Originally Posted by
rpenmanparker
Just a frame? Use standard shipping method like international version of UPS or Fedex. Much easier than a whole bike. Bikeflights is for transporting fully assembled bikes in ready-to-ride condition. Not for shipping frames or parts or even whole bikes that will need assembly upon arrival. Think about it: European manufacturers shipping to the US don't use Bikeflights. You don't need a specialized service for that. Just pack it well. Heavy double-walled box.
It's still not going to be cheap. Back in 2002 a friend of mine was visiting in N. Italy and got a great deal on a bare frame from the factory, no paint, no fork. He wanted it shipped back to N. California instead of schlepping it all over Europe with him. The best that the shipper (Mailboxes Etc.) could do was simply wrap it in bubble wrap to protect it from dings and ship it unboxed. Still came out to over 200 euros. The problem is that bike frames are long enough to exceed length limits for economical shipping, even though they may weigh next to nothing.