Indian Tadpole

Steve,
Tail-lights look very nice. Shame the matching headlight(s) you wanted failed to materialize due to an ordering oversight. They would have worked great for your build. Hope the US-sourced alternative headlights lights work out for you.

Clicking on the correct item when purchasing via the AliExpress site can be tricky. I've purchased more than a few bits and pieces on there, so I've learned to be wary when purchasing. Hitting the BUY IT NOW button over-zealously can come back to bite you on the butt. lol. Quite often, the price shown for a particular item on the site doesn't at first correspond with the pic which attracted you to the item in the first place. When viewing an item on AliExpress, the thing to do is to click on each photo thumbnail and watch the price in the listing change according to the various purchasing options available. Depending on which photo thumbnail was selected, I'm pretty sure I recall those head/tail lights I directed you to on AliExpress were available as either single headlight, single taillight or a pair, comprising one of each unit.
 
Steve,
Correspondence-wise, I've never had a bad experience dealing with AliExpress via the site's messaging system. When awaiting a reply to emails, It's necessary to understand there's a time difference between China and the rest of us - and they don't answer over weekends. If you're unsatisfied, I'm betting they'll do their best to keep you happy. They want your business.

I recently purchased a side-mounted rear number plate with Vincent-style 'STOP' tail-light for my latest build from AE and all that showed up was the actual light. After e-mailing them, They gave me the option of returning the light for a full refund or waiting a couple of weeks for them to mail the missing side-mount plate. I wasn't in a hurry for that particular part, so I went with the second option. Sh-t happens. I'm still a satisfied customer of AE. And I reckon they know that too - 'cause they insist on sending me about five e-mails a day to try and tempt me to part with more of my dosh! (^) Currently awaiting delivery of a pair of footboards for the new build - which I ordered following several e-mails from AE featuring ever-decreasing pricing till I eventually couldn't refuse biting!
 
PeteMcP said:
Steve,
Tail-lights look very nice. Shame the matching headlight(s) you wanted failed to materialize due to an ordering oversight. They would have worked great for your build. Hope the US-sourced alternative headlights lights work out for you.

Clicking on the correct item when purchasing via the AliExpress site can be tricky. I've purchased more than a few bits and pieces on there, so I've learned to be wary when purchasing. Hitting the BUY IT NOW button over-zealously can come back to bite you on the butt. lol. Quite often, the price shown for a particular item on the site doesn't at first correspond with the pic which attracted you to the item in the first place. When viewing an item on AliExpress, the thing to do is to click on each photo thumbnail and watch the price in the listing change according to the various purchasing options available. Depending on which photo thumbnail was selected, I'm pretty sure I recall those head/tail lights I directed you to on AliExpress were available as either single headlight, single taillight or a pair, comprising one of each unit.
Click to expand...
Pete the same goes when ordering through Bang good. I've been lucky several times to really verify what I'm paying for and make sure every part is ordered separately. The process isn't good and that's fact. I've been pleased with their products and prices. Shipping is fine as well.

Rick C.
 
Steve,
You didn't get what you expected, so I'm feeling guilty about steering you to those vintage brass/copper lights on AE.
But I just clicked on the link you provided in post 3580 and sure enough, if you click on each of the three thumbnail pics in the pricing section of the listing, the price does adjust to show which individual light, or pair of lights, you want to actually order/pay for.
 
Pete,
The headlight taillight kerfuffle has nothing to do with you guiding me to them. I can only thank you for the information. It's the usual bait and switch Asian way of doing business and their not facing a problem due to the loss of "Face."

B.C. has the largest Chinese population outside of Hong Kong so we see it on a daily basis. It's never their fault. It's "You Faw." with great amounts of finger pointing in your direction. I emailed the company days ago when the the light first came. Still nothing I will try again shortly to make sure that I get the headlights and not more taillights.

Having been down the Asian trading trail many times I make sure of what I'm buying. AliExpress does make it a lot easier but it can't filter out the bad actors completely. My favourite is the really great price on something and then you look at the shipping cost. The irresistible bike frame at $149 dollars has a $565 dollar shipping cost. Who knows what the real shipping cost is and how much of that stays with the merchant?

I'm still a AliExpress shopping fan. I'll be tickling the key board later today looking at those five different notifications containing things I couldn't possibly live without, that I didn't know I so badly needed.

I mean what kitchen would be considered complete without the Ceramic Duck Roaster with 14 heat levels and the digital display? My sister in law loves me. When the latest kitchen helper arrives she always says she's at a loss for words. The best part is she will retire soon and have an opportunity to use them all. The nice part is that the closet they are stored in is so well organized it won't be hard to find them.

I remain hopeful.

