Best way to ship bicycle overseas
July 7, 2021 10:32 AM Subscribe
I live on the east coast U.S. I want to ship a bicycle next summer to a bike race. What's the best / most cost-effective way of getting this done?
I've never done anything like this before (I've flown, but never had anything beyond a carry-on, let alone a piece of equipment I care about), so any tips outside the bounds of my original question are welcome.
I will be attending a bike race next summer (Cycle to the Sun, in Hawaii, if it matters), and I will be flying there likely from the Atlanta airport. I'm unsure of the best method for getting my bike to the same destination, given that:
* I might have a layover. Does that complicate things?
* I'm on a schedule. What if the bike gets lost?
* I hope this won't cost as much as my flights there and back.
Do you recommend a bike shipping service? Should I send the bike on my flight? How can I best prepare, and what should I know?
Thanks for your help.
I've never done anything like this before (I've flown, but never had anything beyond a carry-on, let alone a piece of equipment I care about), so any tips outside the bounds of my original question are welcome.
I will be attending a bike race next summer (Cycle to the Sun, in Hawaii, if it matters), and I will be flying there likely from the Atlanta airport. I'm unsure of the best method for getting my bike to the same destination, given that:
* I might have a layover. Does that complicate things?
* I'm on a schedule. What if the bike gets lost?
* I hope this won't cost as much as my flights there and back.
Do you recommend a bike shipping service? Should I send the bike on my flight? How can I best prepare, and what should I know?
Thanks for your help.
So this is a domestic travel/shipping situation, which should make it easier. It matters a lot where you are going! International travel would be much more complicated.
Is there a reason you won't just bring the bike in a box with you on your flights? Typically you'd just pay an excess baggage fee. The airline you are traveling with will have information about the cost of this.
It's always stressful to worry that your bags won't make it with you when you fly. I'd say a short layover is riskier, because that gives the baggage folks less time to get your bike from one plane to the other.
If you send your bike ahead, you'll be without it a lot longer. And because it's going to Hawaii and outside of the continental US, it'll take longer. You might want to talk to a bike shop in Hawaii to see if you could send it to them and they could reassemble it.
Path Less Pedaled is a great resource and they have a lot of experience and a video about the different options.
posted by bluedaisy at 10:54 AM on July 7, 2021
Is there a reason you won't just bring the bike in a box with you on your flights? Typically you'd just pay an excess baggage fee. The airline you are traveling with will have information about the cost of this.
It's always stressful to worry that your bags won't make it with you when you fly. I'd say a short layover is riskier, because that gives the baggage folks less time to get your bike from one plane to the other.
If you send your bike ahead, you'll be without it a lot longer. And because it's going to Hawaii and outside of the continental US, it'll take longer. You might want to talk to a bike shop in Hawaii to see if you could send it to them and they could reassemble it.
Path Less Pedaled is a great resource and they have a lot of experience and a video about the different options.
posted by bluedaisy at 10:54 AM on July 7, 2021
I have flown internationally with bicycles before (not for a while though).
* I might have a layover. Does that complicate things?
It shouldn't though depends on duration and if you are changing airline (really depends by layover if you mean you want to stop and leave the airport for a day or so and aren't continuing on a connecting flight, which will likely mean picking your bicycle up and paying the luggage fee again on the next flight, or just sitting in an airport waiting for the connecting flight for a few hours, in which case it is really "one flight" and shouldn't be any issue - though obviously the more flights/times your bicycle is handled the more chance of damage so make sure you pack it good )
* I'm on a schedule. What if the bike gets lost?
The airline may find it but not in time. Maybe as an emergency backup have plan/reservation to rent a bike there (a Cannondale road bike on Maui seems to go for $45 a day - not ideal and obviously not your own bike, but maybe a not bad Plan B, or possibly even Plan A if the thought of shipping your bike is really painful?)
* I hope this won't cost as much as my flights there and back.
- It really shouldn't. Like Delta charge a bicycle as a standard piece of extra luggage up to 50 pounds I believe (subject to it being appropriately packed and within certain size dimensions etc.) Check your airline's website.
Things people often forget - you pay the extra luggage fee both ways......not just on the flight there.... Also pack it really well and make sure you have the right tools with you at the end to reattach components you've dissembled.
Good luck with the planning and the race!
posted by inflatablekiwi at 11:08 AM on July 7, 2021
* I might have a layover. Does that complicate things?
It shouldn't though depends on duration and if you are changing airline (really depends by layover if you mean you want to stop and leave the airport for a day or so and aren't continuing on a connecting flight, which will likely mean picking your bicycle up and paying the luggage fee again on the next flight, or just sitting in an airport waiting for the connecting flight for a few hours, in which case it is really "one flight" and shouldn't be any issue - though obviously the more flights/times your bicycle is handled the more chance of damage so make sure you pack it good )
* I'm on a schedule. What if the bike gets lost?
The airline may find it but not in time. Maybe as an emergency backup have plan/reservation to rent a bike there (a Cannondale road bike on Maui seems to go for $45 a day - not ideal and obviously not your own bike, but maybe a not bad Plan B, or possibly even Plan A if the thought of shipping your bike is really painful?)
* I hope this won't cost as much as my flights there and back.
- It really shouldn't. Like Delta charge a bicycle as a standard piece of extra luggage up to 50 pounds I believe (subject to it being appropriately packed and within certain size dimensions etc.) Check your airline's website.
Things people often forget - you pay the extra luggage fee both ways......not just on the flight there.... Also pack it really well and make sure you have the right tools with you at the end to reattach components you've dissembled.
