Bicycle Shipping - Bike Shipping - How To Ship A Bike Cheap

Home Ship Fly Ride Protect Give Help

FedEx Domestic & International
Bike Shipping Services

Bicycle Shipping

Round TripOne Way
From	To

Zip / Postal Code	Zip / Postal Code


Delivery Date	Return Date
Baggage
Bike	Bike Frame
Travel Bike	Bike Trailer
Tandem / Recumbent Bike	Small Parts
Oversize Bike Box	Wheelset

HOW TO SHIP A BIKE CHEAP! (Soon available as .ppt and .pdf)

Lower your bicycle shipping costs $100 or more by following bikeflights 12 easy steps.

What you need:

Proper bicycle shipping box
Tube protectors
Plastic fork block protector
Plastic seat tube protector
Plastic Wheel axle protector
A small seal-able plastic bag
Several of your favorite ties (zip ties, velcro straps, toe straps)
3,4,5,6,8 mm Allen wrenches
15mm pedal wrench
Clean rag
Your bicycle

How long it will take:

60 minutes or more the first time
30 minutes after you have done it a few times

Step 1: Get a bicycle box that meets shipping specifications
Getting a proper bicycle shipping box is the most important step in lowering your shipping costs. It is simple-the bigger the box the more it costs to ship. To save over $50 each way, you need a shipping box that is 130 inches or less in length and girth (2 x width + 2 x height). To save $7.50 each way, choose a bike box that has a second longest side of 30 inches or less. So remember these two numbers: 130/30 for maximal savings.

Fortunately for you, new bikes are shipped almost daily to your local bike shop in a cardboard shipping box meeting shipping specifications. Dimensions do vary by manufacture so be careful to get a bike shipping box that falls under the surcharge dimensions. Remember the savings dimensions: 130/30. The quality of boxes also differ by manufactures and model so when you can ask for a high quality box, in new condition, no torn flaps or holes and with good sturdy hand holds. Most bike shops will glad pull a box aside along with all the needed protectors for you at little or no cost.

If you are looking for some added protection from damage and plan to ship your bike often, we recommend the Crateworks Pro XL-C. Not because we sell them for we sell hard cases too, but because they combine some of the versatility of a manufacturer's cardboard box with some of added protection of a hard bike travel case, and still are under the dimensional surcharge levels. So the Crateworks Pro XL-C pays for it self in just 2 trips. We also drop ship these right to your house, saving you a trip to pick up a box.

For those who have and have to have a hard bike case such as the Trico, Serfas and Thule, please note that you could save $7.50 each way by using smaller case that offers a little less protection.

Step 2: Clean your bike
Clean your bike, so you do not pay to ship dirt. A bike free off dirt and mud weighs less and helps reduce the spread of soil-borne pests and diseases that can do great harm to agriculture. Dirt and mud are strictly banned from objects (bicycles too) to be shipped in United States and other countries. The same is true when checking with airline.

Step 3: Remove pedals
Remove your pedals with a pedal wrench. To remove the drive side pedal is counterclockwise, the non-drive side pedal is clockwise. As you remove each pedal, wipe the pedal with your rag removing any left over dirt and grease and place immediately into plastic bag so not to lose.

Step 4: Remove front wheel
Remove the front wheel. Unthread the quick release nut and spring, pull the skewer from wheel, re-attach spring and nut to skewer a few turns, wipe the skewer with your rag removing any left over dirt and grease and place immediately into plastic bag so not to lose.

Step 5: Remove stem and handle bar as one unit
Remove the stem and handle bar as one unit by loosening the bolts at the steerer tube connection. Most modern stem bolts use 4 or 5 mm Allen bolts that attach the stem to the steerer. This again is to help the bike fit in the box.

Step 6: Remove seatpost and saddle as on unit
Loosen the 4 or 5 mm Allen bolt(s) at the seat tube clamp connection. Pull up on the seat, a slight side to side motion may be necessary, to remove the seatpost and saddle as one unit.

Step 7: Remove rear derailleur
Remove the rear derailleur using a 5mm Allen key and let it and the chain hang downward. You will soon secure it to the frame.

Step 8: Remove some air pressure from tires
Remove some air pressure from the tires so that the bike will fit better in the box and so the tires are not at maximum pressure during shipping.

Step 9: Attach protectors to bike
Place the plastic protectors in the front wheel axles, the seat tube and fork legs. Wrap all the tubes with the self adhesive cardboard tubing or foam. Then tie the stem and bar to the front of the frame. Wrap the rear derailleur and chain in a rag and secure to the chain stay with zip ties. You are trying to prevent scratching where surfaces meet and to secure any the contact points with zip ties to limit moving back and forth during shipping.

