What's is the best way to post a bike ??

[NewHorizon]

No one has mentioned insurance - reading the small print on most of these courier sites shows that they offer little or no insurance for what is a fairly vulnerable item. The 'add on' cost of a reasonable insurance quickly takes the cost into the stratosphere.

[island girl]

Its Royal Mail that handle normal standard parcels. 10kg to 20kg costs £14.26 and you can insure up to £500 for £3.50.

Parcelforce handle priority parcels. 48 hour delivery up to 20 kg costs £19.99. which includes insurance up to £150. You can insure up to £500 for an extra £12.

Hope this is of help.

[peter236uk]

I think I would look at Parcel force as some of the others seem very expencive

[leftpoole]

Any of the framebuilders deal with postal deliveries. We can't all collect our new frames.

My Mercian Vincitore arrived by post way back in October 1986.

It was covered in corrugated cardboard and sticky tape along all the tubes, the dropouts had wooden dowels to support them, and the whole lot was in a substantial cardboard box. The postman rang the bell on a Saturday morning when we were having our morning cuppa.

Why not contact a framebuilder and ask them how they do it nowadays.

Mick,
I have just told everyone how to do it.As has chris667 too. No need to wind up a framebuilder!
John.

Sorry, but I was answering the OPs question. ie "good value" and "safest".
People that send bikes for a living have good info available. Ask them.
Your answers weren't quite getting there IMHO.

Anyone know what is the best way to send a bike by post ie good value and also safest.
Cost etc I have a box etc

Mick,
I assume that you have only ever sent a frame by post to Mercian judging by your numerous Mercian posts?
I was giving a full and factual response based on a history of over 20 bikes posted by various delivers.Including overseas. Most of these were on behalf of the widows of two friends who died, leaving loads of bikes eaxh to dispose of.
I feel that a response to a question should only be answered when the person doing the reply actual knows the answer which in your particular case was somewhat doubtful.
I see numerous responses from many people trying to help questioners. Many replies are not even an answer to the actual question. This is why I give up at times as life has more to do than look at answers which can at the very least be misleading particular to people with no cycling experience (something I have a great deal of!).
John.

[Mick F]

Please don't let us fall out, John.

I have never posted a bike frame.
I have only ever had one frame posted to me, and that's from Mercian.

Like you say, I little experience, and you also say you have lots.

What I do know, is that when I don't know an answer, I usually have some wisdom to impart none-the-less. If I have none, I either say so, or say nowt.

My wisdom is that one can, if one wants to, contact A framebuilder that post them. Their methods will be up-to-date and thoroughly well-tried.

My reference to Mercian was by way of explaining what little experience I have, but also saying what vast experience framebuilders like them have. I have absolutely no doubt that any of them have far more experience than you. That is why I suggested a framebuilder.

I saw your answer, and others, all I was doing was adding another idea.
Please do not castigate me for offering worthwhile suggestion.

As I say, lets not fall out.

[leftpoole]

Please don't let us fall out, John.

I have never posted a bike frame.
I have only ever had one frame posted to me, and that's from Mercian.

Like you say, I little experience, and you also say you have lots.

What I do know, is that when I don't know an answer, I usually have some wisdom to impart none-the-less. If I have none, I either say so, or say nowt.

My wisdom is that one can, if one wants to, contact A framebuilder that post them. Their methods will be up-to-date and thoroughly well-tried.

My reference to Mercian was by way of explaining what little experience I have, but also saying what vast experience framebuilders like them have. I have absolutely no doubt that any of them have far more experience than you. That is why I suggested a framebuilder.

I saw your answer, and others, all I was doing was adding another idea.
Please do not castigate me for offering worthwhile suggestion.

As I say, lets not fall out.

Mick,
No worries at all. NO falling out with you, just trying to make a point to others really.
You make great efforts on this Forum and are a valuble Member.
Best regards,
John.

[Tonyf33]

I'm another who have used interparcel regularly for all sorts of things including one box that had a TFT monitor, large computer etc go all the way to Scotland from Herts in one big box in 1 day. Weight was around 27kg & it cost approx £24 including insurance up to £500
From recent experience of posting a bike the main problem is the 300cm total rule. Royal mail can be up to 1.5m but combined cannot be more than 300cm(girth plus length) This equates to rough dimensions of:
120cm length x 70cm height(2x70) x 20cm width(2x20) Very very difficult to get a man size bike including 2 wheels inside this.
For interparcel the base prices are cheaper than RM & Parcel Force though the insurance is about the same as Parcel Force they will take heavier & larger sized parcels.(320cm combined) than both RM & PF.
Interparcel Up to 30kg in these sizes:
150x60x20cm £6.99+ VAT
150x65x20cm £8.81+ VAT
150x60x25cm £8.81+ VAT
145x65x20cm £8.04+ VAT
140x70x20cm £8.04+ VAT
140x65x25cm £8.81+ VAT
130x70x25cm £8.81+ VAT
Parcel force is £22 for up to 20kg incl £150 comp, up to £500 = £34
Royal Mail std parcels(bearing in mind you have to get it to the post office)
Up to 20kg with £100 comp =£15.26, £250 =£16.51, £500=£17.76

[NewHorizon]

Many bikes are worth a lot more than the £500 insurance ceiling posters seem to be posting - if your bike would cost £1k or £2k to replace, what do you do then - risk it?

[peter236uk]

I contacted a couple of Carriers mentioned on here but they said they would not be able to take a parcel

[iviehoff]

I've sent a frame with no problems in a cut-down box scrounged from my LBS. The problem was when I needed to send a complete bike.

If you take the wheels and mudguards off and (if necessary) put them in a separate package...

[GrahamG]

Definitely best to get a box off the LBS (my nearest bike shop is bl**dy awful but they leave their boxes out the back in one piece!), and pack it down like a new bike so removing wheels/mudguards/pedals etc. as previously described.

Also, whilst parcelforce can be strict - my local post office very kindly turned a blind eye to an oversize parcel when handling on their behalf.

[Tonyf33]

Many bikes are worth a lot more than the £500 insurance ceiling posters seem to be posting - if your bike would cost £1k or £2k to replace, what do you do then - risk it?

How many £1,000+ 2nd hand bikes would be sent sight unseen by the buyer via post? I would reckon hardly any across the whole country. Who would pay out that amount of money for a second hand bike you hadn't seen in the flesh & without meeting the buyer, certainly not me. I'd say 99.99% of people spending over £500 on a second hand bike will travel to see the bike, it would be silly not to as you don't even know the person.

In any case if you were to send a bike worth more then you increase the level of insurance accordingly, £500 is just an example of one of the higher levels of cover that would be appropriate to pretty much most people wanting to send bikes via post. Parcelforce, interparcel, parcel2go & others all have higher levels you just have to specify it.

peter236uk if the parcel is within the companies max dimensions/weight then they should collect it without any hitch. Who did you contact because I just book mine in via the website and they turn up.