# Shipping Help



## 37fleetwood (May 18, 2008)

I wrote this quite some time ago and never posted it. so here it is.

Ok, I've decided to try to be helpful again so watch out!
I have seen the need to help people with just how to pack an old bike for shipping. this should not be used for restored bikes but works great for decent to crapy original paint as well as any bike needing total restore. By doing this I take no responsibility for any damage but each person should adapt this to his or her own situation making modification where needed.

step one: obviously is to get a bike to pack and a box to pack it in. boxes should be relatively easy to get through your local bike shop. they should not charge for a box. make sure you get all the crap they took off the new mountain bike that just came out, it will be very useful later.







step two: pull off the peddles, seat, and handle bar and attach them to the rear wheel(notice I put one peddle back on backwards? this keeps the crank and wheel from going too far around with the handle bar attached. this could cause problems though you can just attach both peddles to the wheel.) with some zip ties, tie wire, or whatever you have handy. it must be strong enough to take the trip without allowing the peddles to get loose and beat the bike to death during the ride across the country.






step three: pull off the front wheel and fender and tie it to the frame on the side opposite the chain guard. this is where you will start to use the stuff from the mountain bike that originally came in the box. put a few pieces of frame protector around the frame tubes where the fender or wheel would touch. if your box doesn't have any just use thin cardboard like a cerial box or something tough. bubble wrap can wear through and mar the paint. this box had thin plastic pieces and that really dense hard foam stuff. hopefully you will find a plastic piece that fits in the front axle drop out in the box. if not try to get one this keeps the forks from poking through the box. check at the bike shop if you need one. make sure it is really jammed up in there good. also hopefully there will be a few axle protectors to pop on the front axle to keep it from going through the side of the box. put on as many as you get with your box. better safe than sorry but really the important one is the one against the box.






step four: this bike being a Schwinn Tiger had a front rack which I put over the front of the bike out of the way. I wrapped the leg on the side of the front wheel with cardboard so it wouldn't hurt the paint and zip tied it securely in place.I also had a piece of foam that went around the head tube so I used it. if you don't get one you can wrap it in cardboard or if it doesn't look to be in danger just skip it altogether. with the rack there I thought it best to use it.






step five: hopefully you got a box big enough because you are ready to drop it in the box. once in the box look around for potential problems and add packing or move offending parts as needed. tape the box shut and don't be stingy with the tape. make sure it won't come open during the trip. remember UPS policy is that it has to be able to withstand being dropped from 3 feet and be able to have 120 pounds stacked on it.

Sorry I thought I had a photo of the bike in the box but couldn't find it.

if you have a bike with a rear rack I usually leave it on the bike as it is not in the way of anything and doesnt need moving. remember the less items detatched from the bike the less things to fly around loose beating the crap out of the bike. if it is a tank bike, you'll need to decide if the tank is in danger of getting hit on the bike or if it is best to take it off and put it in a box. I try to leave it on the bike if I can because if it is in a separate box there is a chance that during the ride it could shift and get damaged by the bike bouncing around and hitting it. I usually just wrap it in cardboard and taping it securely so it the cardboard can't move.

thanks for looking.
Scott


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## 55' Corvette Custom (May 19, 2008)

Scott that info should be a sticky or some of permanent post, seems like alot of people still dont know how to ship a bike PROPERLY.

Thanks alot for your effort, hope it is appreciated by the people that need it.

55 vette


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 10, 2009)

seems like this may need a bump!


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## pelletman (Feb 23, 2010)

I had a biked boxed up and from MI to MA both UPS and FedEx wanted about 80 bucks.  Bastards.  Dimensions are 51 x 8 x 30 and it was 50 pounds..


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## rustyspoke66 (Jul 5, 2010)

Where did the pictures go? I've recieved a few bikes that could have been packed better. This could be a great resource for those people that are reluctant to ship.


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## higgens (Jul 7, 2010)

grayhound is probably cheapest mybe like 50 dollers.


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## tDuctape (Jul 10, 2010)

Great idea for a thread. I commit to add my two cents soon enough....even if you don't care to read it.


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## Andrew Gorman (Jul 10, 2010)

Just make double darn sure you take the fork off of the bike and put a spacer between the dropouts.  A fork without an axle is pretty delicate.   Greyhound is definitely the cheapest for shipping, but someone has to drop the box off at the depot and you have to go pick it up.  Most expensive is Craters and Freighters,  BUT they do sterling work, will pick the the bike up from anywhere, work around the sellers schedule  pack it up and deliver it to your living room.  Great for those "local pick-up only" dream bikes and other awkward items.
http://www.cratersandfreighters.com/


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## phib (Nov 5, 2010)

I say we get the Postal Service to create a "flat rate" box for bike frames... HA HA


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## serg (Feb 26, 2011)

Somebody sent a bike in Europe? The cheapest price I found, $ 600. I should be glad of any link. Thank you.


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## jdbicycle (May 2, 2011)

nice post! i am glad there is this info online. i never shipped a bicycle before. i really didn't know how much it would cost, i thought it would be more than 80 bucks.


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## PCHiggin (May 9, 2011)

Hi, Who is the best shipper these days? I'm buying a very pretty Fiesta from Missouri and am trying to steer the seller in the right direction.Thanks for any help.

Pat


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## militarymonark (May 9, 2011)

i use fedex


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## Gordon (May 10, 2011)

Only thing I do differently is I bought a roll of 3000 feet of plastic strapping and the tightening and clamping tools from Harbor Freight and I put 2 bands around the box. Tools and strapping didn't cost much and I think it really helps keep things secure. I probably won't live long enough to use all the strapping.


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## moonsky (May 16, 2011)

Where did the pictures go? I've recieved a few bikes that could have been packed better. This could be a great resource for those people that are reluctant to ship.


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## LeoBao (Aug 4, 2011)

A fork without an axle is pretty delicate. Greyhound is definitely the cheapest for shipping, but someone has to drop the box off at the depot and you have to go pick it up. 
Download Horror Movies
War Movies Online
Watch Movies Online


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## jamesklass (Oct 30, 2011)

By doing this I take no responsibility for any damage but each person should adapt this to his or her own situation making modification where needed.


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## jd56 (Nov 12, 2011)

Great topic. 
I have called the local bike shops and have been told that boxes are not given out. Nor will they sell any. Have asked if I catch them on a day where they receive a bike can I purchase it and have never received a call back.
These retail shops are in for the revenue of their retail sales not helping the private seller it seems. 

Will the ups or fedex store have such awkward bulky boxes? And the packing needed to secure the bike?
Aren't Bike boxes equiped with added wood cross braces? I would guess that just adds to the weight.

I would guess it is advised to add insurance to the freight costs. 

Interesting post. I want more <(*J*)>

Pictures too


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## panther boy (Nov 12, 2011)

*U S Post Office*

The U S Post office will take a box under 70#.  I'm not sure of the dimensions, But I've shipped several whole bikes that way and they're cheaper than UPS and Fexex.


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## jd56 (Nov 12, 2011)

*ups and fedex boxes*

after researching the UPS and FedEx store websites, I did find that UPS have a fairly cheap used bike box for 40.00
But Fedex is quite pricey.
I'll keep on the local bike shops, maybe I approached them the wrong way. 

having offers on the 3 bikes I have listed here for trade or sale, I'll have to consider this shipping task.
It's so much easier to buy them and ride away. But these bikes need a good home for sure. They are being neglected in my garage. 

Thanks for the info


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## militarymonark (Nov 13, 2011)

I've never had any luck using ups, everytime I have brought a bike there and they take their measurements and its double the price as fedex told me.