Step 10: Get your shipping documents
You can save you 15% or more on FedEx® bike shipping services at BikeFlights.com. In addition to great rates, we can offer expert advice and assist you preparing shipping documents. Simply go online and enter your shipping details and we email you label and required documents generally 2 days before your ship date.

Step 11: Pack bike in box
Carefully place the bike into the box, ensuring everything is secure. We recommend taping an extra copy of the Shipping Label inside to the top of your bike to help FedEx® identify and deliver your bike, just in case the shipping label were to come off. Close the flaps of the box (they should close without bulging). Tape up the box with packing tape. Affix the shipping label and any other required documents to the box.

Step 12: Ship your bike
Shipping your bike from a nearby FedEx® pick up location instead of requesting a pick up will save you $8 each way.

Back to Top

BIKE SHIPPING FAQS

Is it better to check your bike with the airline or ship it using bikeflights.com?

We sell both airline tickets and bicycle shipping so we like to think we are unbiased. But in answering to the question, we find that we are not as much as we would like to admit. We prefer to our ship bikes more than check them with the airline because it makes our travel more enjoyable by saving us the hassles of traveling with a huge piece of luggage. The chart below compares airlines and bike shipping from Baltimore and San Diego on bikeflights.com.

	Airlines	bikeflights	Bonuses Of Shipping Your Bike
Acceptance	Conditional	Welcome	You feel like a wanted customer
Max Weight	50 lbs	70lbs	You get 20 extra pounds to pack needed gear and tools
Max Liability	$ 3300 for all luggage	Unlimited	Your can protect your bike up to 10,000 USD
Additional Checked Bag Charges	$25-$100	None	You can save your checked baggage allowance for your other luggage
Bicycle Fee	$175	$62 Ground $179 Express	You have options to lower your costs
Hassle-O-Meter	High	Low	You can travel light and flexible, knowing your bike is in transit to your final destination

Back to Top

How does bikeflights shipping work?

bikeflights shipping has been designed to simplify shipping your bike. Just enter your basic shipping information to get a quote, select the service and rate that you want, enter the shipping details and check out. We process your shipment and will email your bike shipping label and any other required documents 2 days before your ship date. Simply print out your documents and affix the label to your box and drop off at a local FedEx pick up location. If you selected the pick-up option, you will not need to drop off at nearby FedEx® Office, a FedEx® driver will pick up your bike. You can track your bike via email, phone and our new toolbar. If you scheduled a return shipment, the process is the same. You will get your second label via email for the return shipment 2 days before your return ship date. Simply affix the label to your box and drop off at a local FedEx pick up location. Again, if you selected a return pick up option, you will not need to drop off at nearby FedEx® Office, a FedEx® driver will pick up your bike. For those who will not have access to a printer, we can arrange getting the label to someone with a printer at your destination, or schedule a call tag in which the FedEx® driver will bring the label when picking up your bike. Note: FedEx® has a $8 call tag surcharge per package.

Back to Top

What is the cost to ship a bicycle on bikeflights?

Our prices to ship a bike vary based on the bike box's dimensional weight, how far it is being shipped, the shipping service and options you select. To get an idea of your bike shipping costs, please try our free online quote tool. Simply tell us a little more about your bike shipping needs and get a free bike shipping quote in seconds. Get a quote online - Now!

Back to Top

What types of bikes does bikeflights ship?

bikeflights ships all types of non-motorized bikes: road bikes, mountain bikes, triathlon bikes, touring bikes, tandem bikes, track bikes, cyclocross bikes, freeride bikes, downhill bikes, BMX bikes, cruisers bikes, commuter bikes, single speeds bikes, 29er bikes, 26er bikes, racing bikes, ect... If you ride it; we will help you ship it.

Back to Top

Why should I ship my bike with bikeflights?

Negotiated bike shipping discounts
Domestic and international bike shipping services
FedEx® Air and Ground bike shipping services
Corrugated and hard bike travel cases accepted
Door-to-door and FedEx® Office pickup and delivery options
Bike tracking via toolbar, email and phone
Pay with credit card and PayPal® - NEW!
Cheaper and easier than airline

Back to Top

Does bikeflights offer rider discounts?

Yes, we offer monthly coupons to the bikeflights.com fans on facebook. So share the love with your club members, teammates and riding partners, and invite them to become fans of bikeflights.com today.

Back to Top

Does bikeflights offer door to door service?

Yes, we offer FedEx® pick up services at any business or home for $8 each direction. Simply check the pick up box option on the shipping details page during checkout and we will arrange a pick up for you.

