CANYON BIKES: FAQs
Canyon Bikes in South Africa: Frequently Asked Questions
How is Canyoncafē connected to Canyon Bicycles?
We have a strong partnership with Canyon Bicycles in Germany, but Canyon Bicycles and Canyoncafē are completely separate businesses. As an official Canyon Bicycles Powerseller, Canyoncafē holds the exclusive rights to sell Canyon bikes in South Africa. That makes us your trusted destination if you would like to ride a Canyon in South Africa.
Why can’t an individual order Canyon Bikes directly from Canyon to South Africa?
Canyon bikes were available for direct online orders to South Africa for about three years through the Canyon global platform. However, the process came with numerous complications and was eventually discontinued.
South Africa has a complex import process: Any shipment over R50,000 requires an import licence, which is difficult to obtain unless you are a registered importer. Since most Canyon bikes exceed this value, it created frequent issues for customers.
Many South African clients were also unaware of the high import duties and VAT, often resulting in unexpected costs and a lot of frustration when the bikes arrived at South African customs.
To simplify the process, improve the experience and avoid these complications, Canyon now sells exclusively through Canyoncafē in South Africa, represented by Erik, a long-standing Canyon ambassador and former Canyon employee.
Why is the Canyon pricing in SA higher? What are the additional costs?
Importing bicycles into South Africa incurs several additional costs. The biggest factor is the 15% import duties that are charged on complete bikes. To avoid confusion about the cost of Canyon bikes in South Africa, all the prices shown on our website are the total costs—including all the additional costs (see below).
Please note that the final costing will be confirmed with the invoice, as exchange rate fluctuations can have an effect (sometimes also a positive one!).
Your total bicycle cost will include:
- 15% import duties
- €370 courier fee for bike transport
- Bank charges of 20–30 cents per Euro more than the online exchange rate
- Import customs costs
- UPS handling fee
- Our handling fee including your Canyon support in South Africa (i.e. warranties, technical support, spare parts)
These additional costs are why the pricing on the Canyon global website cannot just be converted to Rand to have the final bike pricing for South Africa.
How do I order a Canyon bike if I live in South Africa?
We established an easy order process, where you only need to worry about choosing the bike model, size, and colour that you like (and pay for it for sure ;-) )—we also offer financing through Yonda). We handle the rest for you. Simply contact us via phone, email, or the chat function with your dream bike or any questions that you have; we will find the right model for you.
How do exchange rate fluctuations affect the price of Canyon bikes in South Africa?
Canyon bikes are imported from Canyon's global warehouse, so fluctuations in the exchange rate can affect the final pricing of a Canyon bike in South Africa. You can find the exchange rate that we use for calculating the bike prices on our website in the banner at the top of our website. This gives you an indication of how the price of your bike will be affected.
The final price is confirmed in your quote or invoice.
Why should I buy a Canyon bike through Canyoncafē?
As Canyon's official powerseller in South Africa, Canyoncafē takes care of the entire process of getting your Canyon bike to you: from placing your order and arranging international shipment to customs clearance and delivery. We also provide local support throughout your bike's lifespan.
When you buy a bike from us, your bike is imported into South Africa through the proper customs process. We make sure that the applicable duties and VAT are taken care of.
All our prices include these costs, so you know what to expect.
Buying a bike abroad and bringing it back to South Africa may seem like a cheaper option, but newly purchased goods must be declared to customs, and applicable duties and VAT must be paid. Failing to declare goods can result in penalties.
With Canyoncafē, you buy your Canyon with the peace of mind that the import process is handled correctly. We are also your local point of contact for any support needed throughout the lifespan of your Canyon bike. We make sure you get the support your Canyon needs in South Africa, from bike services and spare parts to warranty support or any questions you should have about your bike after the purchase.
Can you help me with warranties if I did not buy my Canyon through Canyoncafē?
Canyoncafē operates independently from Canyon Bicycles. As such, our service mandate extends exclusively to clients who have purchased their Canyon bikes through Canyoncafē.
For Canyon bikes not purchased via Canyoncafē, we are under no obligation to provide support. However, in certain cases, assistance may be available at a fee to reflect the value of our time and expertise.
If you bought your bike elsewhere, our online shop is always available for you to order Canyon spare parts or other gear while you are in South Africa.
You will find more information on our warranties page.
I crashed my Canyon? How can you help? Do you offer a crash replacement?
Canyon Bicycles offers a crash replacement program for Canyon branded parts, such as frames, forks or other Canyon components. If the bike or component are less than three years old, Canyon offers replacements at a reduced cost.
To assist you, we will need a description and pictures of the damage, as well as current pictures of all four sides of the bike and the serial number via email (canyon(at)canyoncafe.co.za).
You will find further information on our warranties and crash replacement page. As soon as we have all the required information from you, we will handle the request with Canyon Germany for you.
Can I finance my Canyon?
Yes! We offer financing through Yonda. Simply click on the link to Yonda and fill out either the pre-approval application or the full application. The Yonda team will contact you – and we also get a notification that you applied for a pre-approval.
Do you list all Canyon sales on the Canyoncafē site? Do the discounts on the Canyon Bicycle website affect the prices for Canyon bikes in South Africa?
As the specials come and go, we only occasionally list sales on our Canyoncafē website. It would be too time-consuming to update all the sales daily, and we do not want to give you false hopes for in case the special is not relevant anymore. If the bike you are looking for is currently on special, we will offer it to you at the reduced price. Please do not forget the additional costs we have for bikes here in South Africa.
Buying a Canyon bike in South Africa
How can I buy a Canyon bike in South Africa?
In South Africa you can buy your Canyon bike through Canyoncafē. Canyoncafē established an easy order process, where you only need to worry about choosing your bike model, size, and color—Canyoncafē handles the rest for you. Simply contact Canyoncafē via phone, email, or the chat function to place your order and to get help finding the right Canyon bike for you.
Why should I buy my Canyon bike through Canyoncafē?
Buying your Canyon through Canyoncafē makes getting your bike into South Africa straightforward. We take care of the ordering and import process, including customs clearance and delivery, and provide local after-sales support throughout your bike’s lifespan.
This support includes assistance with warranty claims, crash replacement (where applicable), servicing, spare parts and any questions or issues that may arise after your purchase.
Buying a Canyon bike abroad and bringing it back to South Africa may seem cheaper, but you must declare the bike to customs and pay the applicable duties and VAT. Failure to comply with customs requirements can result in penalties. When you purchase and import a bike independently, Canyoncafē is not automatically authorised to manage warranty claims on your behalf in South Africa.
With Canyoncafē, you have a local point of contact who understands your bike and can help you navigate the support you need in South Africa.
Why are Canyon bikes more expensive in South Africa?
Importing bicycles into South Africa incurs several additional costs. All the prices shown on the Canyoncafē website are the total costs, including all the additional fees.
Your total bicycle cost will include:
- 15% import duties
- €370 courier fee for bike transport
- Bank charges of 20–30 cents per Euro more than the online exchange rate
- Import customs costs
- UPS handling fee
- Our handling fee, including your Canyon support in South Africa (i.e. warranties, technical support)
These additional costs are why the pricing on the Canyon global website cannot just be converted to Rand to have the final bike pricing for South Africa.
Are import duties, VAT and shipping costs included in the price?
All Canyon bike prices on the Canyoncafē website include the import duties, VAT and the shipping costs.