Shipping a Bike

Ride-A-Lot' 'mitchelnospam said:

I wanted to post a few words of warning to people who are shipping
their bikes. I do this all the time, because the cost of bringing it
on a plane is higher and the TSA tears everything apart. Up until
now, I have not had a problem with FedEX, although I have had
numerous problems with UPS in the past. Usually I use my Trico Iron
Case which is virtually indestructable and holds things securely. I
had to ship another bike to a different location, so I have to use a
cardboard bike box for the one going to San Diego.

time for a second iron case, eh?

ps

small change said:

Ride-A-Lot' 'mitchelnospam said:

I wanted to post a few words of warning to people who are shipping
their bikes. I do this all the time, because the cost of bringing it
on a plane is higher and the TSA tears everything apart. Up until
now, I have not had a problem with FedEX, although I have had
numerous problems with UPS in the past. Usually I use my Trico Iron
Case which is virtually indestructable and holds things securely. I
had to ship another bike to a different location, so I have to use a
cardboard bike box for the one going to San Diego.

time for a second iron case, eh?

ps

As an insurance policy, it is probably worth it. But this was the first
time I ever had two bikes in two different parts of the country.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

(PeteCresswell) said:

Per Ride-A-Lot:

Quoted message said:

Up until now, I
have not had a problem with FedEX,

$37 vs $90 aside, could you give some sample rates/destinations?

I'd been going on the assumption that a bike in a case was inherantly oversize
per the 62" rule.

The Trico Iron Case is UPS and FedEX approved for regular ground rates.
With the Trico you take both wheels off, so it's just the length of
the frame. Now, keep in mind I am not a giant like you. I ride a 15"
frame which I am sure is way more compact than your XL and fits in the
Iron Case perfectly. Same with a regular bike box. I have never paid
more than $45 to ship via UPS and FedEX.

The combined length, height, and width has to be less than 141".

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

"Ride-A-Lot" <"mitchel[nospam]"@schnauzers.ws> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
|I wanted to post a few words of warning to people who are shipping their
| bikes. I do this all the time, because the cost of bringing it on a
| plane is higher and the TSA tears everything apart. Up until now, I
| have not had a problem with FedEX, although I have had numerous problems
| with UPS in the past. Usually I use my Trico Iron Case which is
| virtually indestructable and holds things securely. I had to ship
| another bike to a different location, so I have to use a cardboard bike
| box for the one going to San Diego.

<snip>

All of these things have become the reason we will not ship bikes for our
customers. We will pack a bike in the same way one arrives from the
manufacturer but the customer is responsible for the shipping, taking us out
of the loop.

Nelson Binch said:

"Ride-A-Lot" <"mitchel[nospam]"@schnauzers.ws> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
|I wanted to post a few words of warning to people who are shipping their
| bikes. I do this all the time, because the cost of bringing it on a
| plane is higher and the TSA tears everything apart. Up until now, I
| have not had a problem with FedEX, although I have had numerous problems
| with UPS in the past. Usually I use my Trico Iron Case which is
| virtually indestructable and holds things securely. I had to ship
| another bike to a different location, so I have to use a cardboard bike
| box for the one going to San Diego.

<snip>

All of these things have become the reason we will not ship bikes for our
customers. We will pack a bike in the same way one arrives from the
manufacturer but the customer is responsible for the shipping, taking us out
of the loop.

I went to a local shop here in La Jolla to get replacement parts. First
I want to plug U.C. Cyclery in La Jolla. What a great little shop with
tons of great parts including genuine Thomson bolts. They were very
friendly and knowledgable. Anyway, I told them what happened and they
said it was getting worse. They now refuse at least one bike package a
week. I would have filed a claim, but you have to do it within 24 hours
and it was already at the hotel a few days before I got here.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Per Ride-A-Lot:

Quoted message said:

Up until now, I
have not had a problem with FedEX,

$37 vs $90 aside, could you give some sample rates/destinations?

I'd been going on the assumption that a bike in a case was inherantly oversize
per the 62" rule.
--
PeteCresswell

"Ride-A-Lot" <"mitchel[nospam]"@schnauzers.ws> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I wanted to post a few words of warning to people who are shipping their
bikes. I do this all the time, because the cost of bringing it on a plane
is higher and the TSA tears everything apart.

Is this some new routine? We have flown plenty with bikes, always check them
in as our personal luggage, apart from the airlines tags we post our own
signs on the boxes, "this is a bicycle, it is personal luggage, going with
such and such flight," etc.

So far, touch wood, we never har any problem, and there have been a lot of
flights, we have taken the bikes like this to, and from, Geneva, New Delhi,
Bangkok, Singapore, Mallorca (several times), Tenneriffe, Denver, San
Fransisco. Have also flown one way with boxed bikes from San Fransisco and
San Diego.

