Fifty Plus (50+) - Holy !@#$!@ bike shipping charges

Rant, complaint or just the facts?

Just got the FedEx Home Delivery bills on 2 bikes I shipped from Montana to Arizona. Both aluminum and with the packaging weight came in at 25 pounds each.

I almost chocked when I opened the billing. $236 to ship 2 bikes! 30% more than the shipping quote when they were sent. The both bikes might be worth $500 on a good day.

Both FedEx and UPS have spent the great recession raising rates by as much as 40% but this is getting to the point where it only makes sense to ship an expensive bike. I think this all but kills selling a low end bike on scambay. The freight is going to be more than the bike is worth.

I have always been able to ship bikes via FedEx for $60 - $85 in the past.

It's brutal. Try traveling somewhere on an airline and shipping your bike out in advance. Brutal.

It's brutal. Try traveling somewhere on an airline and shipping your bike out in advance. Brutal.


Even more brutal to a take it along on most airlines...more than the ticket in some cases.

How much nowadays for conventional truck shipping? Back in the day it used to be truck or maybe Greyhound or something like that to get from pt A to pt B for reasonable cost. Yeah, flying w/ bikes is...:twitchy:

Wait, so they charged you more than they quoted you? How does that work?

Has anybody checked with Amtrak for shipping their bikes? I purchased a bike from someone and they were about 300 miles away. However, Amtrak connected to their city and mine. I could have had him ship the bike to me on a baggage car for under $50 bucks. However, I wanted to visit some of my relatives in that city, so I purchased a round trip train ticket. I bought the bike back as baggage. Cost me $15 for a box, and $5 to ship. Plus, I just took off the pedals, and turn the handle bars around. Bike, arrived without damage..

With UPS and FEDEX raising prices like crazy, IMO, when available, train shipping becomes an option...

Rant, complaint or just the facts?

Just got the FedEx Home Delivery bills on 2 bikes I shipped from Montana to Arizona. Both aluminum and with the packaging weight came in at 25 pounds each.

I almost chocked when I opened the billing. $236 to ship 2 bikes! 30% more than the shipping quote when they were sent. The both bikes might be worth $500 on a good day.

Both FedEx and UPS have spent the great recession raising rates by as much as 40% but this is getting to the point where it only makes sense to ship an expensive bike. I think this all but kills selling a low end bike on scambay. The freight is going to be more than the bike is worth.

I have always been able to ship bikes via FedEx for $60 - $85 in the past.

I've never heard of this. Living where I do I do a lot of shipping. I've never had any of the common shipping companies charge more than what they quoted (FedEx, UPS, USPS). In fact, with rare exception they want to get paid up front. I can't remember the last time I didn't have to pay up front with any of them.

What is the real story? Who gave you the quote? What was the shipping company? You sure all the money you paid for "shipping" actually went to the shpping company and not to the seller?

$236 to ship 2 bikes! ... Both FedEx and UPS have spent the great recession raising rates by as much as 40% but this is getting to the point where it only makes sense to ship an expensive bike.

About five years ago, I shipped my mt bike from CA to NJ via UPS and it was $85 - can't believe that it went up that much! (I do believe it, but it's a hard pill to swallow). In addition to that, the box had holes in the sides, like they stacked things vertically on top of it (despite labeling to not do so). I was actually concerned that some parts may have fallen out through the holes (pedals). The drivers response: "You got the bike, didn't you?".

Charming. Just charming.

Fortunately, the bike was OK. Using Amtrak or Greydog might be viable options until they catch on and jack the price up.

About five years ago, I shipped my mt bike from CA to NJ via UPS and it was $85 - can't believe that it went up that much! (I do believe it, but it's a hard pill to swallow). In addition to that, the box had holes in the sides, like they stacked things vertically on top of it (despite labeling to not do so). I was actually concerned that some parts may have fallen out through the holes (pedals). The drivers response: "You got the bike, didn't you?".

Charming. Just charming.

Fortunately, the bike was OK. Using Amtrak or Greydog might be viable options until they catch on and jack the price up.

Heh.. Holes in the side of the box ? At work we shipped a complete computer workstation system to another site by UPS once. When it got there we found out that there were some huge holes in the sides of the boxes and chunks of packing material hanging out the side. Looked as if somebody hit it with a forklift blade. The packing gods must have been generous because there was nothing wrong with it.

UPS is also notorious for leaving small packages lying on the doorstep if nobody is home.

Cheaper to rent a bike at your destination?

I've never heard of this. Living where I do I do a lot of shipping. I've never had any of the common shipping companies charge more than what they quoted (FedEx, UPS, USPS). In fact, with rare exception they want to get paid up front. I can't remember the last time I didn't have to pay up front with any of them.

What is the real story? Who gave you the quote? What was the shipping company? You sure all the money you paid for "shipping" actually went to the shpping company and not to the seller?

I have a FedEx account. The shipping charges are calculated on line based on size, weight, value and ship from and to locations plus any extras you want like customer signature, etc. In the past the "estimates" have been close but not dead on to the penny. I am going to contact them to see why the difference. Still to darn high to ship low value bikes which was the main point.

You made a lot of assumptions and you know that assume makes an a@@ out of u and me.

I was surprised at shipping costs a couple years back when I shipped two bikes east from Washington after a tour; IIRC, it was about $100 and $150. But (a) I had just crossed the country, and got home, so I didn't care, and (b) I'd left them in the care of a bike shop which disassembled and shipped them after I was already home, so I couldn't do much about it.

