Road Cycling - Getting three bikes across country- rack em or ship em?

I'll be moving from southern california to new york in a month or so and I have to get my three bikes across with me. I'll be driving. No hitch so hitch racks are out of the question. I'd prefer a trunk rack, but I have a car that can take a roof rack if possible. Is it idiotic to even attempt to take three bikes cross country on a car? Would I be better off having an LBS ship them? If you would take the rack route, any specific recommendations? There are two specialized rockhoppers (one's my girlfriend's, Im not a rockhopper fetishist or anything) and one scattante cfr roadbike (carbon frame, so Im a little worried about damage in either scenario). What would you guys do in my situation? Thanks for the input-

Chris

COnsider cost of shipping vs. cost of racks.

A set of quality racks from manufacturers like Yakima or Thule (not including bike trays) would cost upwards of $100-150. I would say that you could spend as much as $250 for a whole system with three trays for your bikes, though you can find better deals if you look around.

Shipping may cost about $40 per bike.

So the cost savings would be significant to have your bikes shipped. However, there are intangibles that you must weigh like damage while shipping (though bikes can also be damaged or stolen in transit on top of your car). The other thing is the possibility that you may use your racks again after moving to New York.

In my NY to CA move, I bought a rack anticipating that I may be traveling around to look for good places to ride. Sure enough, I am getting what I paid for. I think it was a good decision on my part.

If you can afford it, I'd say ship them. If you go with a rack, get a roof rack. They're more stable and although it would seem that the bikes would be better protected on a trunk mount, it's simply not the case. They'll get just as much exposure to the wind, plus you have the car exhaust to deal with. And, they'll make it difficult to get into the trunk - which probably won't be empty on a cross country trip.

Might consider getting covers like these - http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=4634 - to help protect the bikes.

55/Rad

I personally would not trust my bikes to any one else- I am not sure how big your car is but if it were me (I have quite a big car) I would take the bikes to pieces, i.e. take the wheels, pedals, forks off at least, e.tc. and transport them in the car. You could use the roof rack for the rest of your gear if you need to (i.e. less important stuff like your clothes and family heirlooms), This may not work if you drive a mini though.

COnsider cost of shipping vs. cost of racks.

A set of quality racks from manufacturers like Yakima or Thule (not including bike trays) would cost upwards of $100-150. I would say that you could spend as much as $250 for a whole system with three trays for your bikes, though you can find better deals if you look around.

Shipping may cost about $40 per bike.

So the cost savings would be significant to have your bikes shipped. However, there are intangibles that you must weigh like damage while shipping (though bikes can also be damaged or stolen in transit on top of your car). The other thing is the possibility that you may use your racks again after moving to New York.

In my NY to CA move, I bought a rack anticipating that I may be traveling around to look for good places to ride. Sure enough, I am getting what I paid for. I think it was a good decision on my part.

yeah but you also have to factor in that if you bite the bullet and pay more to get the racks/trays ... then you have them available any time you want to transport the bikes somewhere *shrug*

[QUOTE=bagel]COnsider cost of shipping vs. cost of racks.

A set of quality racks from manufacturers like Yakima or Thule (not including bike trays) would cost upwards of $100-150. I would say that you could spend as much as $250 for a whole system with three trays for your bikes, though you can find better deals if you look around.

Not even close. A complete Yakima or Thule roof rack system will run closer to $500.00. At regular retail, the bike mounts alone will cost close to $300.00.

i also would not trust my steeds to anyone else, i've heard stories of missing or damaged parts, and i just...wouldn't do it. i recommend getting a roof rack as well. it may be expensive, but you'll use it more often anyway...obviously, you'll want to bring the bikes inside with you when you stop at motels and such. i moved from boston to berkeley last august and i brought all five of my bikes, plus the two that my girlfriend has with me. ....of course we had the 15 foot moving truck, so space wasn't so much an issue.

good luck with the move!!

