squirtdad

What is the best services for shipping a bike? UPS, Fedex or post office

I am expecting to pay $60 to $80 am I in the right ball park?



I bought my Dad a Torker 3 wheeler ..... and planned on drivining to Montana to deliver it.

Looks, like I might be on a plane instead so I am scrambling to pack it and ship it.

I got a bike box, and as the bike is heavy may ship some of the parts in separate box..... lots of packing and padding, have bolts though the axes so I think I will be ok on the packing (thinking about putting bike in plastic bas and using some spray foam to lock it all inplace.)


thanks

Old Fat Guy

Will that fit in a standard bike box? If it is over 130" combined length and girth you may be in for a shock.

ColonelJLloyd 

I've used UPS and FedEx a time or two. I've found that considerable disassembly is required. It depends on the size of the frame, but $60-80 is about right. Why not box it up and check it? Shouldn't cost any more than shipping it (could be free) and there will be fewer people handling it.

If you're going to ship it, box it up, measure and weigh it and use the carrier's website to pay for the freight and print a label. UPS Stores charge a ridiculous premium.

I believe that the dimensions have much more effect on the cost of shipping than does the weight.

squirtdad

it actually breaks apart pretty well. There is a sub assemble forthe rear wheels that un bolts, leaving the main frame which looks pretty standard........ of course there are 3 wheels....so I am thinking of a second mallerbox for what I can't fit in the standard box.

I am not sure what the weight limit is.

thanks

Old Fat Guy

weight limit without excessive charges is 70lbs. Two boxes will run you closer to $90

miamijim

I'd do it in 2 boxes and I use FedEx or USPS Parcel Post.

wrk101

+1 Anyone but UPS. Fed Ex rates jump anything over 108 inches (girth plus length), and then go into orbit on anything over 132. Check with the post office, I think their size limits are very similar. I shipped one recently in a standard Fuji box, it added up to 131 inches. I could have cut the box down and probably gotten it to about 115 or so. I was not going to get it to 108 (62cm frame).

Buikema

Anyone ever shipped via Greyhound bus? I've been told (unconfirmed) that they'll ship a bike for $20 bucks flat rate, to be picked up at the bus station. Sounds like a hot deal to me. Depending on the route it could be on the same bus, then you can put it on yourself and whoever is receiving can take it off making it not ever being handled by a possibly careless handler.

dit

the only bike I have shipped was put into a std bicycle box from a lbs and I shipped it thru a local UPS store and I was shocked at the cost. It was just
over $120 plus insurance for the $400 bike. The rear wheel was left attached to the frame as they are unboxed at the LBS. The next time I ship I will remove both wheels to shorten the box to a minimal size. I actually sold the bike on a Tennessee craigs list to a fella in Mo.. I have never yet found the need to sell on the bay. t

old's'cool 

I was going to ship a bike inside Canada via Greyhound, approx. 1000 miles, price was ~20bux CDN. An even better option came up though.

Just curious, why have you ruled out taking it on the airplane as luggage?

Chris_in_Miami

Amtrak charges a flat $50 for bikes, but they may charge more for a trike due to the weight...

willpower101

I know this thread is old, but the bus station thing is valid. I've had Car bumpers shipped to me in a box the size of a bookcase before for 40 bucks on the bottom of a greyhound. They'll ship your bike cheap, but it's slow.

Velognome 

Better yet, buy a Greyhound ticket to Montana and check the bike as luggage. Should only take you like 600 hours to get there.

mac61

At this rate you could ride the bike there.

alr

I have shipped various bulky things via greyhound station to station, and actually it is typically faster than UPS or FedEX ground. Prices are all over the place and sometimes depend more on weight than size. Once nice thing is that I did not want to ship a bike without the wheels off due to nice fenders that I did not want to also remove, so I spliced together 2 bicycle boxes and put the bicycle in there minus pedals, and saddle plus seat post and put the handlebars to the side. All in all the whole thing was way more protected due to the fact that it was still sitting on rubber. As far as I know it arrived safely and in a few days from the PNW to the DC area. Downside to greyhound is that the value of what they are liable for is quite low (forget the limit) and there is not paying more for insurance.

Grand Bois

I wouldn't expect Amtrack to be concerned about weight.

wahoonc

There is an upper limit, I asked my Amtrak guy and he kind of beat around the bush. But I suspect it would be either 50# or 70#. FWIW it would have to fit in the Amtrak bike box to go for the $50 flat rate. Anything else goes at the Amtrak freight rates.

I have successfully shipped several bikes up and down the east coast using Amtrak, and I am sure will be doing so again.

Aaron

repechage

Amtrak also does freight, but it is station drop off and station pick up. So, it depends on where a lot. Most bikes pay for the weight well beyond what they really weight due to the volume. This is why I when sending a frame I build a gorilla proof box, wood. I have received too many that the regular box was trashed.

Airline bike fees are just downright silly now.

balindamood 

I am in Alaska and use only USPS becasue there is only UPS and FedEx air to here (apparently Canada is in the way, but USPS manages to get around that). To keep it out of oversize, you get 108 inches length + circumfurance and 70 pounds. The weight is not an issue with bikes. To get it to 108 inches, both wheels, drive-side crank, stem/bars, fork, and seat post all come out. You can then usually pack it all in a cut down std. bike box or a frame box (very large frames do not always fit). It is always a custom box job, and I have had to re-pack more than once when the USPS clerk decides I am an inch over. It winds up being $80-90, insured to the US priority mail...Parcel post is not that much of a discount and is un-tracable when you bike winds up takign a wrong turn in Albuquerque. Any bigger than that and the cost at least doubles. For mountain bikes and larger frames, it is easier to send the wheels in a sperate box, but the cost usually runs $120-140 for the two boxes.