BradleyL

I utilized the search function but did not come up with much on the topic of shipping. My new bike is due to arrive on Wednesday and I then plan to put my BMC on the market.
Planning on using the shipping box and materials from my new bike. Jenson USA shipped the bike for free but charges an oversize fee of $75.
Looking for information on the best method of shipping.
Thanks,Brad

Tandem Tom

I have had good luck with Bike Ship. We also use it at the bike shop where I work.

alcjphil

Huh, "free" means no charge whatsoever. $75 is a hefty charge for "free" shipping. When I was working for a bike distributor, we didn't ship for free but bikes could be shipped from Montreal to the West coast for less than that and we didn't offer "free" shipping

BradleyL

Yea, the oversize charge didn't show up till I was almost completed with check out.

BradleyL

Thanks Tom

BradleyL

Thanks Tom.

mstateglfr 

bikeflights is what I use a few times a year. It, like other 3pl services, links you up with the carrier and you pay less versus going direct due to economy of scale.

The cost to ship a frame or bike depends significantly more on dimensions versus weight. Cut the box down to the exact size you need to ensure the lowest price.

indyfabz

I think he means shipbikes.com

I am probably going to give them a try this spring. I have been using bikeflights.com for years. They recently switched from FedEx to U.P.S. When I used them last year the service went down and price went up. When I got home I did a post-tour price comparison as to what I would have paid had I used shipbikes.com. It would have been noticeably less. Also had customer service issues. including an email telling me the bike had not been picked up when, in fact, it had been. Another thing I don't like about bikeflights is that you now have to create an account with a user name and password. One more thing to manage while I am out touring and have to stop at a public library to purchase return shipping.

Tandem Tom

I thought I reversed it! Yes Ship Bike. They use FedEx. Bike Flights use to use FedEx but switched to UPS. Heard too many complaints. I have had good luck with Ship Bike and they were less expensive than Bike Flights.

Schumi554

If you are shipping bikes, definitely avoid having your bikes packed by FedEx Office and/or The UPS Store. There is a price to pay for packaging and labor costs. Having to make custom packaging for bicycles, while fun, can be bothersome and annoying to plan, set up, and assemble. Additionally, paying retail shipping prices can also be expensive too, regardless of destination, shipping speed, and bike box size.

indyfabz

And some of us are fully willing to pay that price. When I head from the east coast out west to tour I have a LBS pack my bike. It has supplied foam wrap tubes and other custom pieces that get re-used every year. I bring in the bike, box, racks, stove, empty fuel bottle and shipping slip. It does the rest. If I ship FedEx an employee will even carry it around the corner to the local FedEx/Kinko's store for me. When I arrive at my destination, the shop I have shipped it to has it assembled, tuned and ready to roll out the door. That shop will hold the gear bag I flew out with and my box. At the end of the trip (usually two weeks later), I reverse the process, go have a beer and pack for my flight home. The convenience is well worth the money.

Last year I re-assembled the bike myself after the tour. I will probably do that again this year as it's not a big deal when you have all the time in the world. The start of the tour is a different matter. By the time I retrieve the bike I have been up for a good 14 hours (my time) and travelling, and I still need to buy last minute things like fuel, attach the racks, set up camp, organize and pack my gear into my panniers, shop for dinner fixin's and cook.

BradleyL

Very informative replies , thanks y'all.