[SDCBC] Advice on shipping a bike? there are some other great ideas in here

Mon Oct 29 13:38:46 EDT 2007

Hello, 
Thank you for your interest in Sports Express®, the premier sports equipment and luggage delivery service. With Sports Express, you can skip long baggage check-in lines, and enjoy your travel experience knowing that your gear and luggage await you at your destination. 

We are a door-to-door delivery service and will pickup directly from your home or business.  We can offer business ground pickups Monday-Friday, residential home pickups Tuesday-Friday. We also have a special promotion going on right now, which is a 25% discount off the Express (3-day, 2-day or Overnight) shipping rates for bicycles. If you prefer to drop-off your item we can definitely assist you with finding a location. 

If you reply back with the dimensions of the box and where you would like to send it to and from we would be happy to pull up a delivery quote for you.  

All of our prices are based on the size and actual weight of the item, and is quoted for whichever is greater. Because of the size of bike boxes, they are actually quoted for the size and not the actual weight. A standard bike is anything with a total girth (Length + twice the width + twice the height) less than 130". An item with total girth 130" or greater is considered a "Large Bicycle". If you can provide us with the dimensions or brand name of your bike box we would be happy to let you know what category your item fits into. 

Sports Express does not handle packaging, disassembly or reassembly of bicycles for shipping, however, we would be happy to assist you in finding a shop or shops that can help you with these services. 

Sports Express requires that you use a Sports Express-approved hard-sided bike travel case. Sports Express does not accept liability for damage that occurs in cases that are not Sports Express-approved. Although, it is acceptable to use your soft side bicycle case with padding or a cardboard box, but Sports Express will only cover the bike for loss. Sports Express has approved a number of bike travel cases for delivery, including hard-shell bike travel cases available online at www.SportsExpress.com. 

Sports Express, in partnership with Fed Ex, UPS and other trusted shippers, has created the most comprehensive delivery system in the world designed specifically for travelers. No need to schlep your bike and luggage to and from the airport - Sports Express will pick it up from home or office and deliver it to your resort, residence, or other destination, prior to your arrival. One-way or round-trip service is available to any destination in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Ireland, Canada, Switzerland, Puerto Rico and certain Central American Destinations. 

Our Travel Concierge staff will proactively monitor the entire delivery process, and keep you informed every step of the way with personalized e-mail and fax notifications. Sports Express deliveries are insured and guaranteed.

If you have any questions regarding your bike cases or delivery options, please contact a Sports Express Travel ConciergeTM at 800-357-4174.

Thank you again for your interest in Sports Express. We look forward to serving you! If you need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Monica Sumner 
Travel Concierge 
Sports Express LLC 
________________________________ 
www.SportsExpress.com 
mjsumner at sportsexpress.com 
72 Suttle St. Suite G, Durango, CO 81303 
970-375-3407 Direct 
970-385-8680 Fax 
800-357-4174 x 407 Reservations 

-----Original Message-----
From: Kleba, James A [mailto:JamesKleba at fairisaac.com]
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 9:57 AM
To: Danette Hoffert; JimBaross at cox.net; lbriggs at lindabriggs.com; sdcbc at bikesandiego.org
Subject: RE: [SDCBC] Advice on shipping a bike? there are some other great ideas in here

Danette and I have used http://www.sportsexpress.com/ several times.  The procedure is as follows:

1.	Set your travel dates 

2.	Goto http://www.sportsexpress.com/ and set your pickup and drop off locations, as well as dates for both legs of your trip.  You also specify the box type. 

3.	We used hard shell boxes bike travel from performance.  They are middle of the road as far as cost and function. 

4.	Most people should be able to pack their own boxes if they can use hex wrench, can remove pedals and wheels.  I suggest this order: 

a.	Remove seat 

b.	Loosen bolts on bar stem (sometime you will need to remove) 

c.	Remove pedals 

d.	Remove rear derailleur 

e.	Put your hand in an old sock, grab the chain, pull the chain into the sock, and fasten the end. 

f.	Remove the wheels 

g.	Remove the quick release rods. 

h.	Put the wheels in the box and cover with foam 

i.	Place the frame on foam and secure with straps 

j.	The bars will have to be monkey'd with 

k.	Put all the loose parts with all the tools you used, in a bag, in the box. 

l.	Cover with foam and close box 

5.	Sports Express will pick the box up at your specified location.  ( I use the shipping department at my workplace ) 

6.	I have been very impressed with Sports Express's propensity to notify you every step of the way.  (reminders to get the bike ready) 

In my experience, the hard shell bike boxes are very safe.  Just make sure you secure the frame.  Hopefully, your fork is built to withstand more punishment than it gets in a box.   

With experience you can pack the bike in 20 minutes.  But expect 45+ the first couple of times.

  _____  

From: Danette Hoffert [mailto:danettehoffert at gmail.com] 
Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2007 9:11 AM
To: James Kleba
Subject: Fwd: [SDCBC] Advice on shipping a bike? there are some other great ideas in here

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jim Baross < JimBaross at cox.net>
Date: Oct 27, 2007 4:06 PM
Subject: Re: [SDCBC] Advice on shipping a bike?
To: Linda Briggs < lbriggs at lindabriggs.com>, sdcbc at bikesandiego.org

I paid a NYC bike shop $30 each to pack bikes for shipment back to San Diego. The shop, I could look up the name if you want, used cardboard bike boxes with cushioning and spacers for forks, etc. We included racks, bottles, fenders and some other eqpt with the bikes too. Through the bike shop's arrangement/account with a shipper, UPS, the bikes were shipped less expensively than if I had gone through UPS on my own and the bikes came through w/o any damage. The process was painless. 

At 04:57 PM 10/27/2007, Norm Olson wrote:

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Times have changed and prices have gotten more expensive but I would just have the bike shop ship the box UPS.  That used to be reasonably inexpensive.  The last time I did this was several years back and I knew the owners of the shop and had spent a lot of money there over the years.  They did quite a bit of shipping and was able to get it sent out cheaper than the local UPS store wanted to charge me.  Now you still have to stay within the LWH dimensions.  Some bikes are bigger than others.  Also, pay extra for the insurance. 

Norm

From: sdcbc-bounces at bikesandiego.org [  <mailto:sdcbc-bounces at bikesandiego.org> mailto:sdcbc-bounces at bikesandiego.org] On Behalf Of Linda Briggs
Sent: Saturday, October 27, 2007 4:30 PM
To: sdcbc at bikesandiego.org
Subject: [SDCBC] Advice on shipping a bike?

Hi SDCBCers -

My brother-in-law is visiting in November from New York and flying in with his bike. He's nervous about the carbon fiber fork (the rest of the bike is steel). He plans to have a local NY bike shop pack the bike for him in a hard-sided case, and I'm trying to convince him the fork should be just fine in that. 

Any advice from those who have flown bikes? Would he be better off packing the fork in his carry-on luggage (assuming he could get it through security)?

Thanks!

-- Linda B.

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