What's the best way to ship a bike?

Okay, so you say you don't want to get a permanent bike shipping case...but do you LIKE your bike?  Seriously?  Shipping it in a defenseless cardboard box?  Crazy.

If you insist on using the cardboard box, put at least $1000 in insurance on the thing.  The higher the insurance gets, the nicer they are to the package.

CONUS shipping shouldn't be $100...My bike in it's big plastic bike case shipped across country for less than that.  Check out DHL...their rates are pretty competitive.  DHL even picked my bike up from my front door for no extra charge.  You can go to DHL or FedEX or UPS webistes and put in the package weight/dimensions/origin/destination and get shipping estimates and even print out a mailing label and then have them pick it up.  This avoids the dreaded stores which jackup the prices.

Also, if you keep the box under 130 inches (length plus 2xHeight and 2xwidth where length is the longest dimension) and under 70 lbs, you can ship it via the USPS.  But definitely use a plastic box for that...

I have shipped my bike all over the world...multiple stateside trips, Alaska, Qatar, etc. etc.  Invest in the plastic bike box.  Your bike will thank you....

Thanks for all the info. I know, a permanent carry box would be perfect, but it's not in the budget right now.

I estimated the price on line with the big 3: Fedex, UPS, and DHL. UPS was the cheapest by a couple of bucks, so I took it down there and got it done for about $67. I did put insurance on it though, so at least that's covered. I'll probably try one of the local shops out there when I go to send it back.

Thanks again for the info.

I have never shipped, but when I considered it once, I found this:

http://www.shipbikes.com/

Also, there is a LBS that I go to that rents travel cases (the GOOD ones!) for $5 a day AND they offer shipping services.  You may want to check into some of your local shops and see if they offer the same services.

I found the same thing when I shipped my bike a couple weeks ago and went with UPS as well. Significantly cheaper than what Delta is wanting for a second checked bag + overweight bag + oversize bag.

I suppose it's too late for you if you haven't, but for anyone else reading this thread, make sure to set the big chain ring into a block of styrofoam or something for padding. I failed to do so and mine ended up bent, so I was running around town the day before my race trying to find a new one. I had no other problems with damage to the bike, I stuffed that cardboard box pretty full of old clothes for padding and it worked great. Hope your bike arrives in better shape than mine did!

Hey, there,

If you ship your bike often I do recommend a hard bike shipping case. This will protect your bike during shipping much better than a cardboard box. However if you are only shipping your bike once a cardboard box will do. For the best rates try Shipping Sidekick. I ship my medium-weight Klein from Maine to LA about once a month....It's usually about $35.

-Bob

I've actually been looking into this as well.  I am having a bike made for me down in Texas and need to get it back up to NJ.  I want to drive down, but my wife isn't huge on that idea.

I've found these sites:

www.shipbikes.com

If you are actually going to an event, this might work:

www.tribiketransport.com

And I've looked into Amtrak, some trains actually have bike racks on them and you reserve a spot with your reservation.  I'm not sure the train from TX has them though.

Has anything new popped up in recent years?  I see this thread was started 3 years ago.

Just as a note if the airline (after charging you insane amounts for carrying a bike) destroys your bike they will only pay you a maximum of something like $500.  UPS all the way.

My tri club rents bike boxes for $10/week or so.  Someplace to check for hard cases.