Shipping Bike Fed Ex or take it on the plan

[Triskeliongirl]

Be very careful with FedEx GROUND. While FedEx ground is certainly cheaper than UPS or FedEx AIR, we learned the hard way that regardless of the declared value, and how much 'insurance' you purchased, they are only liable for $100 if your bike is lost/stolen (with UPS or Fedex AIR it is really insured for the declared value). We also learned the workers are not employed by the company but by various local depots, and are not as well compensated as UPS or FedEx AIR, so there is more corruption. My husband shipped his Bike to boston to ride to vermont for a scientific meeting. It never arrived. Tracking showed it arrive at one location but not leave. All they told us is that it was lost and we are entitled to $100 even though we paid a surcharge to cover the $2000 it was worth. Turned out a good friend of ours knows someone high up at FedexGround management (their kinds are friends), and sent him all the info. including a pic of my husband riding the bike. Turned out a worker at the depot it went missing from was spotted riding the bike to work by the supervisor that got the pics of the bike. He was arrested, and the case and accesories were all recovered from his apartment. He even had the nerve to wear my husbands helmets and shoes to work! But we were lucky. Never again will I use Fedex ground. Regular Fedex is OK, as is UPS. I have an S/S coupled bike and just take it in the S/S case. So far no problems, but I should probably get one of those TSA nets.