We use the boxes the bikes are delivered in to the shops, take of the front
wheel and add a little foam pad around sensitive spots.

Boxing http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/California/Riding/packing.jpg
http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/singletrack2000/Fr2000/France20030.jpg

Checking in with BOBs in San Fransisco
http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/California/Riding/boxedbikes.jpg virtually all our
stuff are in the boxes, tent, stove, clothes, etc, etc.

Per

We learn and we don't make the same mistakes again.
This makes us better at what we do. We are not the fools that never
learn and make mistakes over and over again. But maybe you should leave
a bike in SD since you keep ending up their on business.

(PeteCresswell) said:

Per Ride-A-Lot:

Quoted message said:

Now, keep in mind I am not a giant like you. I ride a 15"
frame which I am sure is way more compact than your XL and fits in the
Iron Case perfectly.

The Trico spiel says 10 x 46.5 x 30 inside dimensions.

Looks like my beast fits within that.

The closest dimension is the wheelbase - which measures 45" with the forks
reversed.

I guess wheels on the case are moot, given use for FedEx as opposed to airline
check-in.

I have a close fit with the Titus but not the Ellsworth. Strange,
because I thought the Id was a longer bike. I always have to zip tie my
derailleur up to the chainstay.

The wheels are good for rolling it around the hotel lobby and to your room.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Per Löwdin said:

"Ride-A-Lot" <"mitchel[nospam]"@schnauzers.ws> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I wanted to post a few words of warning to people who are shipping their
bikes. I do this all the time, because the cost of bringing it on a plane
is higher and the TSA tears everything apart.

Is this some new routine? We have flown plenty with bikes, always check them
in as our personal luggage, apart from the airlines tags we post our own
signs on the boxes, "this is a bicycle, it is personal luggage, going with
such and such flight," etc.

So far, touch wood, we never har any problem, and there have been a lot of
flights, we have taken the bikes like this to, and from, Geneva, New Delhi,
Bangkok, Singapore, Mallorca (several times), Tenneriffe, Denver, San
Fransisco. Have also flown one way with boxed bikes from San Fransisco and
San Diego.

We use the boxes the bikes are delivered in to the shops, take of the front
wheel and add a little foam pad around sensitive spots.

Boxing http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/California/Riding/packing.jpg
http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/singletrack2000/Fr2000/France20030.jpg

Checking in with BOBs in San Fransisco
http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/California/Riding/boxedbikes.jpg virtually all our
stuff are in the boxes, tent, stove, clothes, etc, etc.

Per

There are only two airlines here in the states that won't charge as long
as you are an IMBA member (Frontier and America West), unless you find a
really nice check-in clerk. Still, I don't know if you have been here
since the TSA (sky cops) have instituted their "hand check every bag"
routine. After having a Trico come off the plane with every clip
opened, the bike hanging half way out, and my pedals gone, I don't bring
it on the plane anymore. Oh, and you can't argue with them unless you
want to end up on the "search every inch of that passenger" or even
worse, the "do not fly" list.

Welcome to the new paranoid world we live in.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Quoted message said:

We learn and we don't make the same mistakes again.
This makes us better at what we do. We are not the fools that never
learn and make mistakes over and over again. But maybe you should leave
a bike in SD since you keep ending up their on business.

Not a bad idea, if it were that often.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Quoted message said:

There are only two airlines here in the states that won't charge as long
as you are an IMBA member (Frontier and America West), unless you find a
really nice check-in clerk.

I understand, it is different on the transatlantic flights, then you can
always bring a bike as long as it is boxed the way they like it and it goes
in under your 60 kg and you don´t have more than 2 pcs of luggage.

Quoted message said:

Still, I don't know if you have been here since the TSA (sky cops) have
instituted their "hand check every bag" routine.

We have, their people at Denver are as charming as the East German "People´s
Police". They are a lot better in San Francisco, New York and Chicago, where
they are used to foreigners and think we are real people (in Denver they
tended to foreigners as half-people or less).

Quoted message said:

After having a Trico come off the plane with every clip opened, the bike
hanging half way out, and my pedals gone, I don't bring it on the plane
anymore. Oh, and you can't argue with them unless you want to end up on
the "search every inch of that passenger" or even worse, the "do not fly"
list.

Welcome to the new paranoid world we live in.

What is happening in the US? Sometimes I worry that the US we love will slip
into some weird form of revived McCarthyism.

Per

"(PeteCresswell)" <[email hidden]> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Per Per L?wdin:

Quoted message said:

I understand, it is different on the transatlantic flights, then you can
always bring a bike as long as it is boxed the way they like it and it
goes
in under your 60 kg and you don?t have more than 2 pcs of luggage.

Which begs a question that I keep asking, but don't have an answer to:

Given that two pieces of luggage are permitted, why not break the bike
down into
two separate pieces of luggage and pad them with whatever else one is
taking
along (spare clothes, and so-forth)?