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## RonaldRivera (Nov 14, 2011)

*Shiping Help..*

I only know this from lurking on bike threads. If this doesn't work, you might try asking on one of the forums over here mtbr.com
I've got an Ibis Mojo, and it's easy to unbolt the rear triangle and get the whole mess into a carry-on case.
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=368222.


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## shirell (Jan 2, 2012)

Another good place for boxes is the dumpster behind the bike shop. 
That is where mine have all come from.


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## twjensen (Jan 2, 2012)

*Bike boxes*

Here in Spokane, the bike shops are more than happy to give you bike boxes. They have to break them down to recycle them, if not given away.
And yes like all the previous posts, FedEx is much better price and less damage. FedEx mainly charges by size. USPS charges by weight. I have a FedEx acct. and have played around with the shipping calculator, most bike boxes are 53x31x8..usually about 70 lbs..$80.00  or so depending on zip codes and if shipping to a home or a business. Business address being less. Anyway, and I am not saying to do this but when entering the box dimensions you inadvertently deduct an inch off each measurement, you can ship for about 45.00.Also if you have a fedex acct. you recieve a decent shipping discount, and you don't have to pack boxes to the fedex hub.


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## Claire08Weaver (Mar 25, 2012)

I wrapped the leg on the side of the front wheel with cardboard so it wouldn't hurt the paint and zip tied it securely in place.I also had a piece of foam that went around the head tube so I used it.

Thanks,
Under armour underwear


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## danny7147 (Apr 8, 2012)

*UK-America*

I was recently looking at different rates for shipping a bike from the UK to the USA. At first I found it was around the $600 mark, but I did find one that do it for about $175. Not a bad price considering the distance!


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## mre straightbar (Apr 9, 2012)

*aquiring four bike frames and numerous parts*

guy wants to put them all in one box and ship
is it unanimous that fed ex woulb be best to handle this?


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## Rainyseason (Jun 5, 2012)

Its a golden and also great idea ..for its, a persons can change their bike.
They also enjoy from their old model bike....


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## Ammie32Heim (Jul 12, 2012)

*Hi*

Thank you so much for letting us know about this! I must say that you are a very dedicated person to have written a wonderful post like this! It is very useful to me. thanks a lot.


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## silvercreek (Aug 30, 2012)

I wish the pictures were restored.


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## marhaba (Sep 12, 2012)

*bicycle shipping service -ebike shipper*

I cannot vouch for this service, but I found it interesting.
You can use your own box and have them pick up the box from your house.
http://www.shipbikes.com/home2.html


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## HIGGINSFOREVER (Sep 12, 2012)

When i take a bike to fedex or u.p.s. what i do is while the bike box is on there scale i take out my phone and take pictures of the box showing both sides of box.I try to get pictures also showing some interior of the store showing u.p.s. or fedex.This is proof that there was no damage when you dropped it there.Go to wal-mart and talk to someone in the bike dept. For a $5.00 bill he will save you all the boxes you need.


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## Galivero (Sep 13, 2012)

I've recieved a few bikes that could have been packed better. This could be a great resource for those people that are reluctant to ship.


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## Goatless2 (Sep 16, 2012)

*Looking for BIKE*

I have an old bike from china. But that one is out dated. I want a new one. Bit I am confused which one I should pick up. Looking for suggestion.


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## jd56 (Sep 16, 2012)

*Shipping to Germany??*

I have put a block on overseas bidding on a bike I have on ebay. But, received a request to allow a germany bid from a buyer.
My question is what would I expect to be the pros and cons on shipping to Germany?
Would you ship to Germany or anywhere outside the borders? I would imagine that customs would be a hassle?

This would be an Ebay question but, if an item is sold overseas, does the paypal funds stay in unvailable until the buyer receives the item?
New to the ebay selling scene so apparently I'm still a high risk and all payments are on an "unavailable" status until the package is shipped.

Thanks for the feedback in advance.
JD


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## 37fleetwood (Sep 17, 2012)

back by popular demand:



37fleetwood said:


> I wrote this quite some time ago and never posted it. so here it is.
> 
> Ok, I've decided to try to be helpful again so watch out!
> I have seen the need to help people with just how to pack an old bike for shipping. this should not be used for restored bikes but works great for decent to crapy original paint as well as any bike needing total restore. By doing this I take no responsibility for any damage but each person should adapt this to his or her own situation making modification where needed.
> ...


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## kayin1990 (Oct 14, 2012)

*The CABE*

Almost all bikes will disassemble, packet it in a bike box, and arrange for it to be picked up by a shipper. That price for is negotiated at sale or should be in your add.The whole thing should be put in as small a bike box as it will fit into. If the front wheel has a quick release, remove it and tape it to a spoke.


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## bike (Nov 12, 2012)

*well I have found*

when you ship a bike with the rear fender on - the weight of the box when dropped on end (and it will be 9/10 times) will crush the fender and bend the braces (even if you pack the area with cardboard foam etc.)

When plan to buy a bike I ask the seller if they will remove and pack even if it costs more and needs 2 boxes- sometimes I get attiude I KNOW HOW TO PACK A BIKE (I pass on the bike)  and sometimes the people say YES and here it comes with the fender on and bent braces. 

Take it for what it is worth.


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## dave the wave (Jan 28, 2013)

*fedex*

i just sent a bike today from south dakota to GA. 54x7x27 only $54


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## babyjesus (Feb 14, 2013)

jd56 said:


> I have put a block on overseas bidding on a bike I have on ebay. But, received a request to allow a germany bid from a buyer.
> My question is what would I expect to be the pros and cons on shipping to Germany?
> Would you ship to Germany or anywhere outside the borders? I would imagine that customs would be a hassle?
> 
> ...




I live in Switzerland and constantly get stuff shipped here. The advantage of accepting overseas bidders is you get much higher bidding often times and sell your stuff for more. The disadvantage is breaking the bike down to 2 boxes - one for the wheels and fenders and the other for the rest and sending it USPS. I can get a bike sent here that way for about 300 bucks. But Fedex and UPS are between 700 and 800 bucks. 

If I sold on ebay I would send anything less than a bike, like parts wheels - just a frame - etc worldwide. BTW all you have to do is fill out a form saying whats in the box and what the value is. I often get sellers to let me bid even though its not an international listing, but I know sellers have problems too with the whole abroad thing so I would just set your auctions as US only and then accept people who ask as long as they sound decent. Switzerland has the best postal service you could ever imagine, waaay better than Canada where I used to live. They dont even compare. I'm sure other european countries do too.  When I ask to bid on an entire bike I always check first it will be sent USPS since I dont want a 700 dollar UPS/Fedex bill. But I always am helpful with advice and I always offer a bit of extra cash for the hassle of doing it. If somebody tells me it took them hours to get the boxes down to size cuz its their first time etc I always paypal them extra and I ALWAYS tell them that its not a big rush and to just take it slow and ask questions if needed.  

In the end I have alot of sellers who let me know that I'm welcome to bid on their national auctions in future just because it goes totally fine and yes, its a bit of extra work but they got my bid and sold the thing for more.  Bicyclebones make a fortune selling internationally. He must make a bomb on all his little bits and bobs because he's one of the the only ones who consistently set auctions as worldwide.  I thought I was alone out here but I have learned that alot of people all over the world are into bikes of all shapes and sizes and ebay USA is a good place to find stuff if you can just get past the shipping thing.

If I were you I would talk to whoever is asking you if you feel unsure. Just ask 'maybe I will but I am not sure how do you have any advice' and see what he says. You will get a feeling if its somebody easy going who isn't going to freak on you if something get damaged in the post. Thats the main thing. I have almost never had it bad from a seller. But the post has been bad sometimes but I'm not the kind of person who refuses to pay if the actual shipping quote ends up being way higher or something unexpected happens. 

If you want to make more money then sell international.


