How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Bike? Bike Shipping Advice

It’s crucial for bike buyers, sellers, online retailers, and cyclists who might want to bring their bike on vacation or to a race to understand how to ship a bike and how much it might cost. Accurate knowledge of the costs and expenses is crucial when traveling or buying and selling items online.

The cost of shipping a bike can be higher than one might expect, due to their large shape and oversized packaging they require. It can be challenging to estimate how much it will cost you to ship one because shipping costs vary depending on a number of factors, including weight, box size, and distance.

Is it expensive to ship a bike? Is the bike safe? Will anyone find it difficult? We will respond to each of these queries in this article.

How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Bike?

Depending on the level of service you require, as well as the service and shipping providers you select, the cost of shipping a bike varies. You should budget anywhere from $50 (for short distance, slower shipping, and self-packing) to as much as $250 (for longer distance, faster shipping, and professionally packed).

Expect the cost to go up depending on 1) the amount of service you require, such as disassembling and boxing the bike, and 2) the urgency with which you need it shipped.

Shipping a Bike is Expensive Due to Their Large Sizes

A bike’s overall dimensions, which include its height, width, and length, make it a large object that any shipping company will deem oversized. In fact, most bikes can’t even be shipped via USPS because they’re so large! Since USPS only transports mail and smaller parcels, they have strict maximum dimensions that they permit for their shipments. Even when you disassemble a bike into individual parts that you can fit inside a single box, the dimensions still frequently exceed what USPS will accept.

Since this is the case, you’ll need to choose another carrier other than USPS to ship a bike…and in our experience, you’ll get the best rates with UPS.

If you’re wondering why UPS is the best choice over other carriers like FedEx, it all comes down to cost. In general, UPS is the best carrier for sending large, oversized boxes and other heavy items. They provide comparable services to FedEx (like overnight and ground service), but typically charge less. Much lower.

Shipping Methods for Bicycles

Naturally, UPS and FedEx will ship your bike, but there will be a fee. If shipping directly with one of these carriers, in addition to sending your own bike, you’ll also need to consider how to pack it.

Bicycle shipping is a niche market for a lot of businesses, such as ShipBikes, BikeFlights, and Sports Express. Regardless of the option you select, the size of your bike, the distance traveled, and the bike shipping service will largely determine the shipping cost.

It is advised to use a bicycle shipping service, like BikeFlights, to make the process simpler. After you place an order, they will send you a box made specifically for your bike. They have online tools and couriers who will ride up to your door to assist you in disassembling and packing your bike.

A further obvious advantage of a service like this is that, thanks to their volume and experience in shipping bicycles, they are able to negotiate better rates with shipping companies. UPS will give you the “rack rate” if you call for a quote from someone who ships a bike every few years.

Bikes weighing 30 pounds or less can anticipate shipping costs ranging from $50 to $400. Yes, that does cover a lot of ground. Here are some pricing examples if you want to ship a bicycle from New York to San Francisco.

The transit time of your motorcycle is the most important factor in calculating the shipping cost. If you’re content with 4-day shipping, you’ll save the most money.

As an illustration, let’s use the flight from New York to San Francisco:

Bike Transport Via Shipping Companies is a Common Practice (NY to SF)

• You’ll pay anywhere between $60 and $160 for FedEx, depending on how quickly you need to ship. For an additional cost, additional insurance can be purchased.
• You must pay about $135 if you choose UPS. The exact costs do not include bike insurance, but you can buy it separately.

Ship a Bicycle Using a Bike Transport Company (NY to SF)

• Including disassembly and packaging, a bike can be shipped with BikeFlights for as little as $60. The preferred customer experience we offer can be learned more about here.
• Including packaging and disassembly, shipping a bike with ShipBikes can cost as little as $65.
• For bike shipping with Sport Express, bike disassembly and boxing start at $174.

Check a Bicycle as Checked Baggage on An Airplane (if You Are Flying) NYC to SF

Different airlines play by different sets of rules in a COVID and post-COVID environment. Along with the price of your plane ticket, a typical fee ranges from $35 to $55.

Consider adding a little extra money to the shipping cost of your bicycle to guarantee it will arrive in good shape. Every service offers a variety of insurance and protection plans so that you can feel secure. If you do it this way, you won’t have to be concerned about the bike being damaged or stolen.

Pack a Bike for Shipping

The following items will be useful when packing your bike yourself:

• Bike box or bike case
• Zip ties
• Padding
• Brake pad spacer (can be a cardboard scrap)
• Pedal wrench
• Allen wrenches
• Bike repair stand (ideal, but optional)

Do you understand how to ship a bike?

• How To Pack A Cardboard Bike Box

However, it need not be difficult to understand. Follow these instructions to ship your bike safely and securely.

1. Detach the bicycle’s pedals from the frame. They are not required when shipping the bicycle by air freight and if they are thrown around inside the box or bike case, they may cause damage to other items in transit.
2. Before adding anything else on top of your bicycle frame, make sure that nothing is hanging or dangling from any of the brake cables, derailleur cables, shift cables, or electrical wires.
3. The saddle, handlebars, and front wheel should all be removed.
4. Orient the handlebars downward and parallel to the seat tube on the bicycle frame.
5. When packing your bike, especially around its tires, gears, etc., make sure there are no empty spaces within the box., in order to keep it from moving around in transport.
6. To prevent them from shifting during transit, fasten any loose objects or belongings to the frame of your bike.
7. Use foam or cardboard to secure your wheels in place to prevent damage.
8. Before sealing the box and relabeling it with the address information, double check that everything is secure.