At over $200 to pack and ship my bike home, the $40 luggage charge for an S&S coupled bike on the plane would have been attractive.

I have a FedEx account. The shipping charges are calculated on line based on size, weight, value and ship from and to locations plus any extras you want like customer signature, etc. In the past the "estimates" have been close but not dead on to the penny. I am going to contact them to see why the difference. Still to darn high to ship low value bikes which was the main point.

You made a lot of assumptions and you know that assume makes an a@@ out of u and me.

I'd be curious to hear what their explanation is. It does seem a bit odd that they'd be so far off. If I were in your shoes, I'd sure want to know. Otherwise it gets to be a real guessing game whenever you consider shipping something.

I shipped one wheel, with a Power Tap hub back to Saris on Saturday, in a wheel box provided by my LBS. Total cost with insurance was $32.20. Ouch! Insurance over UPS's $100 coverage added to the cost considerably.

I have a FedEx account. The shipping charges are calculated on line based on size, weight, value and ship from and to locations plus any extras you want like customer signature, etc. In the past the "estimates" have been close but not dead on to the penny. I am going to contact them to see why the difference. Still to darn high to ship low value bikes which was the main point.

You made a lot of assumptions and you know that assume makes an a@@ out of u and me.

No assumptions at all. Just a lack of information in the original post that made me wonder what the real facts were. That is why there were questiion marks. You've provided them. Now we know and can better understand the vent.

The OP might have got with with an "oversize" charge which wasn't included in the quote.

I shipped a bike today from Chicago to Austin, TX. The box was 59x29x8". It went FedEx ground for $54.21. This is a residential shipment and I do not have an account.

Try http://www.shipbikes.com/. Companies like this work special deals with shippers. Packing the bike in the caddy takes some time, though.

I shipped a bike today from Chicago to Austin, TX. The box was 59x29x8". It went FedEx ground for $54.21. This is a residential shipment and I do not have an account.

I have a Crateworks bike box I was going to ship from Bakersfield to my son in Washington DC, he was going to bring his bike with for a visit. UPS wanted $150 to ship the EMPTY box to DC and $175 to ship it with the bike in it each way, it was going to cost us $500 to ship a 10 year old bike. I was telling my LBS this and the owner said he had a bike my son could use while he was here visiting, a brand new Pinarello Dogma with Di2 installed.

...I was telling my LBS this and the owner said he had a bike my son could use while he was here visiting, a brand new Pinarello Dogma with Di2 installed.



Can I come for a visit ;-).

Can I come for a visit ;-).

Anytime, I can't guarantee the Dogma.

Got this resolved but if I charged myself minimum wage for the time I spent on the phone with FedEx I am still in the hole. After a while I was thinking that they went down and cleaned out the DMV lunchroom to staff their customer reps.

Fedex can not explain the higher charges but reduced the charge to $135 for the both bikes.

Try http://www.shipbikes.com/. Companies like this work special deals with shippers. Packing the bike in the caddy takes some time, though.

I checked this site out and it was slightly higher than the rates I was originally quoted when I put in for shipping in a standard bike box. Using their $99 box to ship via the airlines might have some merit however.

glad to hear you got it figured out. customer service all over seems to suck these days (and this is not a rant about outsourcing)

Shoild of bought it at your local bike shop o_0

Heh.. Holes in the side of the box ? At work we shipped a complete computer workstation system to another site by UPS once. When it got there we found out that there were some huge holes in the sides of the boxes and chunks of packing material hanging out the side. Looked as if somebody hit it with a forklift blade. The packing gods must have been generous because there was nothing wrong with it.

Could be. I worked at UPS for 3 days as a box thrower. You had about 15 minutes to empty a UPS truck onto a conveyor belt. Do you think that meant picking up the package, carrying it to the conveyor belt and then walking back and getting another. Nope, you toss it towards the conveyor belt and hope, then when the truck is empty, you go pick up the ones that missed.

When shipping by UPS or FedEx, I use the soccer test for packages. If its well enough packed so that the box can be used as a soccer ball, then it might be ready to ship. ;)

Yes, this is frustrating. Shipping is rediculous, airlines rip you off (although I have not checked Southwest) and trains are not much better. This really feels like there is an unmet market need for an entrepeneur. If I could ship my bike for $25 I would take it on business trips where I needed to stay a few days.

If I could ship my bike for $25 I would take it on business trips where I needed to stay a few days.

that's why I bought the folder... it fits into a standard suitcase and can be taken as regular baggage when you trvel (obviously this doesn't help if you are shipping it)... but it works if you are travelling with it.

train safe-

I just can't see myself on a folder

http://www.pranks4u.com/media/brian02bike.72.jpg

I was at a Staples store near Riverside CA the other day (they do UPS shipping), and asked them about shipping a bike from there to Kentucky where I live. The lady used the largest size box that they would accept for the dimension of the box, used a weight of 30 lbs, entered the two zip codes, and quoted me a rate of $176.00.

EDIT: I was going back to Staples yesterday, so I measured the box my bike came in from Bikes Direct. It measured 31.5" x 52" x 8". Bikes Direct listed the weight as 30#. I gave the lady at Staples the dimensions, told her the weight would be 35# (I figured I'd likely ship some accessories back with the bike), and she quoted the shippng via UPS Ground from Moreno Valley, CA to Melbourne, KY at $146.51. That's not too bad, so when I'm done with this project I'll probably just pack it up and ship it home.