Username: Chilero
Preferred Contact: PM (goes to email)
State(s): CA
Primary CL City: Los Angeles
Secondary CL Cities: Orange County
Items willing to facilitate: rims, wheels, frame sets, complete bikes (prefer vintage bikes, pre-monocoque carbon, except by special request)
Where do I ship: CONUS and International,
Note: Having shipped countless parts, frames and whole bikes I have found a special niche in shipping whole bikes to countries with a postal limitation of a 108" box. Most of the complete bikes I've shipped have gone to South Korea and Japan in a single box. I have an account with USPS and prefer to ship USPS Express Mail International. Within CONUS I ship UPS or FedEx ground. My son and I are skilled mechanics with our own workshop and a decent collection of vintage steel, but we also work on bikes for pro racers.
Bicycles shipped internationally are disassembled more than when shipping within CONUS, so at a minimum I remove the chain, crankset, pedals, seatpost and saddle, handlebars and stem and fork (headset bits and bearings carefully packed). Furthermore I remove the wheels and remove the skewers and axles from the hubs (bearings carefully packed). This last task keeps sharp objects from protruding from the box and allows the wheels to ship with the frame. I use 8" wide boxes and have found that some handlebars with deep drops do not fit, this is a rare occurrence. I use pipe insulation when necessary to protect the frame from lose parts. When shipping a frame set it is not necessary. I use spacers to help prevent the box from getting crushed. I use bubble wrap sparingly and only for small parts. I recycle when possible. I do not use peanuts, synthetic or biodegradable. I work for peanuts but not for free.
My clients usually purchase a bike via CL or ebay and have their purchase delivered to my address. Local pickup may be available but I do not handle payments. It takes me about a week to pack and ship since I'm busy running a business. Just prior to shipping I send the invoice to the client for payment via paypal, I then ship the next business day. When I receive the bicycle for shipment I photograph in detail prior to disassembly and immediately send pics via email to my client. This allows the client to deal with the seller in case of problems. I NEVER get involved in disputes between seller and purchaser. I also photograph the disassembly and packing process for my protection.
All 108" boxes are custom built. Crating is available but expensive, so save that for your Rene Herese, Hetchins Magnum Opus or Gloria Garibaldina. My last shipment was a Rickert track bike to Japan, 26 lbs including packaging, single 108" box, $155 USPS postage.
Carlos