Road Cycling - Shipping a bike? HELP?

Hey everyone, I am flying back to NY from FL. I want to bring my bike back w/ me. What's the easiest way and how much does it cost?

I'd use UPS. They'll give you a close estimate as to when it will be delivered and you can actually check it's progress in real time on your computer. If you take it to a real UPS shipping point, cost should be around $30.00. Now here's the REAL secret. Go to a bike store, get the right size box (they do come in sizes), and take a real, real, close detailed look at how a factory bike comes packaged. Copy that down to the last little plastic axle cover. Factory packed bikes are seldom damaged in shipping and home packaged bikes are much more frequently damaged.

Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but whenever I try to ship UPS I find they have a huge jump in cost for an "oversize" package. One quote to ship a bike across country was $125 (from the UPS Store).

Fed Ex charged about $40 for the same bike.

The easiest way is probably to have a bike shop pack your bike for you and send it UPS or FedEx. That way you don't have to deal with hauling the box around the airport, security, and overpriced airline surcharges.

For better safety, and especially if you plan to ship your bike multiple times, consider getting a hard sided padded bike case.

If you plan on packing your bike yourself, perhaps some of the information at http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/prepare/index.html will be helpful.

Whatever you do, make sure the bike is well packaged. A shipper will not pay for damages unless the item was sufficiently packaged per their guidelines.

Hey everyone, I am flying back to NY from FL. I want to bring my bike back w/ me. What's the easiest way and how much does it cost?

I take it on the plane with me and check it as luggage. Call your airline and ask them their policy.

I now prefer not using a bike box and putting the bike in a bag with the pedals and handlebars removed.

What would be the cost to UPS or Fed Ex if you used a hard sided bike case as the package and not a box?

I take it on the plane with me and check it as luggage. Call your airline and ask them their policy.

I now prefer not using a bike box and putting the bike in a bag with the pedals and handlebars removed.

In a bag?? What kind of bag could protect your bike from the airport handlers?

For the $125 UPS store guy.......I have shipped quite a few bikes in the large Bike boxes from a local bike shop. Last one I shipped, a 28# 52" long box was $55 from East coast to West coast. The is if you call or go online and schedule shipping. If you go to the local "Pack and Ship", etc.... type chain shipping store it typically cost 2x actual UPS costs. If you don't have daily pickup at yur place of business UPS chrges around $5 to make a local pickup.
Tony

I'd go with FedEx. Someone posted a thread not too long ago about a horror story using UPS. My new bike was shipped FedEx. The bike was perfect and the box undamaged. You might want to check with your LBS and see if they have a sturdy box you can have and use foam pipe insulation (Home Depot) to protect the frame and wrap the other components well. Reinforce the sidewalls of the box with a double thickness of cardboard. Shipping a bike by plane can be very $$$$$. Good Luck.