spinnaker

I used bikeflights for the first time last year. Even for an oversized box, it was very economical to ship to Portland, OR from Pittsburgh. I only paid $80 last year. The bike was shipped though FedEx.

Well bikeflights now uses UPS. It has been my experience that UPS is significantly more expensive than Fedex. This year that same box is $103.

Funny the Fedex site now does not ask for dimensions of the box. Just weight. A 40 pound box is now only $84 for that same distance.

The good news is that a standard sized box is only $60. The oversized box is a significant hit. I think a standaed box was about that price last year. It was only $20 more for the oversized so I figured it was worth it over the hassle of trying to squeeze a touring bike into a standard box.

Looks like I am going to have to try that this year. Or just fly with the bike.

spinnaker

Shipbikes still uses Fedex and the price is the same as last year for the oversized box. Well a little more expensive $83 instead of $80.

Their website made it such a pita to get a quote. I don't know if I have more patience but not too bad now. Bikeflights is still a lot easier.

BobG

Look again. Package dimensions are requested on the first page just above "Package dimensions may impact your rate". I entered Portland to Pittsburgh at the FedEx site with bike box dimensions and here's what I got. Quote 1 is for a 130" box, Quote 2 is for a 132" box. I did not enter any insurance figure...

mrveloman

A little off topic but I am confused. I thought the overall dimension was the sum of the length plus the height plus the width. So how does a box 52"x31"x8" equal 130"? I get 91". What am I missing?

spinnaker

It never asks for size on the site I am on. Tried 2 different browsers. Never asks for size. I don't see how it could give a quote if size is required and not entered.

BobG

Strange. Try copying and pasting the address at my screen shot to see if it gets you there...

https://www.fedex.com/apps/shipping-rates#/

spinnaker

Yep I get measurements required.

Now go here

https://www.fedex.com/en-us/home.html

Click on the Rate and Ship icon.

BobG

Yep, That's quite misleading! I clicked on "Shipping > Shipping Rates and Delivery Times" at the very top of the home page to get to the right pricing page.

BobG

UPS, USPS and FedEx measure length + girth= L + (2 x W) + (2 x H), thus 52 + 62 + 16= 130". Airlines measure by linear inches L + H + W, thus 52 + 31 + 8= 91"

Tourist in MSN

If you decide to take a bike on a plane and fly commercial in USA, last year when I was checking a few prices I found that Southwest was pretty close to reasonable for a bike box. In the left hand column at this link, click on the Sports Equipment button. Then go down the list to Sports Equipment - Special Items to find bicycles. $75. I am not sure but I think that would mean that the bike is one of your two alloted free pieces of checked luggage.
https://www.southwest.com/html/custo...ggage-pol.html

My next trip is on Air Canada. They also have a close to reasonable fee for a bike box, much better than Delta and some of the others.

If you are fortunate enough to be starting and ending near Amtrak stations that handle luggage,
https://www.amtrak.com/express-shipping

I once heard that you can pay REI to ship a bike in a box from one REI store to another but I have never looked into that. Not sure if they still do it or not.

mrveloman

BobG - thanks for clarifying that - something I did not know, always thought it was like the airlines.

Tourist in MSN - I flew with southwest last year and it was $75 for a boxed bike. Was not included as one of my free baggage pieces, though my gear bag was. I have had REI ship a bike for me from one store to another. At the time, maybe 10 years ago it was $100. Last time I checked it was much more - there is a charge for packing the bike plus shipping - was going to be around $200.

mike

fietsbob

LBS has taken to using bike flights It does not matter tho picks up the box*, UPS or FedEx

the billing goes thru the bike flights arrangement.. charging customer before it's picked up,


They used to use a UPS business account, and charged the customer's CC,
when the monthly UPS Bill showed the actual charges for that box..



* though there is an ex employee , In USCG, he has found a fat bike market amongst his fellow Coasties ,
on the Kodiak Island base, there USPS serves that location better..




...

spinnaker

American is now the best price for a us carrier. Only $30. I think I would still rather ship ahead and have the bike built by the bike shop. that way it is ready to go when you arrive. I am sure Rick Steves would agree if he did bicycle tours. He is big on using taxis over busses to get from place to place in a city. He says while a bus seems to be cheaper, you need to figure what our vacaion is costing an hour then figure the cheapest form of transportation. Usually that is a taxi

spinnaker

Picked up a standard size box from the LBS today. I did a test pack I was completely shocked that I was able to get the bike in the box. It is a touring bike an a fairly large 55cm frame at that.

