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>The story is the same in scotland, low quality unknown grade at real world price at local L.B.S
>(Probably leftovers and spares from repairs), or graded in fancy packets at house loan prices!!
>
>I would think sjs are selling at a fair price compared to what they are buying in at. If you do a
>UK web search it only seems to come up with mass producers with minimum order quantities.!!!
The minimum at BSL, who distribute for many of the manufacturer's, is 100 and the price for 100grade
6mm just over £6 plus vat per 100 at my local branch. They have ten sales branches in Scotland. (See
link in my previous posting.)
I know houses are a bit cheaper in parts of Scotland but
I got 250 of 1/4" and 250 of 3/16" (100grade) for something like £16 from BSL late last year so it's
clear that you if you can decide what you might want over a longer period and get them in a bigger
quantity it's worth it but.....
Note well that BSL supply the balls clean.
You will need to put a bit of oil on them and roll them about to protect them. I've discovered this
the hard way as most of my 250 3/16" balls are now rusty and will have to be discarded. I should
have got on and serviced my old Sturmey hubs all at once. : (
When you think this through it may explain bike shop pricing. Dried beans are cheaper by the tonne
too but go mouldy piled in the coal shed.
May be some of the best US bike shops are treating 25grade balls a bit like ASDA's and Tesco's 9p
cans of baked beans? Softens us up for the cost of a bottle or a new XTR or Record.
Martyn
Martyn Aldis