ON 9.0
https://www.canyon.com/en-fi/e-bike/...al-on-9-0.html
And cannot find this bike in Switzerland.
Everywhere Cayon Swiss
I know there is a chance to order a bike in Germany etc, but still, want to know what is behind this two names. And other reason is also, here in Schweiz I can get a bike on 4 ratenzahlung.
Cheers
For that reason you could buy Canyon I bikes officially from a website called www.purecycling.ch . The bikes were Canyon I bikes, but did not bear the name 'Canyon' on them and just went with the model. (Hence my bike is labelled only with the name Spectral)
Unfortunately Canyon decided to stop selling their bikes in Switzerland officially last summer. I just had a look on the official website of Canyon and unfortunately there does not seem to be the option to ship to Switzerland.
PS: I wanted to give them a call but weekend.. 😉 and was really curious what's behind the story.
Cheers
I did get mind from purecycling.ch a year or two ago but yes Switzerland is no longer on their shipping destinations list - guess due to trademark infringement.
There are super-saver train tickets and you can also take your new bike on the train with you on the way back.
The shop is in walking distance from the train station in an impressive building showing most of their models, you can do size fit, test rides.. etc., then if you buy the bike they'll also set it up for you.
Not cheaper than the shipping fee, but comparable, especially keeping in mind the extras you get arranging everything personally..
Also do I need to pay tax while bring the bike back from train ? I live in Basel
You should ask the shop, but it's possible that you can just buy the bike without paying the German tax (otherwise you can do the paperwork at the border and get reimbursed), then you arrange the Swiss tax as you wish once you're back in Switzerland.
You can also do so using the Swiss Custom QuickZoll App (mandatory if you travel by Regional train) https://www.ezv.admin.ch/ezv/en/home...quickzoll.html
If no customs agent passes you in the train, and you are not using a regional train, and you did not declare using the QuickZoll app, you must declare at the border train station (Basel Badischer Bahnhof).
Further information, in English on custom website:
https://www.ezv.admin.ch/ezv/en/home...g-by-rail.html
and in the following leaflet:
https://www.ezv.admin.ch/dam/ezv/en/...ut%20Delay.pdf
Be aware this is only the Swiss side. To get German VAT back you must follow the German export procedure and get the needed export stamp at a German or other EU custom post. If you come in by train this would be either the German customs office at Basel Badischer Bahnhof https://www.zoll.de/SharedDocs/Diens...asel_4058.html
or in case you come from France the French Customs office at Basel SNCF (at the same location as Basel SBB).