Cheapest way to ship a bike?

[sethschmautz]

I am buying a bike from a guy in Arkansas. What is the best cheapest (I'm sure there's a balance here) way to get it shipped? Bike flights boxes look pretty expensive, are there better ways to do this?

Would a bike shop package in an old bike box for cheap?

How much should this cost (box and packaging)

Seth

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[toast2266]

Bike flights is usually the cheapest shipping service. Most shops will pack a bike for a fee. It's a bit rare that the buyer would pay for the packing though; every bike I've ever bought or sold, packing the bike is on the seller.

[sethschmautz]

I was expecting to cover the cost of packaging and shipping, just looking for a cheap (but reasonably good) way to do it!

Anybody use shipbikes.com? Looks like the cardboard boxes that used to be offered on bikeflights.com.

Quote for shipping also looks to be less.

Seth

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[Dee Hubbs]

Have them call a local shop and get a price to have the shop box it up professionally. My old shop did it for $25 including the box. We would also ship on our corporate UPS account for a slight up-charge.

[SumJongGuy]

I paid $150 to get some random eBay person to ship a vintage bike that was listed as pick up only. I messaged them and asked and got one "no". Then, I offered them the "I don't want to ship it but... " $150 offer which was accepted. FWIW, they got it to me in less than three days for that price massively bubble wrapped in a super sturdy box. Still probably only cost them less than $50 LOL..

[ASmileyFace]

Most bikes shops I've ever been too have bike boxes on hand and will pack bikes for a fee. Bike Flights seems legit based on the experiences my buddy (who owns a shop) has had. Have the seller contact a local bike shop and see what they say/can do.

[snowday]

Bikeflights used to be the cheapest as they had a corporate acct with Fedex. A little while back they switched to UPS and I think the prices have gone up. I haven't used them since the change in shipper. I've heard shipbikes is the way to go now but haven't had a chance to use them yet. You can calculate prices on either site pretty easily.

[radam]

If getting a box quickly and easily is a sticking point, FedEx sells bike boxes at some locations for $25. I would not say that is a good price for a box, however sometimes there are generic fedex coupons, so there's that.
Otherwise, yeah, shipbikes or bikeflights is the way to go unless you've got access to a corporate account.

[smmokan]

Most shops will pack a bike for you for around $50-75, including the "cost" of the cardboard bike box. As someone said above, it looks like BikeFlights prices have gone up recently, and ShipBikes.com is the way to go these days.

[sethschmautz]

Thanks all!

Seth

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[Absquatulate]

Most Bike Shops usually have Bike Boxes and contact the local bike shop near by you and ask what they can do. You can do using Bike Flights too but they are a bit expensive and it may cost you more.

[Benneke10]

Bumping this thread... trying to ship a small-ish cardboard bike box (60x33x9in) from UT to WA, and bike flights is quoting $155. Going direct thru UPS and Fedex is a lot more. I used to use shipbikes.com but now they are requiring customers to use boxes they provide which is not feasible for me at this time. Are there any other options for shipping a bike at a reasonable cost?

[XXX-er]

how about greyhound, used to ship greyhound bus all the time ?

having said that no more greyhound in western Canada

[toast2266]

While bike flights isn't particularly cheap, it still seems like they're cheaper than any other option out there at the moment.

[rideit]

Just for fun, try PirateShip.
On everything else I ship it has been 40%-60% off of counter price at UPS and USPS.

[evdog]

Find someone flying to Seattle, and pay them $20 to take it as checked baggage.

[Eluder]

$155 is cheap these days for shipping... just send it

[skinipenem]

Just for fun, try PirateShip.
On everything else I ship it has been 40%-60% off of counter price at UPS and USPS.

Pirateship works well and has an insurance option

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