spinnaker

I have two possible boxes to use.

I have two boxes I can use.

60x8.5x31 and 52X8X30. I used a weight of 50 lbs for both (probably over estimated) to ship from Pittsburgh to Portland, OR.

For the 60x8.5x31 I got a price of $68 on bikeflights and $56 for the 52X8X30.

For the extra $12 I will likely use the larger box. The smaller one I need to do a lot of messing around to get it to fit. I think I might even be able to leave my front fender on with the lager one.

When I went to the Fedex site, I got prices of $132 and $230 for the larger box! WOW have Fedex prices gone up for an individual! I shipped across country just a dew years ago for around that I am paying for bike flights now. Shipping cost has more than doubled.

How on earth can bikeflights do it so cheaply? Yes I understand they ship a lot of bikes but does Fedex really give them that much of a discount? My big box is 3.5 times more expensive on Fedex and 2.5 times more expensive for the small box.

Either Fedex is really racking the individual shipper or I am doing something wrong on bikeflights.

P.S. I also checked out shipbikes. What a PITA just to get a quote, unless I was doing something wrong. They were much more expensive that bikeflights anyway.

Tourist in MSN

A couple friends of mine use bikeflights regularly, both are quite happy with them and really happy with their pricing. I suspect they get a volume discount on shipping. I just did a van supported trip with Adventure Cycling a couple weeks ago. Three of us traveled together, I brought my folder onto the plane for free (Southwest gives you two free checked bags), my two friends sent their full size bikes to the motel ahead of time by bike flights for a good price.

Don't rule out Amtrak to ship it, I have no idea if their price would be much higher without you also riding on the train, but you might get to use the giant Amtrak boxes that allow you to pack and unpack faster. Give them a call.
https://www.amtrak.com/onboard/bagga...-shipping.html

PortlandEddie

At my old job we had a fed ex account and yeah they hook you up with rates. Obviously it is all what is in the contract but keep using it if its a good thing...?

spinnaker

Oh yes I know they get a volume discount. But wow the difference! And I suppose bikeflights is still making money!

I like Southwest's baggage / bicycle policies but I HATE their seating policy with a red hot passion. I am flying out on Delta on their Comfort Class. I used it last year for Seattle and I loved it. Lots of leg room (the way it used to be ) and best of all no kids!

I didn't think of Amtrak. Usually very inconvenient at the other end. But with Portland it would be very convenient. Shipping out would be a lot easier on FedEx. I just need to drive over the hill and drop off the bike. I would need to drive into town and pay for parking at FedEx. Haul the bike across the street. Unless they have a place for temporary parking for shipping. I guess I could give the station a call or maybe I will go into work and just stop by. Thanks for the idea.

spinnaker

If I go with bike flights and the big box, it will actually be $2 cheaper than for me to take the bike on the train from Eugene to Sacramento to Chicago to Pittsburgh. Amtrak charges $20 a leg . But I wont need to worry about packing up the bike and I will have a bike to ride up to the station in Eugene, ride around Sacramento and Chicago and have a ride home from the Pittsburgh train station.

garciawork

I have sold bikes on eBay, and the eBay FedEx discount and bikeflights were about the same, so it is a volume thing I would say. FedEx gives big discounts to those who ship volume.

jefnvk

Commercial accounts get a lot better rates. It really is that simple.

I couldn't use it for personal use, but at a previous place I worked I saw how much it cost me to ship parts. It was dirt cheap compared to what I could do walking into a UPS Store or Kinkos (FedEx) and paying out of pocket.

spinnaker

Yeah but that huge of a discount? They are charging the regular customer over 3 times as much in some cases.

jefnvk

It is basics of business. If I am giving you guaranteed high volume business, you give me a better rate. It may suck if you are a once in a while shipper, but it reality.

If you think that is bad, it cost me $20-some dollars to ship a 750ml sized bottle of "apple juice" to a friend in Cali last fall

indyfabz

My first experience with Bikeflights was the same. I did a price comparison using its web site and FedEx's web site. Like in your case, the difference was so great that the above is exactly what I thought.

spinnaker

They can't buy apple juice in California??

mstateglfr 

In transportation, cost doesnt have a 1 ton1 ratio with rate.
It doesnt cost 3x as much to move the 1-off shipment, but that isnt why its priced 3x more.

Tourist in MSN

The power of monopolies is vast. But, I am a little surprised that the difference is that great. But there are really only four choices for most individuals that want to ship a bike. US Postal Service, UPS, Fed Ex and taking your bike on a plane when you go somewhere. So I can see where Fed Ex would charge an individual slightly less than you would pay an airline.

spinnaker

You forgot about amtrak.

Tourist in MSN

I thought about it, but they have baggage stations in such a short list of locations, I intentionally left that off of my monopoly list.

indyfabz

Neither FedEx, UPS or the USPS is a monopoly.


And considering its budget restraints, I think Amtrak has done a decent job of expanding its bike options.

mstateglfr 

You named 4 competitors.
So the power of a quadopoly is vast?

Tourist in MSN

The comments that they are not a monopoly forced me to actually look it up.
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/monopoly

I consider the group of Fed Ex, UPS and USPS to be a group that is not working to hard to compete on price. If you disagree, then we disagree.