How do you ship your bike long distances?

[katluvr]

Always fly w/ bike.
Pack it myself.
Most airports just take it to the oversized x-ray machine. They do in Tampa and I watch them x-ray it.
I have had it "opened" before (but I think just once or twice a while back), but never really move stuff around. I ask if they are going to unpack it and then insist on going with it, stand outside if theythink the need to.
I have not had any problems.
Since I fly Southwest it is about $50 each way...so 100 total. That way I can ride it up until a few days before.
Yes, I do worry...about it. But most of the time it is really OK. I have shipped before, but I have a hard case therefore it is much more expensive.
But as you have read here, each to their own personal experience.
K

[Pedal Wench]

If you MUST use UPS (corporate account or no local FedEx depot), then ship express, not ground. I don't know whether they take more care with express packages or it's just that a shorter trip gives them less opportunity to damage it, but express packages seem to have a much better chance of arriving intact.

I'm sure FedEx isn't perfect, but their track record with me is (touch wood). By contrast, when I must have something shipped to me UPS, the odds are no better than 2 in 3 that the packaging will arrive intact - from there the condition of the contents is purely a matter of luck.

That's so funny - everyone has so many different experiences. My BF and I used FedEx ground once. When the package didn't deliver when expected, they just threw up their hands and said to just file a claim, the bike's gone. Two weeks later and many, MANY phone calls, they found it.

On another occasion, I shipped two little rolling suitcases. Both bags were brand new, but were completely torn up during shipping. I filed a claim, sent to bags to them to determine how much damages they would pay, and then they lost the bags. I got my full claim...

[TxDoc]

Haven't traveled much since 2001?

Hee-hee, unfortunately I travel too much (don't like to fly) - but I leave the bike home if I can

Twice I shipped FedEx and it was fine, I packed it myself and found the box ok at my destination. Not even a scratch.

I cannot say anything good of UPS. A while back they damaged a frame shipped to me. Despite proof of damage (pictures of the packing, unpacking, damage, etc) - they have refused to give us a refund to this day. We've been fighting over this for years and yet no resolution. Since then - I have always called FedEx and never had a bad experience with them. Knock on wood, they'll keep doing a good job!

[TrekTheKaty]

I asked a bike shop in Breckenridge, CO the best way to ship a bike out. They said UPS to them, but that could have been a local delivery issue.

[AnnieBikes]

I have read all these post with fear and trepidation! I am shipping my bike to Portland from Bristol, TN in two weeks and will probably use FedX. I am so nervous about it that I am about sick!! The airline would be too expensive to use and the oversize (but not overweight) box costs $175 each way!!! UPS has not been good for us, and we have no Amtrak. So FE it is, and I will be praying the whole time that it gets to the shop safely! I will ride for a month and go through the whole thing again to get it home!

I have another bike to ride in the meantime but want my baby home safely and fast!

[teigyr]

Why not see if the airline has a cargo facility? Most airlines do and there can even be a way to ship it on the flight you are on. Cargo can be tracked better too (ie it is scanned when it departs and when it is received) so there might be better record as to where the bike is at any point in time. The only down side is there might be documentation required security-wise (ie if there is no shipper history) but that could be found out in advance.

I don't think TSA takes great joy in taking stuff apart. I've seen some great TSA people (along with bad ones but that goes true for any profession) and I think the department is really working on improving their image. I really don't think it makes their day to do additional screening either (just had to get that out there) and they are just people doing their job. Same goes for traffic/parking enforcement or any other group that makes us feel singled out as a person or cyclist or whatever else we are. Odds are, they are doing their job instead of getting some sadistic pleasure in making us uncomfortable.

Pack the bike well no matter how it is shipped. Even if ground handlers are careful, each time the bag is moved (ie from a baggage cart to a belt loader to a plane and off again multiplied by however many connections), there is a chance of something being on top of it or something going awry. Bags/cargo are stacked inside the igloo (if it's a freighter) or belly and it's not like the plane knows "oops...better be gentle" if there is something fragile onboard.

I know for any method you decide on, someone is going to have a bad experience using the same method. That just is. Remember though that the bad experiences are probably the minority of total business for the shipper. When I lived in Calif, UPS was unreliable and really kind of sketchy and FedEx was THE way to ensure something arrived on time. I don't know if it was the regional office or what...but that was only in that one location and I've never had any UPS problems anywhere else that I've lived.

rant over