[JackFromNC]

I did a forum search and found mostly good things about using Fedex to ship a bike. I went to Fedex's web site to get a quote and found that the online quote was $100 for ground shipping between Raleigh NC, and Moab UT (see attached image). My forum search turned up people reporting much cheaper costs, so I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong.

My bike case is 47x30.5x10.5 inches and I estimated the weight as 65 pounds. If I change the last dimension to drop the 10.5 to 10 inches, the fee decreases and no oversize fee is applied. So as best as I can figure, Fedex has recently changed their size definitions for oversize, other people's shipping containers are smaller than mine, or I'm doing something wrong with getting the price quote.

Any help will be appreciated. I figured I'd ask here first before calling Fedex.

Jack

 

[Lothar Othp]

What kind of box?

What kind of bike box? I shipped my road bike from WI to GA Fedex for $29 each way. That was in the 'factory' cardboard box. Of course on the way back Fedex tried to hit me for $70+ oversized charge..which is BS. Those factory boxes are sized that way from the manufacturer so as to avoid oversize charges. Do you think Trek would pay $100 to ship their bikes to dealers..no way!

 

[JackFromNC]

My bike box is a performance cargo case like this http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=973&subcategory_ID=4415 It's made to take on airlines but Delta wants $$$ to check it.

 

[Lothar Othp]

Let me ask you this. How much did Performance charge you to ship the box to you when you purchased it?? I'm sure it wasn't $100+.

When I shipped my bike from WI, I shipped it from an actual Fed Ex Terminal to my brother's house...no problems.

When I shipped it back from GA to my home I did it at a FedEx/Kinkos...where they attempted to charge me oversized shipping...mainly because I don't think they knew WTF they were doing. Eventually I got my way and had it returned shipped for $29.

 

[JackFromNC]

I bought the bike case used and in person so no shipping charge. I used fedex's web site to get a shipping quote, and I'm simply trying to figure out why that quote is so much higher than other people have recently reported, and if I'm doing something wrong in getting the quote. I'm not getting your point.

 

[johnb]

Any help will be appreciated. I figured I'd ask here first before calling Fedex.
Jack

Save yourself a bunch of money and ship it using DHL.

I shipped a 35lb box today for 15 bucks using DHL.... Fedex wanted 68. Both were for "ground" shipping.

 

[sgltrak]

Sent my wife's mountain bike from LA to Colorado at Thanksgiving via FedEx ground in a LBS cardboard box for $24 and change.

 

[Killroy]

How much is a bike plane ride these days?

 

[Lothar Othp]

You might have better luck getting a quote in person from a shipping place.

 

[nmba guy]

a bike plane ride is $75 to $100 each way, depending on the airlines.
as far as the fedex thing goes, the key is that 1/2 inch, and all you need is a cool counter person at fedex or kinkos and your good to go, or schedule a pick up and use 10" instead of 10.5" and they wont bother you about it. Ive found that fedex is cheaper by a fair amount than UPS, but have had issues with them loosing the bike for a little while. luckily its been on the return trip and they eventually find it but it spends an extra few days in transit. I would also make sure and securely tape a business card or whatever with your name and contact info on it to the outside AND the inside of the container, that way if the fedex tag falls off, like they are prone to do on plastic cases, there will be some way of tracking you down as the owner.

 

[Homebrew]

See if Frank can help you out. He gets a good discount on UPS and maybe FedEx too.

 

[MerIIIcK]

Save yourself a bunch of money and ship it using DHL.

I shipped a 35lb box today for 15 bucks using DHL.... Fedex wanted 68. Both were for "ground" shipping.

JohnB, what size was the box that you used? Thx in advance for any help.

 

[johnb]

JohnB, what size was the box that you used? Thx in advance for any help.

it was 20"x20"x12"

 

[MerIIIcK]

it was 20"x20"x12"

Thanks bro. :thumbsup:

 

[bdee]

I shipped a Specialized Enduro frame with the cranks still on it in a standard bike box from Long Beach, CA to Florida via FedEx ground for $13.27, no joke!!! I'm not sure if the lady made a mistake but that is the figure that was on my receipt and bank statement.

 

[Bikinfoolferlife]

Do you think Trek would pay $100 to ship their bikes to dealers..no way!

I spent most of my working life in the freight/logistics business. This is a good thought, but a better thought is do you think Trek who ships thousands of bikes a day pays anything resembling what an individual shipping one bike pays? Even large volume shippers like Trek do pay for what amounts to volumetric penalties, just not as severe as you for one bike would.

 

[keeb]

just don't go to one of the kinko's/fed ex places. They will bend you over and rape you and then after you pay they rape you again just for fun. I made that mistake once...and only once.

 

[(Tom)]

Don't forget to factor in insurance. UPS "lost" my bike - yes, lost as in lost, stolen, ripped by a UPS employee off never to be seen again. If something does go wrong be prepared to substantiate the claim with receipts too. To top it off dealing with UPS was a royal pain in the ass and it took many months until I got any $ back.

I travel a lot with my bike and I find it easier to just take it on the plane. I was on a streak of not getting charged but that streak seems to have ended. Anyway, I'm not saying the airline wont lose your stuff either but in my experience they'd make more of an effort to get it back to you in a timely manner.

 

[Serenity]

Save yourself a bunch of money and ship it using DHL.

I shipped a 35lb box today for 15 bucks using DHL.... Fedex wanted 68. Both were for "ground" shipping.

Mine was FedEx ground, same weight, same price. Mine went from Michigan to California and then to Colorado then to Utah and then finally came back to California. Was only supposed to go from Mich to Cali but took the scenic route. Took twice as long to get to me and was damaged. If only the bike could talk.......

 

[adamantane]

caution, i bought a frame from a guy in NC, he sent it to me by Fedex ground...i never got the package...i'm still trying to get my money back from the guy but that's tangential to your question.

talking to the lost package people, they said they couldn't find the box, just lost the box...which i don't believe, i think they accidently ran over it or something....

if you use them, make sure to insure the item for full, face value new...or twice the value new.

oh, and if you go into a Fedex express location, they will tell you they have no idea where your stuff is because your using fedex ground which is for all intents and purposes a different company, think walmart vs niemann marcus