[QUOTE=bagel]Not even close. A complete Yakima or Thule roof rack system will run closer to $500.00. At regular retail, the bike mounts alone will cost close to $300.00.
Maybe so, but there are always alternatives. The XPORT system from Performance is quite good and far less.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/cboProfile.cfm?SKU=2386

55/Rad

Hmm.. I guess I got a deal then. I paid for a Thule system with two trays for about 200 bucks on Ebay.

I wouldn't trust a shipping company to deliver them intact. Also, when considering the cost, if you buy a rack you have something to show for your $$$. Even if you never use it again, you can always sell it. Money spent on shipping is just gone. And, if your bikes are damaged, any insurance won't compensate you for the loss of use or time spent in getting the bikes repaired (if they can be) or replaced, so shipping could end up costing you a lot more than just the initial shipping charges.

Based on my experience of shipping valuables (junk I like) cross country. Even the tightest shippers (guess who) in the shipping business realy screw things up. Get as much insurance as you can, if you do ship. And you may have to have a "professional" packer package your items for insurance claims to be valid. Read the fine print ask questions expect the worse and hope for the best.

Good Luck

i work in a warehouse for a bike shop, and i've seen how the "big boys" handle bike boxes. pretty much the way they handle eeeeverything else...dropping them upside down, dropping them off the truck, shipping them on their side, it's really kind of deplorable. but, also, working in the warehouse, i build the bikes that come in, and i've only experienced a few problems with damaged goods, and most of them appeared to be damage incurred before shipping.

my reccommendation if you do decide to ship, have the bikes professionally packed, for insurance reasons, or, if you do it yourself, make sure you get ALL the little plastic pieces from the shop where you get the box. (the little RD piece, the fork block, the seat tube plug, the axle pieces...bubble wrap the top and down tubes, put foam padding, then a thin piece of cardboard over them. the rear stays are usually going to be fine. if you're really paranoid, stuff all the empty space with crumpled newspaper or something. and make sure you get a little box for the pedals, front QR, and any other smaller pieces that have to come off the bike for packing, wrap the seatpost and seat in bubble wrap and thin cardboard, then put it all in a plastic bag, basically, make sure that anywhere two pieces of the bike are touching, i.e. front wheel and the frame, seatpost and the frame...make sure there's something soft in between). it sounds like a lot, and it'll probably take at least an hour to get everything to fit in the boxes...there's a bunch of other stuff involved, like where to put the front wheel, and the handlebars, and you should turn the forks around so they point backward in the box, that's all stuff someone in a shop will know about. if you take them to a shop, make sure you call ahead and make an appointment or something, and i'd try to do it at least two or three days before you're planning to ship them/leave.

insurance never hurts.

So based on what you guys said and what I've read in a couple other forums, what I'm going to do is have all the bikes packaged at an LBS who seems to be pretty hardcore about packaging (they even have a webpage dedicated to it). The two mtn bikes are gonna get shipped via FedEx or UPS; they're fat hogs, really durable, and together cost 200 dollars less than my road bike. I've heard good things about both companies on other forums so I'll just have to decide which one to go with. And insure the hell out of them, definitely. The roadbike, delicate little not-even-paid-yet carbon thing that it is, is going in my vehicle- I have a honda element that will fit a packaged bike and a buttload of other stuff quite nicely. That seems to me to be the best compromise to set my mind at ease. Thanks alot for the input- its been a big help.

A guy I now went to hawaii from Texas and shipped UPS and said he had no problems . Also used same method on the return trip .


I'll be moving from southern california to new york in a month or so and I have to get my three bikes across with me. I'll be driving. No hitch so hitch racks are out of the question. I'd prefer a trunk rack, but I have a car that can take a roof rack if possible. Is it idiotic to even attempt to take three bikes cross country on a car? Would I be better off having an LBS ship them? If you would take the rack route, any specific recommendations? There are two specialized rockhoppers (one's my girlfriend's, Im not a rockhopper fetishist or anything) and one scattante cfr roadbike (carbon frame, so Im a little worried about damage in either scenario). What would you guys do in my situation? Thanks for the input-

Chris