Doug,
I think it's on the verge of becoming prohibitive, at least for lightweight items that require large packaging. Small bits - bottom brackets, hubs, etc - still seem affordable. And the cost for frames, while not inexpensive, seem more justifiable if one has already spent a few hundred quid on the frame itself. It's the rims and mudguards and the like that seem to be getting beyond reasonable.
But there are apparently exceptions. I took delivery last week of a set of Bluemel's Featherweights and two pair of GB clips. The seller is a list member and well-known eBay source of all things bikes and British. Shipping to me was £15. I have no idea how this was achieved but appreciate being the beneficiary. However, it seems such tales are destined in the future to become nostalgic musings over the evening cocktail.
Doug Smith wrote:
>As an example yesterday I took a pair of rims,tyres and inner tubes in a
>cardboard box for "test run" and the cost would have been £49-00GBP
>= $76-00 USD delivery for an item costing just £25-00GBP = $43-50
>USD. The faster air mail tariff will cost much more than my quotes.
>So there you go , whether there is anybody in the UK who does this
>service for less I would'nt as I've never enquired. I can see the day
>coming when the costs of shipping will become prohibtive (if they
>have'nt already) to send our goods to you in America.
>The lastest increase in pricing by The Royal Mail came into effect on
>the 1st April .
>Doug Smith
>North Dorset
>UK
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>
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Phil Sieg
Knoxville, Tennessee