Back to Top

Can bikeflights ship my bike to a FedEx® Office location?

Yes, you can ship your bike to any FedEx® Office location when using an Express shipping service. FedEx® Office does not except FedEx Ground shipments at this time and will return them to the nearest hub or to the sender.

Back to Top

Does bikeflights ship hard bike cases?

Yes, we ship hard bike cases. Trico, Serfas and Thule are the most popular hard cases we ship for they meet the 130 inch length + girth dimensional restriction. Please note: FedEx charges a oversized surcharge of $7.50 per case, each direction as these hard cases have a second side longer than 30 inches. If the hard case is not a Trico, Serfas or Thule, please be sure it meets the 130 length + girth measurement on the oversized surcharge can jump up to $50 per case, each direction.

Back to Top

Does bikeflights ship bike bags and soft cases?

FedEx does not ship bike bags and softcases for they snag and tear during transit, so we generally suggest to our customers who want to use their bike bags and soft cases that they use the bike bag or soft case to pack the bike and then slide the softcase into a cardboard bike box as a protective cover for shipping. If they are open to the idea of not using their bike bag or soft case, we suggest simply ship the bike in a proper bike shipping following our How to Ship a Bike Cheap guide.

Back to Top

Does bikeflights ship bikes internatioanally?

Yes, we ship to most of the countries FedEx® offers international service. We ship overseas to Europe to countries such as Belgium, England, France, Netherlands, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. We also ship to Canada, Costa Rica, Australia and New Zealand.

Back to Top

Why does bikeflights ship with FedEx® Bicycle Shipping

We offer FedEx® bicycle shipping because from our experience and that of others we trust and value their opinion; FedEx® offers the best shipping services and package tracking available.

Back to Top

How can I track my bike?

Your can track your bike via emial, phone and our new toolbar.

To track your bike by email:

Create a new e-mail message to track@fedex.com.
You can leave the subject line empty if your email application will let you.
In the body of the message enter the shipment tracking number. To track multiple shipments, enter one tracking number per line or separate tracking numbers with a comma.
Send the e-mail.
You will get a FedEx Track by e-mail results in about a minute depending on your email provider and settings. If you do not, check for new mail and look in Spam folder.

To track your bike by phone:

Get your tracking number of your bike.
Call 1.800.GoFedEx (463.3339) and say "track a package" to track the status of your bike.
Type or enter your tracking number.
You will get an automated voice current status of your bike.

To track using the bikeflights toolbar:

Install the bikeflights browser toolbar from our home page.
Type the tracking number into the field labeled Tracking#.
Click the Track My Bike button
A new tab or window will open with current status of your bike.

Back to Top

Why does my bike show up as "In Transit" when it has not been picked up yet?

Once a call tag has been issued to pick up a bike, that label is live and "in transit" to the bicycle. Once the bicycle is picked up, the status will update and then go back to "In Transit" until delivered.

Back to Top

What can I do if I miss a delivery attempt?

If you missed delivery of your bike for any reason, the driver will have left a slip of paper with instructions and a local phone number to call to re-attemp delivery. Generally if you call they will try the next day. If you need your bike before the reattempt time window they give you, please call us 1-888-918-BIKE (2453) and we might be able to reroute your bike to a local fedex pick up location. Note: FedEx has a $8 surcharge for rerouting a package.

Back to Top

What can I do if my bike does not show up?

If FedEx does not attempt delivery on your delivery date, please track your bike to find out where it is. We occasionally see bikes delayed due to weather and Holiday's, but even that is pretty rare. If tracking is not give you a clear picture of where it is and when it will be delivered, please call us 1-888-918-BIKE (2453) and we will work with FedEx to get you the information and or arrange an alternate delivery.

