LBS to LBS Shipping
05-15-18, 02:40 AM
#1
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LBS to LBS Shipping
Long story short, I’m buying a bike in Wisconsin to ship to where I am in Washington. The sellers don’t want to ship the bike, so I’m going to have them drop it at a LBS and have the store break down/package/ship it. Since it’s shipping from a bike store, will it be cheaper to have it shipped to a LBS here in WA vs my home address?
—
Longer story: I grew up in Wisconsin and now live in Washington. My mom worked at Trek in the late 80’s to early 90’s, so we had a bunch of great bikes laying around for me to play with growing up.
I took a special liking to a beautiful butted carbon-to-aluminum 1991 Trek 2300 Pro (with lime green accents) and spent a few thousand miles on it doing centuries, etc.
A decade later, my parents are downsizing and I convinced them to let me buy the 2300 off them. They just wanted to sell it locally to avoid dealing with shipping, but I talked them into letting me snag it.
Since they don’t want to deal with packaging and shipping, I’m going to call around and get quotes for packing a bike from stores near them. But, I won’t have control over the shipping itself, so can’t get shipping quotes.
I’ve heard it’s cheaper to send bikes to a LBS rather than having it come to a residential address. I’m a bike courier and as such have become pretty chummy with my local store, and could easily bribe them with a few beers to let me send a bike to their address.
Any experience with LBS to LBS shipping? Any other general advice regarding having a local store pack and ship a bike?
Thanks in advance!
—
Longer story: I grew up in Wisconsin and now live in Washington. My mom worked at Trek in the late 80’s to early 90’s, so we had a bunch of great bikes laying around for me to play with growing up.
I took a special liking to a beautiful butted carbon-to-aluminum 1991 Trek 2300 Pro (with lime green accents) and spent a few thousand miles on it doing centuries, etc.
A decade later, my parents are downsizing and I convinced them to let me buy the 2300 off them. They just wanted to sell it locally to avoid dealing with shipping, but I talked them into letting me snag it.
Since they don’t want to deal with packaging and shipping, I’m going to call around and get quotes for packing a bike from stores near them. But, I won’t have control over the shipping itself, so can’t get shipping quotes.
I’ve heard it’s cheaper to send bikes to a LBS rather than having it come to a residential address. I’m a bike courier and as such have become pretty chummy with my local store, and could easily bribe them with a few beers to let me send a bike to their address.
Any experience with LBS to LBS shipping? Any other general advice regarding having a local store pack and ship a bike?
Thanks in advance!
Last edited by Nickfrogger; 05-15-18 at 02:43 AM.
05-15-18, 05:47 AM
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I don't ship bikes, but my memory is that Fedex charges me more to ship to a residential address than to a business. What might make a bigger difference is the business arrangement the shop doing the shipping has with their shipper. Businesses that do a lot of shipping don't pay the same "rack rates" that you and I get hit with.
05-15-18, 07:02 AM
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More than likely, they will have a commercial account, or will go through BikeFlights.com, and shipping should be pretty much the same from any of them. I doubt it'll be cheaper to deliver to a business, it is not something that requires a dock or liftgate service. When I mail ordered my fat bike from a shop in Utah, they used BikeFlights right to my house.
Alternatively, just get a rate from BikeFlights and send the originating LBS a shipping label.
Alternatively, just get a rate from BikeFlights and send the originating LBS a shipping label.
05-15-18, 07:34 AM
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Second bikeflights.com You can go to their web site and get a quote if you know the origin and destination zip codes, approximate weight and the box dimensions. It will most likely be cheaper than the commercial rate the LBS can give you. Note that size is a bigger price driver than weight. I played around with their web site and got the same price for my large box estimating weight at 40 lbs. as I did when I estimated weight at 70 lbs. Last June I shipped from Philly to Missoula for $76 with $1,600 in insurance. That was for 4 days shipping of my relatively large CrateWorks box with bike, racks, stove and empty fuel bottle inside. Note that they charge you an extra $5 for pick up. The LBS that packs my bike is around the corner from a FedEx/Kinko's store so they walk the box over for me and save me the $5. Back in 2015 Philly to Rapid City, SD was less that $50, but I don't believe I purchased insurance that time.
05-15-18, 07:47 AM
#5
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I do not know what is cheaper but I have had great luck shipping bikes from LBS to LBS. Instead of flying with my bike for a 7-10 day tour, I would have LBS pack the bike and ship it to LBS. And return it the same way. In fact, I did it many times while living in Milwaukee.
05-15-18, 07:53 AM
#6
Senior Member
Unless there's some issue where you think a FedEx package will be stolen, or they will leave a pick-up notice, no real reason to not have it delivered to your home. If you need someone to assemble and tune it, much better to have it shipped direct to a shop. There will be fees on both ends -- disassembly and packing; reassembly and tuning -- in addition to shipping fees.
05-15-18, 09:50 AM
#7
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with bike flights I just shipped my daughters bike to So. Cal. It was $80 for 2 boxes as I couldn't fit the wheels in the bike box. That was me drop at FedEx her pickup at FedEx near her place. I like doing it that way as if there is any damage you are already at their facility to have them witness the damage.
the important part is making sure the LBS knows how to pack a bike for "no damage" shipping especially with carbon content.
the important part is making sure the LBS knows how to pack a bike for "no damage" shipping especially with carbon content.
05-15-18, 10:06 AM
#8
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Fed Ex needs a delivery signature..
Box shipping and receiving @ LBS, saves the home delivery surcharge
because the box is delivered during the middle of the day
when the shop is always open to receive it..
so no 2nd attempts needed.. you and the delivery people probably work the same days and hours.
mark it assemble, and the shop taking it in will get it ready to ride , for a fee,
It happens a lot here, where a lot of bike tourists are here, on the west coast, for these few months of summer weather..
...
...
Box shipping and receiving @ LBS, saves the home delivery surcharge
because the box is delivered during the middle of the day
when the shop is always open to receive it..
so no 2nd attempts needed.. you and the delivery people probably work the same days and hours.
mark it assemble, and the shop taking it in will get it ready to ride , for a fee,
It happens a lot here, where a lot of bike tourists are here, on the west coast, for these few months of summer weather..
...
...
Last edited by fietsbob; 05-15-18 at 02:07 PM.
05-16-18, 08:44 PM
#10
Member
If there are REIs in each city, they will disassemble, ship and reassemble. I don't know what Bike Fights charges but REI seemed reasonable
05-17-18, 03:56 PM
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Every day a winding road
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