If you have the necessary tools and bike-handling skills, you can certainly do it yourself. Alternatively, you could take it to a bike shop and ask them to fix it.

Your bike will be prepared for shipping if you complete everything. You can take your bicycle to your neighborhood bike shop and ask for assistance if you are certain that you are unable to pack it for shipping on your own.

Bikes Should Be Packaged in a Large Box

Let’s discuss packaging before you even consider wheeling your bicycle into your neighborhood UPS Store. Though you technically can ship a bike without any packaging, we don’t suggest this. If you don’t use any packaging, UPS will still measure the “air” dimensions around the bike as though it were in a box, in the first place (like we just talked about in the last section with dimensional weight). Consequently, you ought to just buy a box right away. It will be much simpler for delivery drivers to handle and will prevent your bike from suffering any scratches or damage during transit. If you don’t already have one, ULINE sells large cardboard bike boxes that you can use to pack a bicycle. These types of packages come in all sizes, but the most common ones are 54 x 28 x 8″.

How Long Does Bike Shipping Take?

It may take up to five business days, but most shipping companies give estimates of three. You have a $500 money-back guarantee from BikeFlights that your bike will arrive on time.

Set up your bike’s delivery for the middle of the week if you need it for a weekend race. You will still get it on time even if there is a delay.

According to BikeFlights, shipping a bike by ground from New York City to Boulder, Colorado will cost $75 and take 6 days if you do not pay an additional fee for insurance. You can pay an additional $390 to upgrade to three-day air, though.

Your bike can be flown by BikeFlights for approximately $65 from Denver, Colorado, to San Francisco in two to three days.

To Emporia, Kansas, from Austin, Texas? For roughly $60, BikeFlights will deliver your bicycle in two days.

The Other End: Receive the Bike After Shipping

A few options are available for how you want to get the bike. We advise not cutting corners if you are shipping the bike so you can use it in a destination race or for a once-in-a-lifetime ride. We advise having the bicycle shipped to a bicycle shop so that it can be expertly put back together while you are traveling and be ready for you when you arrive. Have a professional assemble the bike if you are shipping it to compete in an A-Race.

If you are shipping a bike to a buyer because you sold it on Ebay or another online marketplace, you can obviously just ship it to them. How they put it together is entirely up to them.

Others, such as snowbirds or travelers who will be staying at their destination for several days or weeks, might prefer to have it shipped to their condo or second home, where they will be staying. If you intend to do this, make sure you actually have the tools available for reassembly when you arrive.

If you marked crucial places on your bike as you disassembled it, reassembling will be much simpler and more accurate. To ensure the exact same fit after assembly as you did before, mark the distance you prefer your seat post to go into your seat frame, for instance, using a marker or piece of tape.

Bike Shipping Insurance

Anyone sending their bike through a shipping company must have bike shipping insurance. If your bike happens to get damaged or lost in transit, you’re out of luck because neither FedEx nor UPS provide any kind of shipping insurance.

Velosurance, a business that specializes in cycling insurance, is a blessing. They provide a stand-alone policy that covers loss, theft, or damage while in transit. So having some sort of bicycle insurance is always a good idea, whether you’re a professional bike maker or just a casual cyclist. Just in case!

Common Bike Shipping Mistakes

In order to protect your bike during the delicate process of shipping your bike, it’s critical to avoid common mistakes.

Improper Packing

Inadequate packing is one of the most frequent errors. Use a lot of padding to protect the entire bike frame and any fragile parts. Don’t skimp on security, whether it’s foam wrapping or insurance. For peace of mind, it is preferable to invest a few extra dollars up front. Just keep in mind that anything outside of the bike box is probably less likely to cause damage than anything that is loose inside the box, so cushion everything and secure it tightly. Also, remove all old labels if you’re reusing a box — nothing from previous shipments should remain on a box that you

Incorrect Measurements

For shippers, incorrect measurements are a big problem. They can result in damaged goods, which is already a bad situation. However, they also make it more challenging for the recipient to figure out what size box their item will fit in.

This could result in unnecessary back-and-forth shipping of goods or require the packaging company to use more boxes than necessary. When measuring your package before sending it, it’s always best to be as precise as you can, especially if you’re using a shipping service that requires precise measurements and weight data.

To be as accurate as you can, use a tape measure and a scale. Always round up when working with fractions.

Unforeseen Delays

We rely on the postal service to deliver our daily needs. It is available for us when we need it, including food, clothing, and packages of all sizes. However, if you live in a remote area where deliveries are at best infrequent, bad weather or holiday delays can occasionally make things challenging.

And while some businesses will notify you that your package will be late before they ship it out, others won’t do so until it has already arrived. All this simply means that some advance planning could prevent you from being dissatisfied with your delivery date!

Save Money With Online Shipping Software

Even though shipping a bike is quite expensive, there is still a way to save money, and that is by using online shipping software to purchase postage at a discount.

When you use shipping software, you have access to special levels of discounts that shipping companies like UPS typically reserve for large commercial shippers who send more than 50,000 packages annually. For UPS, that “secret” pricing tier is known as the Digital Access Program…and getting those discounts can save you some serious coin, especially when sending costly packages like boxes with bikes inside of them.

In your neighborhood UPS Store, for instance, shipping the same bike that we used as an example earlier in the article will cost you more than $150. That package will cost you $90.70 instead thanks to discounts from the UPS Digital Access Program. That amounts to a 42% saving, or about $60. Every dollar you can save is greatly appreciated when shipping costs are automatically high due to the size of the box you are sending.

Read about How To Ship A Bike Cheaper?

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