shipping a bike
#26
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I shipped one on Thursday/Friday last week from VA to Texas. It arrived on Monday. I'll pick it up tomorrow. I put everything in there for the ride. 48lbs of bike stuff. $81 and some change via Shipbikes. not bad.
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Considering price increases, definitely not bad. In fact, damn good.
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After my most recent experiences with Bikeflights, I am definitely going to try Shipbikes if I ever get another opportunity. It sounds like what Bikefligths used to be before they got so "corporate."
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Reflecting on my experience, I think the key is packing the bike yourself. There are videos online of how to do it. Don't leave it up to someone else or you could be disappointed.
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You're right to try to find an appropriate box from your LBS, and make sure you get all the packing pieces with it.
If you have a Greyhound bus station on both ends, that is a fantastic shipping method. You have to take it to the bus station and then pick it up on the other end, but they are fantastic for handling larger packages that need to be handled carefully, probably because they go in the belly of the bus and usually don't get handled at all until the final stop. Their prices are much cheaper than UPS or FEDEX.
If you have a Greyhound bus station on both ends, that is a fantastic shipping method. You have to take it to the bus station and then pick it up on the other end, but they are fantastic for handling larger packages that need to be handled carefully, probably because they go in the belly of the bus and usually don't get handled at all until the final stop. Their prices are much cheaper than UPS or FEDEX.
#32
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As a followup to the original question: I used Shipbikes to send two bikes from California to Florida. That was a few months ago so I forget the exact price but it was about $85 each, maybe a few bucks more, door to door. Not bad.
#33
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My one experience: Trek store in Georgetown, excellent. The wrapped and packed my bike in a bike box, lots of padding, they even marked where the seat post emerged from the seat tube.
Bikeflights, not so good. Their website was difficult to navigate. There is evidently a trick involving entering a city as destination then editing the destination before finalizing the transaction.
In the end, the bike shop did it. About $90.00 each for packing and shipping from DC to Vermont.
Bikeflights, not so good. Their website was difficult to navigate. There is evidently a trick involving entering a city as destination then editing the destination before finalizing the transaction.
In the end, the bike shop did it. About $90.00 each for packing and shipping from DC to Vermont.
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My one experience: Trek store in Georgetown, excellent. The wrapped and packed my bike in a bike box, lots of padding, they even marked where the seat post emerged from the seat tube.
Bikeflights, not so good. Their website was difficult to navigate. There is evidently a trick involving entering a city as destination then editing the destination before finalizing the transaction.
In the end, the bike shop did it. About $90.00 each for packing and shipping from DC to Vermont.
Bikeflights, not so good. Their website was difficult to navigate. There is evidently a trick involving entering a city as destination then editing the destination before finalizing the transaction.
In the end, the bike shop did it. About $90.00 each for packing and shipping from DC to Vermont.
#35
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I used Shipbikes earlier this month to ship a bike using a box with packaging materials from a local shop. I got a detrailleur guard and a brace for the front forks which was a plus. Took me all day to get it properly protected and ready to ship. Bike Flights as a useful PDF showing how to pack a bike. Much lower price from Shipbikes for my shipment and it was picked up at my house by FedEx and delivered a couple days later. Insurance was also very reasonable from Shipbikes.