Good luck with the planning and the race!
posted by inflatablekiwi at 11:08 AM on July 7, 2021
I've used Bike Flights to ship my bike domestically. It's basically a FedEx reseller, but I think the rates are better. I have my local bike shop box my bike, and then have it shipped to a bike shop at the destination, who I pay to unbox/reassemble the bike.
The advantage to this is that you don't have to worry about airline baggage delays potentially leaving you without a bike for your race. If you ship the bike early enough, you will know it's there before you even leave your house. The disadvantage is that you will be without your bike for a couple weeks on each end of the trip.
posted by crLLC at 11:27 AM on July 7, 2021
The advantage to this is that you don't have to worry about airline baggage delays potentially leaving you without a bike for your race. If you ship the bike early enough, you will know it's there before you even leave your house. The disadvantage is that you will be without your bike for a couple weeks on each end of the trip.
posted by crLLC at 11:27 AM on July 7, 2021
(Note that the question says "overseas" but this is domestic travel, from Georgia to Hawaii, which is definitely over a sea, but not international, as "overseas" might suggest.)
posted by bluedaisy at 11:29 AM on July 7, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by bluedaisy at 11:29 AM on July 7, 2021 [3 favorites]
My Alaskan friends who do a Hawaii triathlon every year generally have a local bike shop box up their bike. Then, they either check it (they all fly Alaska Airlines by necessity, it does not seem to be prohibitively expensive) or ship it directly to a Kona bike shop to assemble before the race. Both strategies work fine. In this case, it looks like Maui Cyclery sponsors your event and I bet if you call them with questions about shipping your bike to them they will have a set of standard information that would make you feel a lot less anxious about the whole thing; you are not the only first-timer with questions about the process, I am sure.
posted by charmedimsure at 11:46 AM on July 7, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by charmedimsure at 11:46 AM on July 7, 2021 [3 favorites]
I've flown domestically and internationally with bikes. With all major airlines, bikes count as a piece of luggage. So at most, you'll pay $100 extra each way, if you don't have a checked bag allowance.
Layovers do not matter, as it's just a piece of luggage it will transfer to your flight.
posted by wile e at 11:56 AM on July 7, 2021
Layovers do not matter, as it's just a piece of luggage it will transfer to your flight.
posted by wile e at 11:56 AM on July 7, 2021
I would call the sponsoring bike shop and ask them; you are presumably not the only person in this position. They might work with a shipping carrier or a service like Bike Flights—if so, I'd use their recommended provider and ship directly to their store, and let them reassemble the bike for a fee. It may cost a bit more than checking the bike as luggage on your flight, but is a lot less hassle and you can do it in advance.
Just as something to consider, the last time I did a "destination ride", I rented a bike for the event rather than ship my own bike. Turned out it was cheaper than shipping and I got a bike that was about the same weight as my usual one at home. I know people who do that habitually and bring their own saddle (just carried in their luggage), pedals, and shoes, but rent the bike itself.
posted by Kadin2048 at 12:03 PM on July 7, 2021 [2 favorites]
Just as something to consider, the last time I did a "destination ride", I rented a bike for the event rather than ship my own bike. Turned out it was cheaper than shipping and I got a bike that was about the same weight as my usual one at home. I know people who do that habitually and bring their own saddle (just carried in their luggage), pedals, and shoes, but rent the bike itself.
posted by Kadin2048 at 12:03 PM on July 7, 2021 [2 favorites]
I've also used Bike Flights (in my case, the bike went via UPS). There's a similar service called ShipBikes. Both of them will sell you a box, separate from the shipping service. They're expensive as boxes go. You will probably be able to get a return trip out of them if you're careful. The one from Bike Flights is quite clever, but to pack your bike according to their directions will take some dismantling (so you'd better be comfortable turning a wrench) and you'll need some additional materials (pro tip: if you want to reuse the box for the return trip, pack lots of extra zip ties). They've got videos demonstrating the process. I had a bike shop pack my bike for the return shipment, and they were considerably less meticulous than I was about packing it.
This being Hawaii, if you ship the bike ahead, it will of necessity travel by air. This means that it will probably arrive sooner than if it were travelling by land, but it will also be expensive. When I shipped my bike (within the lower 48), the shipping charges were less than the insurance charges, just to put it in perspective. In my case, I timed the bike's shipment so it would arrive before I left, so I would have a little time to deal with the situation if it didn't arrive or was damaged in shipment.
Note that your bike might not be insured if you bring it as checked baggage on your flight--check the carrier's rules. Part of what a company like Bike Flights does is haggle with UPS on your behalf if you need to make a claim.
posted by adamrice at 1:04 PM on July 7, 2021
This being Hawaii, if you ship the bike ahead, it will of necessity travel by air. This means that it will probably arrive sooner than if it were travelling by land, but it will also be expensive. When I shipped my bike (within the lower 48), the shipping charges were less than the insurance charges, just to put it in perspective. In my case, I timed the bike's shipment so it would arrive before I left, so I would have a little time to deal with the situation if it didn't arrive or was damaged in shipment.
Note that your bike might not be insured if you bring it as checked baggage on your flight--check the carrier's rules. Part of what a company like Bike Flights does is haggle with UPS on your behalf if you need to make a claim.
posted by adamrice at 1:04 PM on July 7, 2021
Seconding BikeFlights and ShipBikes. Both are proven services and depending on your level of bike mechanical know-how you could pack it yourself. Cardboard boxes are usually fine; however if you want to be extra sure your bike will get there in one piece you could look into renting a bike case from a local shop or borrow one from a friend.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:14 PM on July 7, 2021
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:14 PM on July 7, 2021
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by jabes at 10:48 AM on July 7, 2021