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## jordanpkr (Mar 27, 2013)

*cant fine this schwinn*

I have this Schwinn and cant find it one line at all. The serial # I got is K6307. Can anyone tell me how old this bike is and how much its worth?


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## MaxGlide (Aug 6, 2013)

*Just a few notes....*

1) If you can get it to fit in a standard bike box with over all length under 90" (I think) then the shipping is about half... go over by one inch and BOOM! the price jumps.

2) The above shipping method works great for a bike with no front springer. I just had a Phantom shipped and the front fork cannot be turned backwards, thereby lengthening the box and pushing it past the maximum.

3) If you bind pedals, handle bars  to the rear wheel it should not turn, negating the need to tie the cranks. But it you want to anyway, align the crank with the forward down tube and tie/tape it to the down tube.

4) Leave some air in the tires, maybe half full, to act as a cushion for the rims. 

5) Remove only the seat and slip the seat post down into seat tube. This will make the seat as narrow as it can be and will allow you to fasten it inside the triangle of the frame.

6) Ask for extra padding/packing over any lights on fenders or racks.

7) Hot water pipe insulation works great for any parts of the frame you want protected. Over decals, or paint work you absolutely want to protect. It"s cheap too.

Cheers..... Wayne


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## island schwinn (Aug 12, 2013)

first thing is get rid of all the spammers in this thread.
now on to bike packing.i've got an excellent reputation for packing bikes well with absolutely no damage.i go to the hardware store and buy a batch of pipe insulation.usually about 5 bucks total.then  i get huge quantities of longer zip ties.i wrap the entire bike frame with pipe foam and ziptie it in place.i ziptie the crank to the frame so it doesn't turn.i leave the back fender and wheel on and leave as much clearance as possible from the end of the box.remove the front wheel,pedals,seat and post,and bars and stem.usually the front fender if using a smaller box.i ziptie the rear wheel so it doesn't spin also.i use heavy duty bubble wrap on the rear fender and tie the bars to the rear wheel.the seat and post get wrapped separately and put in the bottom of the box with the pedals and any small parts.then plenty of padding or newspaper to keep the parts from moving around.i remove the front axle and put all the parts in a ziplock bag in the bottom of the box or ziptie it to the spokes.then i ziptie the front wheel to the frame on the opposite side from the chainguard as mentioned earlier.
to keep the cost down on shipping,i always make sure the box is no longer than 54" long x 30" tall x 9" wide.weight isn't really a factor.it goes by dimensional weight.i use fedex exclusively and have never paid more than 65 bucks to ship a bike anywhere in the lower 48.

a comment from a happy collector:This was the most AWESOME!!!! packing job I had ever seen!  I am pretty good at packing but compared to Brian... I am a rank amateur!


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## VITAL.SPARK (Oct 6, 2013)

*Shipping help to Hong Kong*

I'm an American living in Hong Kong and plan to bid on the Copake Auction on the 19th.  If I'm successful is there someone out there who is able to pick up a 1890's bike and dissassemble to place in a SERFAS bike transport case for me?  I will have the bike case picked up by FEDEX or oother courior service.  The Dissassembly part for an old bike has to be done with care as you can imagine. You can email me at: vital.spark@xtra.co.nz.


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## frankster41 (Oct 6, 2013)

serg said:


> Somebody sent a bike in Europe? The cheapest price I found, $ 600. I should be glad of any link. Thank you.




I shipped a bike in a bike box to France  about a year ago USPS was $135.00.


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## emilybrown45 (Oct 18, 2013)

*big necklaces,jewellery sets*

Where did the images go? I've recieved a few motorbikes that could have been loaded better. This could be an excellent source for those individuals that are hesitant to deliver.


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## jd56 (Oct 27, 2013)

Shipping costs from the East Coast to the West costs was alarming and I'm losing my ass doing it.
Double what it costs to ship to the midwest. What normally costs about $26-35 is in fact $52 to Ca. and Or.
Unfortunately all sales from me will have a "calculated" shipping cost from now o. Instead of an assumption of costs included in a listing that reads "$*** shipped"...hope this doesnt clearly break the FS rules. 
But aim giving away my parts and bikes if I don't "calculate" from here in out.

Its all about selling to a Cabe member at a fair and reasonable price but we sellers shouldnt lose out on the fair deal.
Just saying.
 Thanks for letting me vent.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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## spoker (Oct 28, 2013)

sounds like a wish bone!!!!!!!!!!


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## asadur11 (Nov 21, 2013)

Just make double darn sure you take the fork off of the bike and put a spacer between the dropouts. A fork without an axle is pretty delicate. Greyhound is definitely the cheapest for shipping, but someone has to drop the box off at the depot and you have to go pick it up.


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## invesions (Dec 22, 2013)

You may also want to consider having a bike shop professionally pack it. I usually do this on higher end bikes or just factoring in my time / materials. This may also be a good option for someone who does not have the proper tools to fully breakdown a bike for shipping.

I've found most bike shops charge $40-$50 for the service.


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## schwinnbikebobb (Dec 22, 2013)

This is how mine looks which others have described pretty much the same thing. Without a doubt the front fork seems to cause the most trouble. One of the few bikes shipped to me was packed pretty close to this but the front fork punched through the foam and 2 layers of cardboard and was sticking out of the bottom of the box. The one time I had a bike store pack a bike they just taped pieces of paper around a few places on the frame. At least they had secured things pretty well.


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## cyberpaull (Jan 3, 2014)

*nice*



schwinnbikebobb said:


> This is how mine looks which others have described pretty much the same thing. Without a doubt the front fork seems to cause the most trouble. One of the few bikes shipped to me was packed pretty close to this but the front fork punched through the foam and 2 layers of cardboard and was sticking out of the bottom of the box. The one time I had a bike store pack a bike they just taped pieces of paper around a few places on the frame. At least they had secured things pretty well.




Nice wrapping!


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## jd56 (Jan 19, 2014)

*Shipping International*

I was recently contacted by a member in Hamburg Germany wanting a Spaceliner rack I have. Costs for the part is $40 but, when I went to my fedex acct to do the "Economy International"  (personal effects, with a low $$ declared value ) shipping calculation it came up with $250...WHAT!!!!
Any idea what I'm doing wrong with the calculations or is this really what he should expect for freight costs.

Because the box has to accommodate the assembled rack with truss rods fender stays installed. I didn't want to take the rods off in fear that the buyer would have issues getting it all back together tightly. So I found a fender box (27x26x7) to properly fit and pack the part to ensure no damage could occur come short of running over the box with the forklift or truck. But the dimensions must be the issue. I just can't imagine this figure is correct....Damn $250 and then he still has the Customs fees and taxes he has to pay.

If there is no cheaper way then this guy is out of luck.

Any cheaper ways to do this international shipping?


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## ChicagoFlash (Jan 25, 2014)

*shipping boxes*

this might help for finding a shipping box

go to a independent bodyshop or car dealers bodyshop ask them
for a quarter panel or fender box most places would like to get rid of them

i shipped some car parts that way 

the good thing the boxes come in many sizes and shapes
and are sturdy for the most part


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## bikesnbuses (Mar 10, 2014)

Heres some shipping advice on wheels......................
When you ship wheels,either take at least 1 axle out(or both) or go to the bike shop and ask them for all the plastic "mushrooms"they sendon new bike axles in complete bikes and wheelsets!!!!!!I have a box full of that stuf...Why do I bring this up you ask??? I recieved 2 wheelsets today..BOTH HAD AXLES STICKING THROUGH THE BOXES!!!  Carry on..Im on my way to get a hankie..:o


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## Sped Man (Mar 10, 2014)

So this would be considered a bad packing job? I thought I did a good job  I left the wheels exposed so that the FedEx guy could wheel it to his truck easier.


