Shipping a bike

[happyscientist]

Does anyone have advice for how to ship a bike? Some friends and I are considering a tour next year. I have read too many horror stories about TSA taking the shipping containers apart and losing parts, so I would rather go with UPS or Fedex. I was surprised to see how expensive shipping boxes are, though.

[Trek420]

When I moved I shipped all 3 of my bikes and one of Knotts by UPS. My LBS in California packed and shipped each bike to his recommended LBS in Seattle. Yes, it was expensive but all bikes arrived in good shape and were reassembled and checked on this end.

[OakLeaf]

Check with your LBSs and/or any club you belong to. Often they have cases to rent, if you don't expect to use it again.

I have a Thule case that sees at least a couple of uses every year. My bike's in it now, ready to go to FedEx. No problems so far (touch wood for the upcoming trip!).

Packing and reassembly are very simple and straightforward, although it's true that packing the bike up gets a lot quicker with practice. The only thing you want to be sure of is that if your frame or any of the removable parts are carbon, that you use a torque wrench for reassembly.

I had a string of Very Bad Experiences with UPS, and even though it's been almost 10 years ago, I still wouldn't use them to ship a roll of bubble wrap across town... YMMV...

We also had an experience when DH flew with his camera gear, that yup, TSA opened the box and didn't bother to close the latches back up. Very fortunately nothing was damaged or lost, but it could've easily gone the other way.

Even if risk and expense were equal, I'd still choose shipping over flying with a bike. Who wants to schlep an enormous 50-lb box around the airport, and try to find a cab big enough for it, with everything else you've got to worry about there?

[Sky King]

We ship Fed Ex, to many problems with UPS. Just had a friend take his bike to Europe on the plane and all went well, he used a regular bike box. We own a box and get about six trips before they are toast. How to ship a bike (http://biketouringnews.com/?s=shipping+bike&x=0&y=0), ideas and suggestions from the bike hermit

[OakLeaf]

We own a box and get about six trips before they are toast.

Wow.

I just counted, my Thule box has nine FedEx flights on it in the past four years, and really no sign of wear on the hard parts (including wheels) or the straps, handles and buckles. I expect the foam is about halfway to needing replacement - which I think is as much a function of time as it is of use - and it's just plain sheets of foam rubber the size of the box, no molded or pre-cut holes, very inexpensive. I actually cut up an old convoluted-foam mattress topper to supplement the foam that came with the box.

Why do you think your box is wearing out so quickly?

[happyscientist]

Thanks for the tip about renting a case. I hadn't thought of that. I am concerned about torque when putting it back together, and figured I would have to pack a torque wrench.

At this point, I am looking into renting a bike at my destination. As I get more into touring, I will probably spend the money and buy a case.

[Crankin]

We also had a bad experience with UPS, about 10 years ago. DS #2 shipped his new bike to Tucson, for school, and it arrived with a scratch/dent. They came out and looked at it and said "it's not our fault." Maybe the fact that they were dealing with an 18 year old influenced their crappy treatment of him, but we would never use them anymore.
This is why we have bikes with couplers and our own regulation suitcase sized cases for bringing on the plane. DH also had a Friday for a few years.

[Sky King]

Wow.

I just counted, my Thule box has nine FedEx flights on it in the past four years, and really no sign of wear on the hard parts (including wheels) or the straps, handles and buckles. I expect the foam is about halfway to needing replacement - which I think is as much a function of time as it is of use - and it's just plain sheets of foam rubber the size of the box, no molded or pre-cut holes, very inexpensive. I actually cut up an old convoluted-foam mattress topper to supplement the foam that came with the box.

Why do you think your box is wearing out so quickly?

Because it isn't as cool as yours :) Ours are heavy duty cardboard shipping boxes (http://store.biketouringnews.com/reusable-bike-box/) made by QBP