I'm thinking that the lights from California will go on the Indian tri car. I can't use it on the streets here so unless the plague subsides and I can use it in the U.S. It will be a car show darling and only then if the plague subsides and gathering are once again allowed. However the electric tri car can be used year around weather permitting. That translates into over 65F and sunny. That would warrant the nice brass headlights.

As I may have mentioned before driving here is at best, full of precautions. An amazing amount of the drivers are having trouble adjusting from their mule/horse powered cart with the truck rear axle to a Mercedes or B.M.W. in a few short months or weeks. The concept that they can't attempt to drive using a relatives drivers license and calling the relative to bring the license to the accident scene totally eludes them. You do have to admire the relatives willingness to allow someone to borrow their $1000,000 or more vehicle to start driving. However since our auto insurance is run by the province or state if you prefer, the clamp has come down rather hard and people find none of their cars are insurable at a remotely reasonable cost.

Put a devilish crimp in buying buying the latest coming of age son a $350,000 super car to celebrate his 16th birthday and him getting his drivers license. He also has the family lawyer on speed dial. Once again must save "Face." Helps with the "No my faw." defence.

I will have a go at purchasing the brass lights later on today. Failing success I will be the proud owner of an over abundance of lovely brass tail lights. Sort of a "Pimp my ride." look. As with this set, clicking of a given object is not a guarantee of success.

The one thing that keeps me going is that I'm using my brothers credit card.

Steve.
 
Rick,
Sorry I confuse you and Tom upon occasion. My typing time has to be selected when the pain level is at it's lowest and in the rush I mix names up upon occasion. After this I will have to place my hands in the heating pad for a while so I will be able to use them in a short time. Lessens the cramps as well.

I keep telling the young people that old age is a trap and there is only one way out.
and not to do it. Stay young forever.

Steve.
 
Steve, OK, so at least it sounds like you have a plan.

If you're adamant enough to want a pair of those nice brass/copper headlights, I suggest you follow Rick's sensible tip to add each one to your shopping basket individually. I usually click onto the relevant thumbnail photo, add one item to my basket, view basket, then increase the quantity to two. Then I check and double check my order before hitting 'BUY FROM THIS SELLER'.

I don't take AE's often astronomical shipping charges too seriously. I recently enquired about another of those drop loop frames I bought last year and said the shipping charge they now have in mind must be mistake, as it's almost 3 x times that which was charged to ship to me in the UK first time round. Guy replied, basically asking what I was charged and said they would match it.
 
Well that all was explained quickly. The first photo on the page where it had a 14% discount, a price and a photo of the headlamp with a photo of the tail light off to one side was actually the tail light even though it showed the headlight.

I went back to my old fail safe and pushed Add to Cart. No buying until I see what I bought. Then I went to make it two and bought them. I didn't pay a lot of attention to what I bought when I bought the tail lights. The photo with the light on the bike was the actual headlight link. I would have purchased the tail light anyway but it was odd to expect headlights and tail lights.

When they are here I'll see how they look on the Indian before going with the lights in California.

They will be here by mid January. When I have them in hand I'll look to see about adding red and green gems to the sides of them so they will be illuminated.

The tail lights went from China to Taiwan where they had the formal shipping label to Canada applied over the China shipping label to Taiwan. Love to know the story behind that. I peeled off the labels to see what happened.

They ship two items for the same money as one item as usual which I found interesting. I saw a story on a news site about what shipping a container overseas costs. It's gone from a few hundred dollars to $2000 or more.

Pays to ask why the price went up. The vendors will work to make a sale.

Steve.
 
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Steve, rule of thumb on AE to bear in mind: ...
Thumbnail pics under main photo in listings merely show different views of item(s). Thumbnails to the right of these, in the pricing/description section of the listing, are the ones to click on to see pricing and item options. Often advisable to e-mail seller querying shipping cost if it seems unfeasibly high.
For example, right now I'm looking at an AE listing offering either a drop loop frame, a frame plus girder forks, a pair of gum-wall wide tyres or all three items. Problem with this listing is, shipping is listed at over 500 pounds no matter which option is selected for purchase. After enquiring, shipping cost became much more reasonable.
 
Pete, the shipping was $13.61 Canadian for the two of them. When I consider the usual shipping charges from the U.S. which would be at least $50 Canadian it all gets better. Just about anything for the sale to go through in Asia.

I like the way they refer to the drop looped frame as a Snow Bike frame and the 4" rim wheels as Snow Bike wheels at least on this site. Lot of brass bling parts for bikes as well. Then there are the fully loaded, sort of vintage looking, China Girl powered bikes dripping with every thing bike related vintage they sell for a mere $20,000 Canadian.

They wanted 500 GBP for shipping? To put that into a money amount for those of us on this side of the water that's $662.32 U.S. or $854.05 Canadian at today's rate. I have to smile at how things just appear here with out attracting the revenue beagles attention. The batteries show up without a bunch of annoying labels as to the contents.

Steve.
 
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