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## Sped Man (Mar 10, 2014)

pelletman said:


> I had a biked boxed up and from MI to MA both UPS and FedEx wanted about 80 bucks.  Bastards.  Dimensions are 51 x 8 x 30 and it was 50 pounds..





Watch out with FedEx. FedEx quotes $80 but then charges you a week later $150.


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## bikesnbuses (Mar 13, 2014)

Ok...NOW im mad.......Fedex overcharged me more than DOUBLE for a box that WENT(I know,the guy told me he got the bike and was happy a WEEK ago!)It was a balloon tire bike without wheels..55x8x28",50 lbs....Was quoted $44 to Chicago ...then turned into $103!!..(It would have to add at least 3" to the size to go OS that much! But the best is coming...
When I finally realized THAT was the bike that I had been charged for(I sent a bike to Canada,so I ASSUMED that was it) I called and the lady tells me after I read the tracking # 3 times "we dont have a record of it being delivered.. I see it was created" ,etc..I go on to ask her,how is it for about the 4th time since I created an account w Fedex,you can CHARGE me,TAKE my money,BUT you CANT tell me what youre charging me for??!?? Im NOT Amazon!I dont ship THAT often..AND >> I << can see IN my account online after signing in,WHAT theyre charging me for,but they CANT???Its been 6 days since it was delivered..And when I go into my "ship history" It shows it was delivered...But they cant access the info Does anyone else have this problem?
PS,the bike to Canada only cost $83...(basically same size box,bike W/O wheels..)
Sorry...I was prepared to get whacked by some BS Canada/international fee,NOT a few state over delivery..
I guess my rants point is this..If you or I had a buisness and charged people too much money,then they basically came back with reciept in hand saying "What did you charge me this much for?" And we said "I dont know,I couldnt tell you",over and over again,and then in the same breath said that your merchandise never left the store..How long would we stay in buisness??


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## invesions (Apr 25, 2014)

Standard bike box fits under a lower pricing tier with FedEx. If the desk rep enters the box measurements off by 1 inch+, it can kick it up to higher pricing tier. When shipping bikes it will usually be almost double!

I always measure my boxes before I take them in. Then I ask the desk rep to confirm their measurements to make sure they match ; )


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## island schwinn (Apr 25, 2014)

it doesn't matter if the receiving clerk measures it right or not.i was just overcharged on 4 shipments from ebay sales.can you say ouch? when i called fedex i was told twice that they wouldn't reverse the charges and whatever the desk person puts in is only an estimate.i'll be at the fedex place tomorrow tearing someone a new ass,and then closing out my account.


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## 37fleetwood (Aug 30, 2014)

*New rule!*

ok, new rule! 
there's a reason in the original post I didn't say remove the fork. this is the 3rd bike I've had shipped to me like this.
so new rule, LEAVE THE FORK IN THE FRAME!!!
always remember the people at the shipping company do not care that your bike is 60-80 years old, they just don't and they throw them around and drop them out of the truck on the ends, and all of the "FRAGILE" stickers you attach mean nothing to them at all, in fact it may even encourage them to handle it rougher.


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## jd56 (Aug 30, 2014)

37fleetwood said:


> ok, new rule!
> there's a reason in the original post I didn't say remove the fork. this is the 3rd bike I've had shipped to me like this.
> so new rule, LEAVE THE FORK IN THE FRAME!!!
> always remember the people at the shipping company do not care that your bike is 60-80 years old, they just don't and they throw them around and drop them out of the truck on the ends, and all of the "FRAGILE" stickers you attach mean nothing to them at all, in fact it may even encourage them to handle it rougher.



I'd be pissed to find that! !

I will say that I usually remove the front fork and wrap the headtube in layers of bubblewrap.  Also use pipe insulation on the frame.
Here is a recent heavyweight I packed and sent via fedex to Cali.









It's all about the Tanklights!!

How did I run out of room so fast?


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## petritl (Aug 30, 2014)

37fleetwood said:


> ok, new rule!
> there's a reason in the original post I didn't say remove the fork. this is the 3rd bike I've had shipped to me like this.
> so new rule, LEAVE THE FORK IN THE FRAME!!!
> always remember the people at the shipping company do not care that your bike is 60-80 years old, they just don't and they throw them around and drop them out of the truck on the ends, and all of the "FRAGILE" stickers you attach mean nothing to them at all, in fact it may even encourage them to handle it rougher.





Where is the bearing race? I would have thought the hardened steel race would have protected the gooseneck.


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## 37fleetwood (Aug 30, 2014)

petritl said:


> Where is the bearing race? I would have thought the hardened steel race would have protected the gooseneck.




the bearings and races were on the fork.

I don't think bubble wrap sufficient protection, they may work if it's only dropped once but they seem to systematically drop them on the ends every time they move them from truck to truck. eventually all of the bubbles will be popped and that one last hit will do the deed.


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## Bikeman 86 (Oct 19, 2014)

*helpful but have a question*

wow Thanks Didnt know how to ship one before but what if you Dont Have a local Bike shop How do you get a box Then? Just wondering Because I Thought about Posting Bikes i have for sale on ebay or such but never could figure out how to ship and the nearest Bike Shop is 200MI away in the city so Getting a box their is out Any Ideas?


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## Bri-In-RI (Oct 19, 2014)

Bikeman 86 said:


> wow Thanks Didnt know how to ship one before but what if you Dont Have a local Bike shop How do you get a box Then? Just wondering Because I Thought about Posting Bikes i have for sale on ebay or such but never could figure out how to ship and the nearest Bike Shop is 200MI away in the city so Getting a box their is out Any Ideas?




A television box will also work very well.


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## ZOOK (Jan 26, 2015)

U haul and most moving/storage places sell flat screen tv/picture boxes.


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## petritl (Jun 21, 2015)

My Black Phantom




After 2 hours disassembly





Now off to get a bike box


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## PreWarBikes (Jul 8, 2015)

Excuse me but how do I post?


----------



## Freqman1 (Jul 8, 2015)

You just did! Look through the thread categories to find the topic closest to you subject and type away. V/r Shawn


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## tvtaddy (Aug 14, 2015)

Contact two or more freight companies and them for the quote and decide the one which is the best.


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## chucksoldbikes (Jan 29, 2016)

i can  get   u  all the  bike boxes  u need  free  just  dont know how id get them to u free
 dont know  what a  box  costs  to ship a bike  in  most  bike shops    give them to u 
  wish it were posible  to get to u free
chucksoldbikes on the cab e


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## chucksoldbikes (Jan 29, 2016)

i can get all the bike  boxes  u  want or need  so if u   or some one is  comming through arcola illinois  on I -57 let  me know ahead of time  and u can stop and get  2  or 3  and take  some to your  area or a  whole  pick  truck load  let me know ahead of ime so i can stock pile some  chucksoldbikes  on the cabe or  cpcsps@yahoo.com  u got  a truck driver  friend or  insurance sales man or  some  one traveling that  could pick them up for  u


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## chucksoldbikes (Jan 30, 2016)

AND EBAY  when u  buy  something  there if it says  calcuate own there   under the picture   shippingu are at thesrs meyhe  can   carge ny thing he wants  and your  fuuuu
ebay has  kiked me off eb coz i    told  some one there on there i ws  gona sue them  for  false advertizing if t  dont sa  how much  leave it alone
beem  talking o my    cogressman  and senator  about  seeing if thay  can close  ebay  down  THEY ARE CROOKS AND SO  IS  PAY PAL


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## chucksoldbikes (Jan 30, 2016)

i ship  bicycles any where in the usa  for 45.00 that is it 
i have a friend that works in shipping    at a factory  and i know   the  guy that  drives the  fedx truck   lucky  me  
chucksoldbikes


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## jkent (Feb 7, 2016)

There seems to be a Walmart every 20 miles, This is also an option for bicycle boxes if you can get them before they crush them.
It seems to be hit aand miss but it's worth a try. Walmart and most bicycle shops give them away.
JKent


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## bikebozo (Feb 23, 2016)

56x29x11,,,,,,,65 lbs ----1,500 insurance   central florida to upstate new york BIKE FLIGHTS   shipped thursday afternoon ,arrived today at 2:00 pm -67 dollars ,no complaints using BIKE FLIGHTS


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## bricycle (Feb 23, 2016)

petritl said:


> My Black Phantom
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Are you REALLY Spiderman?


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## bikebozo (May 1, 2016)

anyone near medford, melrose ,malden mass , towns near Boston . i need a 20 bike boxed up and shipped , any help appreciated ,  branchewalter!@yahoo.com


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## rodeo1988 (May 1, 2016)

Anyone in Milwaukee Wisconsin, I need someone friendly person  to ship me  bicycle, please pm to give my phone number, Thanks


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## CrazyDave (May 20, 2016)

Here is my suggestion.  Find a trusted/good/cool bike shop near the bicycle, call them and explain your needs/wants/desires and have the owner of the bike drop it off there to be packed and shipped.  Seems a $50 charge is about average, insure the thing so if its damaged your not mad. (as mad and compensated at least). Easy peasy......


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## Luchotocado (Jun 3, 2016)

Is there anybody near Manalapan NJ that can help me ship a bike? I just bought through ebay and the guy wants to ship it to me but he has no idea how to pack it and im afraid the bike will be ruined.


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## Phattiremike (Jul 25, 2016)

I noticed comments about bike flights
elsewhere on the various forums but nothing here?  What's is bike flights?
In getting ready to have shipped a Mercury Pace Setter I'm willing to pay for 2 boxes and even discussed double boxing with the bike shop.  I have to ship its a 2400 mile road trip but don't want it damaged.  Best recommendations for shipping? 

Your help is appreciated-  Mike


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## island schwinn (Jul 25, 2016)

Bikeflights is a discount outfit that is contracted with fedex,who is the actual shipper.they have much better rates and are easier to deal with than fedex.you go to their website,enter the info as required,address,box dimensions,weight,etc. and pay them direct.they then email you a shipping label or can email it to the one shipping the bike for you.print the label and put it on the box.drop off at FedEx or schedule a pick up.


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## Phattiremike (Jul 25, 2016)

Thank you for the info.  I'm going to explore shipping w/ a freight company too.

Mike


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## Freqman1 (Jul 25, 2016)

Phattiremike said:


> Thank you for the info.  I'm going to explore shipping w/ a freight company too.
> 
> Mike



Now that will get expensive! I've used Bikeflights exclusively the past two and a half years and as long as they are in business that's who I will use. V/r Shawn


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## Phattiremike (Jul 25, 2016)

Shawn - i'm going to do all I can to protect the Mercury.  If that's the best route to prevent damage that's the route i'll go!

Thanks Mike


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## Phattiremike (Jul 25, 2016)

With bike flights.


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## Freqman1 (Jul 25, 2016)

Of the bikes I've seen sustain damage at least 90% were due to improper packing. If the contents can shift damage is likely to occur--packing peanuts don't cut it with a bicycle. V/r Shawn


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## fordmike65 (Jul 25, 2016)

Freqman1 said:


> Of the bikes I've seen sustain damage at least 90% were due to improper packing. If the contents can shift damage is likely to occur--packing peanuts don't cut it with a bicycle. V/r Shawn



Neither does throwing in random crap within arms reach while you're packing the bike up. Had PLENTY of those...


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## bikebozo (Jul 29, 2016)

need bike picked up and shipped from plano texas to Orlando Florida, all expenses paid , any help is appreciated


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## azbug-i (Aug 17, 2016)

Anybody ever gotten a bike shipped from Europe to here? How did it work getting through customs


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## azbug-i (Aug 17, 2016)

I think that you can pack bikes well and have a good chance of avoiding damage. And a poor job certainly will increase chances. But at the same time if i driver or handler doesnt care to keep the box upright, and like dropping boxes off trucks, you could receive a damaged bike regardless of how nice its packed. 

After two bikes i shipped with ok but not top notch packing jobs , i wont send another bike out without more disassembly, tying stuff together, and wedging padding around it. 

They suck.


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## Phattiremike (Aug 20, 2016)

In happy to report


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## Phattiremike (Aug 20, 2016)

I'm happy to report the mercury pacemaker arrived save and sound from the Houston area to Dahlonega Ga!  I used bike flights and a store in the Houston area called the Bike Barn, Brandon at bike barn carefully packed the bike into 2 boxes all exposed painted parts were wrapped and taped for additional protection and then double boxed! I paid extra but have never seen a bike packed so well.  Thanks to Brandon and Bike Barn Houston for a job well done!

Thanks Thad for recommending Bike Barn, and Shawn for your recommendation of bike flights, pictures should be posted tomorrow.
Mike


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## kreika (Dec 28, 2016)

Hello all I've personally had bikes shipped to me with no packaging/padding materials. Damaged! I've had somebody use old egg cartons as protection. Damaged! Had my Hextube frame wrapped in an old mattress cover. Damaged! I recommend total disassembly and wrapping every part in large bubble bubblewrap. Then floating sheets down the sides for more protection.For rear frame drop outs and fork legs a small piece of 2x4 between the openings prevents bending if somebody steps on the box. Axles should be protected also they love to poke through box and get damaged. Like mentioned before if you move the bike box around and there's movement inside. Most likely there will be damage. Haven't shipped in awhile but I used FedEx ground/home as they were less expensive and have less volume going through their system than say Ups hence less package smashing. Even if a bike is not in great shape or the paint awesome. Your buyer will very much appreciate a job well done when it comes to packaging!!! Pack it with care! It's precious American history your shipping!


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## chucksoldbikes (Jan 4, 2017)

I use  bike flights   they pick it  up at your house  and deliver it to the  customer  last  bike  I did  was a jchiggins  1950 full dress  from Illinois to  south  carlind  58.00 I have packed a mot of  bikes  and have had not one  complaint


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## KingSized HD (Jan 25, 2017)

Is there anyone in the Tucson area willing to pickup, pack & deliver a "city bike" to a FedEx location? I've never needed this service before so I'm not sure how/what to pay. Found a local commercial place but hoping a Caber would know what they're doing. Anyway, reply here or send me a PM please. 
Thanks much.
Pete


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## KingSized HD (Feb 9, 2017)

KingSized HD said:


> Is there anyone in the Tucson area willing to pickup, pack & deliver a "city bike" to a FedEx location?




No more need for help in Tucson. Got this taken care of by a delivery service, a bike shop (Ordinary Bike Shop) & bikeflights.


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## crazyhawk (May 15, 2017)

I've shipped hundreds of bikes and never had a complaint. I use UPS, keep my dimensionsfor the box under 130 inches(length+twice the height plus twice the width), and wrap every part in bubble wrap like it's an ancient artifact.  It's the best way and I've tried them all.


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## ZE52414 (May 15, 2017)

Danny the Schwinn freak is from Tucson and he is the best packer in the US! Not sure how to attach him to this but look him up! He's very very good!!! 

Ps just my opinion!


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## ZE52414 (May 15, 2017)

Guess I should have read one more comment down! Lol.


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## Phattiremike (May 31, 2017)

I'm on pins and needles awaiting my latest bicycle to arrive to Georgia from California, should be here Friday.  The bike shop who I've dealt with before felt it best not to dismantle the front end, ( wires, conduits, fore-brake, etc.).  It was packed in an oversized heavy duty electric bicycle box 77" x 37" X10" at weighed in at 74 lbs.  I couldn't get Bike Flights to accept a box that large, when I called the Bike Flights customer service line the rep told me to shave a few inches off the height from 37 to 35" and width to 9" when I returned to the online box dimension page and adjusted the box down it allowed the bike to proceed. 
I asked the rep if I could do as he suggested, his reply was I'm not telling you to do that but.... he also stated not to worry FedEx would not measure the box. It's currently in Oklahoma in transit and has made it through a few facilities so far.

I'll keep you posted on it's condition when it gets to me this week. 

Mike


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## IngoMike (Jun 3, 2017)

FYI - Here is another bike I recently received with a flaw in the packaging, thankfully there was no damage, but a few more hits and this headset topnut was coming through the box. 



Here is a seat tube that had the same results....


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## robert bell (Jun 19, 2017)

i ship by fastenal. best frieght rates around. shipped V8 engine block for $100, pair of old pickup running boards (76"long) for $50 this week!


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## Phattiremike (Jul 8, 2017)

Phattiremike said:


> I'm on pins and needles awaiting my latest bicycle to arrive to Georgia from California, should be here Friday.  The bike shop who I've dealt with before felt it best not to dismantle the front end, ( wires, conduits, fore-brake, etc.).  It was packed in an oversized heavy duty electric bicycle box 77" x 37" X10" at weighed in at 74 lbs.  I couldn't get Bike Flights to accept a box that large, when I called the Bike Flights customer service line the rep told me to shave a few inches off the height from 37 to 35" and width to 9" when I returned to the online box dimension page and adjusted the box down it allowed the bike to proceed.
> I asked the rep if I could do as he suggested, his reply was I'm not telling you to do that but.... he also stated not to worry FedEx would not measure the box. It's currently in Oklahoma in transit and has made it through a few facilities so far.
> 
> I'll keep you posted on it's condition when it gets to me this week.
> ...



When I said shaved off the box, I only went back to bike flights website and "adjusted" the height and width down, I never actually cut down the box!
@IngoMike I'm glad there was no serious damage to your bike.
@robert bell great tip on fastenall and cheap, thanks for that tip!

Mike


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## Robertriley (Jul 16, 2017)

Help needed.  I need a bike picked up and packed from Johnston, Rhode Island.  Is there anyone able to lend a hand?   
Thank you, 
Chris


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## Andy Dee (Sep 13, 2018)

55' Corvette Custom said:


> Scott that info should be a sticky or some of permanent post, seems like alot of people still dont know how to ship a bike PROPERLY.
> 
> Thanks alot for your effort, hope it is appreciated by the people that need it.
> 
> 55 vette



Great advice! I usually follow the same guidelines when shipping a bicycle. My shipper of choice is Shipbikes.com. Never a problem and surprisingly low prices. The actual shipping is carried out by FedEx.


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## Andy Dee (Sep 13, 2018)

PCHiggin said:


> Hi, Who is the best shipper these days? I'm buying a very pretty Fiesta from Missouri and am trying to steer the seller in the right direction.Thanks for any help.
> 
> Pat



Shipbikes.com is my go to shipper


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## Andy Dee (Sep 13, 2018)

jd56 said:


> Great topic.
> I have called the local bike shops and have been told that boxes are not given out. Nor will they sell any. Have asked if I catch them on a day where they receive a bike can I purchase it and have never received a call back.
> These retail shops are in for the revenue of their retail sales not helping the private seller it seems.
> 
> ...



I often dumpster dive for bike boxes behind my local bike shops.


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## mongeese (Dec 18, 2018)

bikeflights
Shipbikes
Both are subcontractors to Fed-Ex ground and are amazing. Online or on the phone. 
Local bike shops are happy to give me boxes. Also check their dumpsters- they always throw good stuff out that is several years old and did not sell. 
They call me “shiply the best”


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## new2olbikes (Dec 22, 2018)

Thanks for the info. I have been shipping many things for many years but I am really... "new 2 ol bikes"... I almost sold a Schwinn Lil Tiger and tried to make a Franken-box". I spent well over an hour, measuring, cutting, padding, tie wrapping, then folding flaps & taping and finally gave up, because A) it looked horrible and B) was still too flimsy for my personal comfort.  A UPS "store" wanted $35 for a new box, $35 to pack & pad it and the shipping estimate was reasonable at around $45.00.. Had to tell the buyer (e-Place) a no-go. On my next venture, I went to our county recycling bins and found some biggies in there. The Lil Tiger got sold locally and was driven to it's new owner in NC by his dad for T-day. I


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## Jack Alope (Feb 7, 2019)

I used bikefights for the first time, they have a video on how to pack a bike for shipment. 80 bucks from NY  to So. Cal. Insured. For a fully loaded postwar schwinn,   Took a week they ship thru FedEx
You tell em the dimensions and the weight they email you the labels tell em when you want it picked up.  
And there ya go.  Easy peasy


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## SWPA (Feb 18, 2019)

Last year I sold/shipped a bike I meticulously restored, spent hours packing it up thoroughly, it still arrived with lots of damage to the box and a deep scratch in the frame. Had to deal with eBay's nightmare policy where seller has no rights, had to give the buyer a partial refund, and file a damage claim with carrier. It's now been 3 months and i'm STILL fighting carrier to get my money. After this horrible experience I will never sell/ship or buy/receive a _nice bike_ through the mail ever again.

PS: It doesn't matter if you use a 3rd party broker like ShipBikes or BikeFlights, the carrier (i.e UPS & FedEx) are handling it, and the sorting hubs have zero respect for your goods.


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## bobcycles (Feb 19, 2019)

Please never zip tie anything in any pkg you send me...please!
the worst.


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## SWPA (Feb 19, 2019)

bobcycles said:


> Please never zip tie anything in any pkg you send me...please!
> *the worst*.




If you are calling the example above "the worst" then we live in two completely different worlds. Maybe you could eloborate on your post so people understand what specific inconvenience you are referring to. It takes about 5 minutes to snip zip ties with a pair of good snips. The objective is to properly protect the bike from damage, most bike manufacturers use zip ties over foam, I've been doing it that way for 20 years, the bike shops in my area do it that way for 30 years, and everyone I know in the bicycle community (online and in the physical world) does it that way. Tape is not strong enough to hold protection elements in place, especially with the way FedEx and UPS handle packages at sorting facilities, rarely do you ever see people go to that extent of protection as shown above.


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## SWPA (Feb 20, 2019)

SWPA said:


> Last year I sold/shipped a bike I meticulously restored, spent hours packing it up thoroughly, it still arrived with lots of damage to the box and a deep scratch in the frame. Had to deal with eBay's nightmare policy where seller has no rights, had to give the buyer a partial refund, and file a damage claim with carrier. It's now been 3 months and i'm STILL fighting carrier to get my money. After this horrible experience I will never sell/ship or buy/receive a _nice bike_ through the mail ever again.
> 
> PS: It doesn't matter if you use a 3rd party broker like ShipBikes or BikeFlights, the carrier (i.e UPS & FedEx) are handling it, and the sorting hubs have zero respect for your goods.




UPDATE: Ironically 24 hours after I posted the message above I just received my claim check in the mail today. It took 16 weeks of phone calls and repeatedly sending them requested documents. Normally I would never have put myself through all that aggravation, but since it was a $1500 bike that was mint I wanted justice. You can't win every battle and many are not worth fighting, but this one was.


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## volksboy57 (Feb 27, 2019)

Fat tire trader Chris did a great job packing my bike. Look at the detail of the front fork. Double boxed too!


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## MarkKBike (May 12, 2019)

I live in the Chicago burbs, and a childhood friend of mine just started up a new shipping themed buisness where he does not perform shipping services himself, but is dealing with corporate accounts where he is providing custom packages, and shipping materials to those corporations.