Back to Top

Discount Bicycle Shipping
Use the links to get bike shipping costs
Aberdeen, SD Accord, NY Agoura Hills, CA Albuquerque, NM Alexandria, VA Allons, TN Ann Arbor, MI Anthem, AZ Arlington, VA Arlington Heights, IL Arvada, CO Asheville, NC Astoria, OR Atlanta, GA Auburn, WA Augusta, GA Ballwin, MO Baltimore, MD Bellevue, WA Bellingham, WA Bend, OR Berkeley, CA Blacksburg, VA Bloomington, MN Blue Ridge, GA Boca Raton, FL Boise, ID Bokeelia, FL Boston, MA Boulder, CO Bradenton, FL Branson, MO Breinigsville, PA Brooklyn, NY Broomfield, CO Burlington, VT Burns, OR Cambridge, MA Camp Hill, PA Camp Pendleton, CA Cape San Blas, FL Carmel Valley, CA Champlain, NY Chandler, AZ Charleston, SC Chicago, IL Cobleskill, NY College Grove, TN Colorado Springs, CO Columbia, MO Columbus, OH Cookeville, TN Coppell, TX Corpus Christi, TX Corrales, NM Crescent City, CA Dallas, TX Daniels, WV Denver, CO DePere, WI Desert Hot Springs, CA Doylestown, PA Dublin, OH Dunedin, FL Durango, CO Durham, NC East Lansing, MI Edmonds, WA El Paso, TX Elkridge, MD Ellsworth, ME Eugene, OR Evergreen, CO Fair Oaks, CA Fairview, NC Fort Campbell, KY Fort Collins, CO Fort Leonard Wood, MO Fort Valley, GA Frisco, CO Gainesville, FL Galesburg, IL Geneva, IL Gibsonville, NC Gilbert, AZ Glen Allen, VA Goffstown, NH Golden, CO Goshen, IN Grants Pass, OR Hawthorn Woods, IL Henderson, NV Hermosa Beach, CA Herndon, VA High Point, NC Holladay, UT Honolulu, HI Hopewell Junction, NY Independence, OR Indio, CA Irvine, CA Jackson, WY Jacksonville, FL Jensen Beach, FL Jericho, VT Jonesville, VA Jupiter, FL Kailua Kona, HI Kamas, UT Kapaa, HI Keller, TX Ketchum, ID Key West, FL Knoxville, TN Kohala Coast, HI Lafayette, CO Lake Oswego, OR Lake Placid, NY Lancaster, PA Las Vegas, NV Laveen, AZ Lawrenceville, GA Leesburg, VA Lexington, SC Lillian, AL Lincoln, NE Littleton, CO Lompoc, CA Longmont, CO Los Altos, CA Los Angeles, CA Lower Burrell, PA Madison, WI Magnolia, TX Maumelle, AR Mckinney, TX Medford, MA Mercer Island, WA Miami, FL Milford, MA Mill Valley, CA Millburn, NJ Minneapolis, MN Mission, KS Missoula, MT Moab, UT Moline, IL Monterey, CA Moscow, ID Mount Vernon, IN Mountain View, CA Nantucket, VA New Castle, WA New York, NY New York City, NY Newport Beach, CA Newport News, VA Norfolk, VA Norristown, PA North Little Rock, AR Oakland, CA Ogdensburg, NY Olalla, WA Orange Park, FL Orlando, FL Oshkosh, WI Overland Park, KS Oxford, MI Pacific Palisades, CA Palisades, NY Palo Alto, CA Park City, UT Parker, CO Pittsburgh, PA Plain City, OH Plano, TX Plymouth Meeting, PA Port Angeles, WA Portland, OR Potomac, MD Presidio of Monterey, CA Racine, WI Raleigh, NC Rapid City, SD redwood city, CA Renton, WA Reston, VA Rexburg, ID Rhinebeck, NY Richland, WA Richmond, IN Richmond VA, VA Riverdale Park, MD Riverside, CA Roanoke, VA Rock Hill, SC Rockaway, NJ Rockledge, FL Rockville Center, NY Sacramento, CA Saint Charles, MO Saint George, UT Saint Louis, MO Saint Paul, MN Salisbury, NC Salt Lake City, UT San Antonio, TX San Diego, CA San Francisco, CA San Jose, CA San Mateo, CA San Rafael, CA Sandy, UT Santa Cruz, CA Sausalito, CA Savannah, GA Scottsdale, AZ Seattle, WA Sedona, AZ Severn, MD Silver Spring, MD South Bend, IN South Lake Tahoe, CA South San Francisco, CA SOUTHAVEN, MS Standish, ME State College, PA Staunton, VA Sterling, VA Stoughton, MA Stow, OH Studio City, CA Syosset, NY Tacoma, WA Tahoe City, CA Tallahassee, FL Taos, NM Tarrytown, NY Temecula, CA Topanga, CA Townsend, TN Truckee, CA Tucson, AZ Tuscaloosa, AL Twentynine Palms, CA U S A F Academy, CO Urbana, IL Valley Glen, CA Vienna, VA Waltham, MA Warren, NJ Washington, DC Waterbury Center, VT Waynesville, NC Wellston, MI West Berlin, VT West Bloomfield, MI West Chester, OH West Mifflin, PA Wexford, PA White Lake, NC Williamstown, MA Winnemucca, NV Woodstock, IL Wyckoff, NJ Wynnewood, PA