I'm just guessing here, but I'd think that most FS bikes and/or most
breakdown
(S&S or Ritchie coupling) bikes could be made to fit with in two
non-oversized
pieces of luggage.

Well, what we do is to use the cardboard boxes bikes come to the shop in.
The last two yrs when we have gone to the US we have had two boxes each,
filled with our bikes and our BOBs plus all our gear clothes, tent, stove,
you name it, it feels kind of ridiculous to travel with four boxes, but it
works nicely, though it causes raised eyebrows among the security people. We
heard them talking to each other about us, who put all our gear in two
boxes, but they did not hassle us about it. After all: why should they?

Per
http://lowdin.nu

Per Ride-A-Lot:

Quoted message said:

Now, keep in mind I am not a giant like you. I ride a 15"
frame which I am sure is way more compact than your XL and fits in the
Iron Case perfectly.

The Trico spiel says 10 x 46.5 x 30 inside dimensions.

Looks like my beast fits within that.

The closest dimension is the wheelbase - which measures 45" with the forks
reversed.

I guess wheels on the case are moot, given use for FedEx as opposed to airline
check-in.
--
PeteCresswell

Ride-A-Lot said:

(PeteCresswell) said:

Per Ride-A-Lot:

Quoted message said:

Now, keep in mind I am not a giant like you. I ride a 15" frame
which I am sure is way more compact than your XL and fits in the Iron
Case perfectly.

The Trico spiel says 10 x 46.5 x 30 inside dimensions.

Looks like my beast fits within that.

The closest dimension is the wheelbase - which measures 45" with the
forks
reversed.

I guess wheels on the case are moot, given use for FedEx as opposed to
airline
check-in.

I have a close fit with the Titus but not the Ellsworth. Strange,
because I thought the Id was a longer bike. I always have to zip tie my
derailleur up to the chainstay.

The wheels are good for rolling it around the hotel lobby and to your room.

I just wish the wheels were on a corner of the case, like a typical
wheeling suitcase. The way you have to wheel the Ironcase flat on a
longer edge is so awkward and the handle doesn't seem well thought out
either. It can really dig into your hand if you have to go far.
All that being said, I've never had trouble with a bike getting banged
up or anything like that. It's just that the ergonomics could have been
thought out a little better IMO.

Matt

Per Löwdin wrote:
<snip>

Quoted message said:

What is happening in the US? Sometimes I worry that the US we love will slip
into some weird form of revived McCarthyism.

Per

Will? I think it already did.

Matt

Ride-A-Lot said:

Quoted message said:

We learn and we don't make the same mistakes again.
This makes us better at what we do. We are not the fools that never
learn and make mistakes over and over again. But maybe you should leave
a bike in SD since you keep ending up their on business.

Not a bad idea, if it were that often.

My parents keep bikes here in Co so they don't have to bring them. Then
we have extras as loaners when they aren't around.

Matt

Per Per L?wdin:

Quoted message said:

I understand, it is different on the transatlantic flights, then you can
always bring a bike as long as it is boxed the way they like it and it goes
in under your 60 kg and you don?t have more than 2 pcs of luggage.

Which begs a question that I keep asking, but don't have an answer to:

Given that two pieces of luggage are permitted, why not break the bike down into
two separate pieces of luggage and pad them with whatever else one is taking
along (spare clothes, and so-forth)?

I'm just guessing here, but I'd think that most FS bikes and/or most breakdown
(S&S or Ritchie coupling) bikes could be made to fit with in two non-oversized
pieces of luggage.
--
PeteCresswell

MattB said:

Ride-A-Lot said:

(PeteCresswell) said:

Per Ride-A-Lot:

> Now, keep in mind I am not a giant like you. I ride a 15" frame
> which I am sure is way more compact than your XL and fits in the
> Iron Case perfectly.

The Trico spiel says 10 x 46.5 x 30 inside dimensions.

Looks like my beast fits within that.

The closest dimension is the wheelbase - which measures 45" with the
forks
reversed.

I guess wheels on the case are moot, given use for FedEx as opposed
to airline
check-in.

I have a close fit with the Titus but not the Ellsworth. Strange,
because I thought the Id was a longer bike. I always have to zip tie
my derailleur up to the chainstay.

The wheels are good for rolling it around the hotel lobby and to your
room.

I just wish the wheels were on a corner of the case, like a typical
wheeling suitcase. The way you have to wheel the Ironcase flat on a
longer edge is so awkward and the handle doesn't seem well thought out
either. It can really dig into your hand if you have to go far.
All that being said, I've never had trouble with a bike getting banged
up or anything like that. It's just that the ergonomics could have been
thought out a little better IMO.

Matt

Very true. I get a handle tattoo from that thing every time.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws