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Shipping Help
- Thread starter 37fleetwood
- Start date
#eBayPartner Most Recent BUY IT NOW Items Listed on eBay
MEKANIXFIX
Wore out three sets of tires already!
Nice job specifically at the crank and fork!!!
MEKANIXFIX
Wore out three sets of tires already!
Wow could you performed a claim damages to the company who delivered???
TRM
Wore out three sets of tires already!
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!
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!
mrg
Riding a '38 Autocycle Deluxe
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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Grand haven Jeff
'Lil Knee Scuffer
Best all around is Shipbikes.com. Easy website and group discount. Probably shipped 25 bikes so far. They go through FedEx