I will need to remove or lower the rear rack but I think I had to remove y rack anyway when I used my road bike as a touring bike.

Tourist in MSN

Wow. I just did an internet search, found this, the policy change is quite new.
Newsroom - American Airlines Eliminates Oversize Bag Fees for Sports and Music Equipment - American Airlines Group, Inc.

And, note the 126 inch measurement:
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/baggage/specialty-and-sports.jsp#bicycle

spinnaker

But the bad news is American and its mechanics are at odds. There is a strike looming. The really bad news is that I am flying American this year I hope that patch things up or don't strike till after I am there .

spinnaker

Already noted here.
https://www.bikeforums.net/20948396-post9.html

Rob_E

Good to know about SW not including the bike as one of your two bags, although I can't see checking a boxed bike and two checked bags and still expecting to get everything on the bike. I try to limit my checked bags to one bike and one duffle that I can empty, fold up, and stash on the bike for the trip.

I don't have numbers on the REI thing, but I remember something similar. If I remember correctly, REI wants to disassemble, pack, ship, and reassemble the bike, so you have shop fees at both ends, plus you pay shipping. It was not cheap, but it is probably handy if you really don't want to do your own maintenance. Dropping a bike off at REI and picking it up across the country, ready-to-go, could be a valuable service. But I can reassemble my bike in less than an hour, considerably less for a non-coupled bike that ships in an oversize box, and I'd rather hit the ground running by loading up the bike at the airport and moving on directly from there.

spinnaker

The REI on Portland (at least used to) allows you to ship to them without using anther REI. But yes to have the ship, they want to break it down and pack it.

A shame it is so expensive with REI to ship. If they could use their internal shipping ( not sure if such a thing exists), I would not mind if it took a few weeks to get the bike to its destintation if it meant cheaper shipping.

Tourist in MSN

I think on Southwest that the bike is one of your two free checked items, plus the oversize fee if the bike is in a bike box.

A year ago I flew Southwest, I recall trying to decide if I wanted to take a full size bike and pay the oversize fee or if I wanted to take my folding bike in an S&S case for a van supported week long camping trip. (Or skip the whole bike on airplane thing and do bikeflights?) In the end, I took the folding bike in an S&S case which was not oversize, thus I had two free checked bags that met the 62 inch criteria, the bike being one of them.

If on the left column you click on the button for sports equipment, you get two paragraphs on bicycles, one is oversize (over 62 inches) and one is not. I interpret that as an oversize fee on one of your free checked items.
https://www.southwest.com/html/custo...ggage-pol.html

Rob_E

That would be my interpretation, too. It just doesn’t sound like it matches mrveloman’s experience. Probably doesn’t matter because I’ve yet to want to check 2 bags and a bike, but it’d be nice to know if it’s an option.

mrveloman

My bike was oversize and clearly was not free as I paid the $75 fee for it. I did also bring a large duffel with all my gear and that was free. No idea if I could have checked another free bag or not. I sure wouldn't have had any room on my bike for more. Headed to Canada this summer so again putting bike on the plane to avoid it getting hung up at customs. On Westjet will cost me $100 (I think).

Rob_E

Sorry, I misunderstood your earlier post. I thought you were saying that the boxed bike didn't count towards your two, free, checked bags.

indyfabz

Just shipped to Missoula using Bikeflights (again). I liked it better before. Picked 5 business day shipping (when they used FdEx it was four). Actually took 6 business days. I also had trouble with their website. First it kept giving me odd pick up and delivery dates when I was checking pricing and times. When I finally went to buy, I put in all the required information, but it would not accept my payment. Every time I hit the button to buy I kept getting sent back to the same screen. Gave up and tried again the next morning. It worked then. Still, that was annoying. Also, the pickup charge is now $15. Anyone know when it changed from $5? I had not used the pickup service in several years because there is a FedEx/Kinko's store around the corner from the LBS that packs my bike and they would run it around the corner for me as a courtesy.

spinnaker

I swear I just saw it at $5. Or maybe that was shipbikes?

Do you ship to a shop and have them build?