I have talked to him about the possibility of obtaining materials and boxes for bikes, and other stuff. Right now its just a one man operation, but we have also talked about the possibly of myself getting into his new buisness early on and working for him once he is ready to hire employees.

He has lived in Arizona for well over the past decade, and used to run another buisness in that location that he was very successful in. He recently moved back into the same town I live in, and this is a new company he is just starting up. If anyone is planning to ship a bike from the Chicago area, I "might" be able to source shipping materials though him, but at this point I do not know what the costs for those materials would be. I do know he would be willing to help me out, but we have not yet dicussed the possibility of one off orders for other partys. (If something comes up, I could always ask).

I only re-connected with him recently, but we have known each other most of our lives as our mothers have been best friends since before we both came into this world. We are a silmilar age and spent alot of time together as children as our familys are very close and have spent many holidays and summer vacations together.


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## lounging (Jul 5, 2019)

Can someone please pick up, pack, and ship a bike in Sodus Point, New York?  Please pm me your fee if you are available, thank you


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## 30thtbird (Jul 8, 2019)

Anyone in or near Uehling, Nebraska? need a banana seat bike picked up and shipped please.


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## rennfaron (Oct 21, 2019)

Anyone around midtown manhattan NYC for pickup and pack? 
Thanks Chuck


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## MEKANIXFIX (Feb 27, 2020)

schwinnbikebobb said:


> This is how mine looks which others have described pretty much the same thing. Without a doubt the front fork seems to cause the most trouble. One of the few bikes shipped to me was packed pretty close to this but the front fork punched through the foam and 2 layers of cardboard and was sticking out of the bottom of the box. The one time I had a bike store pack a bike they just taped pieces of paper around a few places on the frame. At least they had secured things pretty well.



Nice job specifically at the crank and fork!!!


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## MEKANIXFIX (Feb 28, 2020)

37fleetwood said:


> *New rule!*
> 
> ok, new rule!
> there's a reason in the original post I didn't say remove the fork. this is the 3rd bike I've had shipped to me like this.
> ...



Wow could you performed a claim damages to the company who delivered???


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## bikebozo (Jun 17, 2020)

Orlando to Adelaide ,Australia  , box must meet the dimensions , so it needs to be bent at the top , 55x28x8, 40 lbs =350.00 shipbikes.com -7 to 10 days


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## TRM (Jun 30, 2020)

I have recieved some dramatic fails when it comes to shipping. I once even recieved part of a box with some scotch tape dangling from it and nothing in it!

Let's face it, we are at the mercy of the shipping companys to handle the box but there is plenty we can do to help insure a safe ride before it leaves our hands. I took several pics as I packed this freshly restored Shelby Arrow for its cross country trip. I should mention that there were no wheels to pack which made it much easier!

First the bike was mostly disassembled and the frame was covered with pipe insulation. I left the tank in place and wrapped several layers of bubble wrap around it. The fork was also covered with pipe insulation and then zip tied neatly in the frame under the tank. I also used the padded frame to hold the drop stand. The idea is to have the seperate pieces locked together wherever possible. Some smaller bubble wrap and packing paper was wrapped around the BB and seat post to protect them and some thick cardboard was used on the headtube and dropouts (more on that later).





I didn't think to get pictures as I wrapped the fenders (sorry) but here's how it went: The front fender braces were secured with a hub bolted in place and then the fender was wrapped with foam sheeting. Next it was nested into the rear fender and then they were both liberally covered with bubble wrap. To keep the bubble wrap in place it was wrapped with shrink wrap. Here's the result.




The chain guard and rack were carefully wrapped and then placed in a small box with paper filling the voids so that they could'nt move around and then taped shut. Another box was used for all of the remaining smaller parts from the crank set to the fender ornament. Didn't think to take a picture inside of the guard and rack box, but here's the second box. Notice that everything is individually wrapped and packed tightly. More packing material was added over the parts before the box was tapped shut.




At this point I had the frame, fenders and two boxes are ready to pack. Using a bicycle box (bike shops will give these away), I layed the box on it's side and placed the parts on it to best determine how to fit them inside. The goal is to position everything so that nothing will shift and potentially damage something else while it is being handled by the shipper!




The box with the chainring cranks etc. was placed in the bottom corner with a styrofoam spacer to hold it in place. It was also taped to the walls of the box later.  The seat stays on the frame will sit on top of this box. The extra cardboard on the dropouts that I mentioned earlier was cut to the width of the box to center the frame away from the sides. The ends of the frame are also spaced away from the walls of the box. Because the frame fit best upside down in the box, I added even more bubble wrap to cusion the ride. The nose of the tank was well protected and positioned against a piece of styrofoam to hold it in position.




With the frame secured in place with more packing material around it, the lighter weight fenders were placed above the frame with one end resting on the styrofoam and the other on more bubble wrap. It was then centered in the box away from the walls with packing paper.




The box containing the chain guard and rack was last to go in. But first a few more spacers were added around the frame.




The last parts box was placed above the chain stays. It was carefully spaced with more packing material under it to raise it level with the top of the box.




Just to take up the space above the fenders, a box with bubble wrap in it was added and taped in place.




With all of the bracing from top to bottom and side to side, this bike should be ready to withstand being jostled around by FedEx for a few days on its journey accross the US!




Bon voyage!


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## 1motime (Jun 30, 2020)

Packed with care!  And careful planning.  That is the way they all should be!  Fully insured hopefully


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## mrg (Jun 30, 2020)

Hate to say it but most problems/damages I've had have been the packers falt!, you have to except some ruff handling so pack accordingly and a little common sense helps and I am always surprised how many people don't have it when it comes to packing! My packing's not pretty but gets there undamaged!, I hope, haven't heard otherwise!


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## 1motime (Jul 1, 2020)

mrg said:


> Hate to say it but most problems/damages I've had have been the packers falt!, you have to except some ruff handling so pack accordingly and a little common sense helps and I am always surprised how many people don't have it when it comes to packing! My packing's not pretty but gets there undamaged!, I hope, haven't heard otherwise!



Don't jinx it!


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## Grand haven Jeff (Dec 19, 2020)

PCHiggin said:


> Hi, Who is the best shipper these days? I'm buying a very pretty Fiesta from Missouri and am trying to steer the seller in the right direction.Thanks for any help.
> 
> Pat



Best all around is Shipbikes.com. Easy website and group discount.  Probably shipped 25 bikes so far. They go through FedEx


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## 1motime (Dec 19, 2020)

Grand haven Jeff said:


> Best all around is Shipbikes.com. Easy website and group discount.  Probably shipped 25 bikes so far. They go through FedEx



I second that!  Never had a problem with Shipbikes.  Easy to create a label.  Cost is always half of what FedEx charges. They use FedEx which is much better than UPS.
Phone number is required while Fedex doesn't care.  The only way to ship in my opinion,


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## dweenk (Dec 26, 2020)

I have only shipped one bike and that was just the frame and fork. I got a free box from my LBS and used pipe insulation and pool noodles for the frame tubes. I cut the box down to the smallest dimension that would accomodate the frame, built rear triangle and fork braces, and cardboard spacers to keep the box from being crushed. I spent about 3 hours packing everything. I would'nt trust my LBS to do it properly - all new staff.

I don't think I'll ship again unless a buyer really wants to compensate me for my time and effort.


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## falconer (Dec 26, 2020)

shipbikes.com is the best. Goes through fedex. try it


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## Robert Troub (Dec 26, 2020)

jd56 said:


> Great topic.
> I have called the local bike shops and have been told that boxes are not given out. Nor will they sell any. Have asked if I catch them on a day where they receive a bike can I purchase it and have never received a call back.
> These retail shops are in for the revenue of their retail sales not helping the private seller it seems.
> 
> ...



