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Thread: Shipping a bike

  1. #1
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    Shipping a bike

    Well someone stepped to buy my ti hardtail, looking into shipping and it's pretty much ass rapeage.

    Ups wants over 200 to Canada, 115 ish to Bellingham....how the fuck do I do this for less? Used to be like 60 to ship within the states....
    I rip the groomed on tele gear

  2. #2
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    the drugs made me realize it's not about the drugs

  3. #3
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    what he said
    Quote Originally Posted by wkd-rdr View Post

  4. #4
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    Yep, BikeFlights.com or ShipBikes.com. It should be under $80 to most places within the US.

    The best part is for an extra $5, they'll pick the bike up from your front porch.

  5. #5
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    Yea, I just ran the numbers through. $72 bucks in a standard bike box from NC to OR.
    Plus $1 for every $100 estimated value if you insure it. That brings the price up a bit for a $4000 bike.

    Still, cheaper than $150 each way to fly with a bike.
    However many are in a shit ton.

  6. #6
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    Box I have is 58x34x10. Looks better though!
    I rip the groomed on tele gear

  7. #7
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    If the box is under a certain size you can check it as regular baggage through some airlines. United it's 50lbs and 62 linear inches, which is pretty small. I shipped my bike through bike flights in a mtb box I got from the bike shop and it was something like 60x33x8, so not even close.

    And make sure you put a shitload of padding in there so the box can get flipped around in any direction, and also lots of tape on the box. When mine got to AZ the staples in the bottom had all started pulling out.

  8. #8
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    Dec 2008
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    100'F and Muggy
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    Never shipped a bike, but Greyhound PackageXpress is cheap for big stuff. Have to drop /pickup from Greyhound station tho.

  9. #9
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    Many thanks!
    I rip the groomed on tele gear

  10. #10
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    Anyone ever use one of these containers? https://www.serfas.com/products/view...e-travel-cases

    Says it fits most 29ers, so I'm assuming it will fit a 650b mtn bike?

  11. #11
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    /\ /\ /\
    Hard plastic cases are tricky. They were all designed around the roadie with a $15K carbon fragile as shit piece of art.
    Mountain bikes and their wheels are 100x tougher and really don't need that kind of babying.
    Whether you're shipping it or flying with it, the hard plastic case will add a ton of weight to your whole package. So just in that regard, a soft case or a cardboard bike box will work better.
    If you're flying, the hard plastic cases are super difficult to get closed up correctly. This is a little stressful when you pack it up, BUT it sucks balls when you realize the TSA doesn't give a fuck about getting it closed up after they peek inside. The hard plastic case actually works against you with TSA. Soft cases and cardboard boxes allow them to peek inside and close it back up.
    However many are in a shit ton.

  12. #12
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    That was really good advice that I didn't consider, thank you.

    I ended up grabbing a SC box (which are sweet btw) and shipping it that way. My concern is how many times it will be shipped back n forth across the country and my kids access to a bike box. I'm assuming the local shops will be helpful and give or sell him one.

    His bike is scheduled to land today. He will certainly be stoked to ride the SC trails and I am certainly jealous.

  13. #13
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    2019 Bump.

    Some guy in Kansas is buying my kid's bike. Going to have Go Ride box it up, then...? Once it's boxed up, what's the advantage to using Bikeflights compared to just going straight to UPS or FedEx?

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dantheman View Post
    2019 Bump.

    Some guy in Kansas is buying my kid's bike. Going to have Go Ride box it up, then...? Once it's boxed up, what's the advantage to using Bikeflights compared to just going straight to UPS or FedEx?
    No idea how, but bikeflights has always been cheaper for me than regular FedEx/UPS. Other option is greyhound shipping...have used for moving boxes before, I imagine bikes would be similarly cheap.

    Shipping used to be cheap not too long ago. Last few times I've mailed shit I always have that goddamit feeling... meanwhile companies like amazon can overnight a $5 product to me with Prime....

  15. #15
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    Note Bikeflights is generally cheaper for skis too


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    That Don't Make No Sense

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Groomer Gambler View Post
    Shipping used to be cheap not too long ago. Last few times I've mailed shit I always have that goddamit feeling...
    I'm getting quotes of $45-50 from BikeFlights/ShipBikes, seems reasonable.

  17. #17
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    Bike flights essentially allows you access to a corporate shipping act, which is far cheaper than retail shop. I use it for boxes, bikes, skis, etc. It’s painless and then just drop at a pickup spot.

  18. #18
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    Eugenio Oregón
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    Shipping a bike

    I think what may have happened is UPS and FedEx, and probably even USPS, have really changed their price segregation by annual shipping volume and made it more extreme. I worked for a large manufacturer and our corporate FedEx rate was really cheap - often times it was cheaper or maybe only $5 more to ship boxes next day air compared to 3-day select. Meanwhile the quotes I got from my personal UPS account were more than twice the price I paid from my corporate side.

    I guess it makes sense for the shippers, as I’m sure the expenses of maintaining retail storefronts and dropboxes are lopsided in comparison of the DC-to-DC hauling costs.
    _______________________________________________
    "Strapping myself to a sitski built with 30lb of metal and fibreglass then trying to water ski in it sounds like a stupid idea to me.

    I'll be there."
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  19. #19
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    32 lb, 45x25x9 box was $27 via BikeFlights. Not bad at all I must say.

  20. #20
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    ^^^Similar for me, I’ve been very happy with bikeflights.
    I have two plastic bike cases for when we used to travel with our bikes all the time, and now I don’t even know what to do with them because of the TSA issue.
    Plastic recycle?
    Well maybe I'm the faggot America
    I'm not a part of a redneck agenda

  21. #21
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    Aug 2020
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    Quote Originally Posted by plugboots View Post
    ^^^Similar for me, I’ve been very happy with bikeflights.
    I have two plastic bike cases for when we used to travel with our bikes all the time, and now I don’t even know what to do with them because of the TSA issue.
    Plastic recycle?
    Hello

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
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    2,459
    Check out netparcel.com for all shipping needs. It's a shipping aggregator that gives you business rates with all major shippers. They also do LTL. They saved me lots of money.

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dantheman View Post
    I'm getting quotes of $45-50 from BikeFlights/ShipBikes, seems reasonable.
    ShipBikes will not help you at all if/when you need to file a claim. Bike Flights will.


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    However many are in a shit ton.

  24. #24
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    I've been really impressed with bike flights. I've had to submit claims, and they were extremely easy to work with. Even if they're not the cheapest, I still keep using them.

  25. #25
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    The insurance is the killer with any shipping service and generally doubles the price for me with bikeflights. That said, it’s worth paying for and bikeflights is still the best deal in town.
    There's nothing better than sliding down snow, and flying through the air

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