I get mine from Walmart....get to know the bike builder....


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## Giraffe Rider (Sep 18, 2021)

I recently bought a bike on fee bay from a CABER. I thought he was a reputable seller as he has lots of bikes and parts for sale on the CABE and fee bay. UPS brought a smashed box. The frame was bent because no spacer on rear dropouts. The front axle was bent. And missing the speedometer. He’s been a with the CABE since 2012!!  Look at the photo of smashed box on UPS truck. Can you refuse delivery?


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## 1motime (Sep 18, 2021)

Giraffe Rider said:


> I recently bought a bike on fee bay from a CABER. I thought he was a reputable seller as he has lots of bikes and parts for sale on the CABE and fee bay. UPS brought a smashed box. The frame was bent because no spacer on rear dropouts. The front axle was bent. And missing the speedometer. He’s been a with the CABE since 2012!!  Look at the photo of smashed box on UPS truck. Can you refuse delivery?
> 
> View attachment 1480531



That didn't happen inside the truck.  What did the driver say?  A UPS employee or employees handled it and loaded like that.  I would think you have a claim.


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## Giraffe Rider (Sep 18, 2021)

1motime said:


> That didn't happen inside the truck.  What did the driver say?  A UPS employee or employees handled it and loaded like that.  I would think you have a claim.



The driver said it wasn’t packed correctly. And that’s what it looked like when he got it off the big truck.


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## 1motime (Sep 18, 2021)

Giraffe Rider said:


> The driver said it wasn’t packed correctly. And that’s what it looked like when he got it off the big truck.



So the system just keeps moving it along?  As is?  Crazy!


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## Robert Troub (Sep 18, 2021)

Giraffe Rider said:


> The driver said it wasn’t packed correctly. And that’s what it looked like when he got it off the big truck.



Rrrriiiiigggghhhhtttt


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## Robert Troub (Sep 18, 2021)

1motime said:


> So the system just keeps moving it along?  As is?  Crazy!



I know, right?


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## Robert Troub (Sep 18, 2021)

Have you contacted the seller?  I would certainly do that, AFTER refusing delivery......you can open a claim with eBay, and 100% get a refund......


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## Robert Troub (Sep 18, 2021)

This seller needs to watch some YouTube videos on " how to package a bike for shipping"


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## GTs58 (Sep 18, 2021)

That sucks all around. Used old box that was most likely questionable when the seller was packing the bike and then slapped a few pieces of tape on the *BOTTOM* and called it good. That's what I'm seeing in the picture.


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## Giraffe Rider (Sep 18, 2021)

In fairness to the seller, the bent axle didn’t happen during shipping. He said he “just noticed it when he was packing it”. So he supplied a new axle. Nice guy!
So I checked the rear wheel,spins nice. But the brake doesn’t work and gear doesn’t drive it just spins freely. I hope it’s rebuildable.   I have a very large crescent wrench to try to straight the frame.


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## Giraffe Rider (Sep 28, 2021)

Giraffe Rider said:


> In fairness to the seller, the bent axle didn’t happen during shipping. He said he “just noticed it when he was packing it”. So he supplied a new axle. Nice guy!
> So I checked the rear wheel,spins nice. But the brake doesn’t work and gear doesn’t drive it just spins freely. I hope it’s rebuildable.   I have a very large crescent wrench to try to straight the frame.
> 
> View attachment 1480554I am sorry I spoke badly about another CABER.  Everybody has a bad day!  It is “nice rider”.  I just replaced the front axle, greased the bottom bracket and headset,robbed brake shoes from another wheel to replace the Bendix brake shoes and grease bearings,and straightened the bent frame. No problem.  I added a HUGE oooga horn that looks a little out of place. It does ride nice!


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## Robert Troub (Oct 16, 2021)

1motime said:


> I second that!  Never had a problem with Shipbikes.  Easy to create a label.  Cost is always half of what FedEx charges. They use FedEx which is much better than UPS.
> Phone number is required while Fedex doesn't care.  The only way to ship in my opinion,



Meh.....I ship many packages...have had more issues w FedEx lately.....but it's a delivery driver problem...I now send any big or valuable item signature required....


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## Archie Sturmer (Oct 16, 2021)

“Signature required” is not as bad recently, say for the last 18 months or so.

It’s best to warn the recipients so that they might leave a signed *preemptive* note with the shipping company name and tracking number and any instruction to the driver (basically to disregard the signature-required thing).


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## Robert Troub (Oct 16, 2021)

Archie Sturmer said:


> “Signature required” is not as bad recently, say for the last 18 months or so.
> 
> It’s best to warn the recipients so that they might leave a signed note with the shipping company name and tracking number and any instruction to the driver (basically to disregard the signature-required thing).



Why would you tell someone to ignore the signature required??!!


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## GTs58 (Oct 16, 2021)

Robert Troub said:


> Why would you tell someone to ignore the signature required??!!




I have a friend that didn't get the notice and then the bike was shipped back across the country. Then he had to get the bike shipped back to him. Somewhat a big fail on his part but more with FedX's BS. He found out when it was still in town and not shipped back yet but FedX said it was to late to pick it up from the main FedX facility.


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## Archie Sturmer (Oct 16, 2021)

Robert Troub said:


> Why would you tell someone to ignore the signature required.



Because one might not be home at some unknown time, (sometime before the end of the day), to sign for the delivered item; and the signature, already on the signed note, should be sufficient enough.

And the instructions for the delivery person are normal; (pre-printed options on USPS forms, or similar for private concerns).


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## Archie Sturmer (Oct 16, 2021)

GTs58 said:


> I have a friend that didn't get the notice and then the bike was shipped back.



I believe that FedEx may expect recipients to login to a computer to see the first two delivery exceptions, and only after the 3rd failed attempt, when one is still not home, leave the paper final notice.


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## GTs58 (Oct 16, 2021)

Archie Sturmer said:


> I believe that FedEx may expect recipients to login to a computer to see the first two delivery exceptions, and only after the 3rd failed attempt, when one is still not home, leave the paper final notice.




Not to sure that's correct. Years ago I got one notice. Then I had to go to the facility and pick it up before such and such a date or it would be shipped back. But things change everyday.


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## Archie Sturmer (Oct 16, 2021)

GTs58 said:


> I had to go to the facility and pick it up before it would be shipped back.



One time, I went to the 5-mile office location as pre-printed on the notice, and was coincidentally handed another package not expected for several days.

When I got home and opened the box, and noticed the wrong badge, I then realized that I still did not have the original item.
I made a second 5-mile trip before the deadline, but they still did not have it.

Later, I was informed via customer service number that the (big box) item was actually at their 17-mile big warehouse-like facility, (for yet another 3rd fun day trip).

And, people ask why.


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## Robert Troub (Oct 16, 2021)

Archie Sturmer said:


> Because one might not be home at some unknown time, (sometime before the end of the day), to sign for the delivered item; and the signature, already on the signed note, should be sufficient enough.
> 
> And the instructions for the delivery person are normal; (pre-printed options on USPS forms, or similar for private concerns).



They make multiple attempts.....


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## Archie Sturmer (Oct 16, 2021)

Robert Troub said:


> .....



Although they may make 3 attempts, (as they profess to do), the recipients, if forewarned, would have an opportunity or freedom to say, *No*…..don’t make multiple attempts, when I am not at home, and instead deliver according to one of the other optional and more convenient methods of the delivery agencies.

If not forewarned, then the first notice might be an inconvenient one to try to chase down where a package might have gotten to.

Recipients should have choices other than deciding which work days to take-off to sit on the porch and wait for “special” deliveries.
Some people like choices and freedom.


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