Couriering a bike back from France

[RodWhitworth]

Afternoon. I'm planning my next French tour and wondering about sending my bike back from the Med by courier. Has anyone got any experience of doing this? If so, how did it work out?
Rod

[Richard Fairhurst]

I used Sherpr (sherpr.com) to get my bike back from the Auvergne this summer. It's not especially cheap but they're helpful and responsive, the bike arrived in good shape, and the bike box is reusable.

[bohrsatom]

I used Sherpr (sherpr.com) to get my bike back from the Auvergne this summer. It's not especially cheap but they're helpful and responsive, the bike arrived in good shape, and the bike box is reusable.

How much did it cost overall Richard? A quick quote suggested £60 one way, but did you have to pay extra for the box?

[Richard Fairhurst]

Yes - the box was an extra £40 I think. It wasn't cheap, but otherwise my bike would have been stuck in France for the foreseeable future (I'd left it with friends who suddenly realised they weren't going to have space for it in their van) so I was happy to pay!

[simonhill]

Richard; Could one have boxed it themself in a free LBS cardboard box?

If so, £60 isn't too bad a price when you consider what the cheap airlines are charging for bikes now (£40-60).

OP: How are you getting back?

[RodWhitworth]

Thanks for the reply, Richard. I've had look at the Sherpr website. It certainly looks straightforward and invites contact. I'll get in touch with them when I'm clearer about what I want to do. Reading your second post, does that mean you organised it from this end after you got back?

Simon: I'm not sure how I'm getting back, yet. I might have a little exploration of France by rail.

[Richard Fairhurst]

Richard; Could one have boxed it themself in a free LBS cardboard box?

Looking at their website, yes, but they have an "own box" charge which is about the same cost as one of their own boxes! So no saving,s adly.

Thanks for the reply, Richard. I've had look at the Sherpr website. It certainly looks straightforward and invites contact. I'll get in touch with them when I'm clearer about what I want to do. Reading your second post, does that mean you organised it from this end after you got back?

Yes - exactly that.

[The utility cyclist]

I've had bits like Carbon wheels sent by private individual (from germany), large parcels to out the way villages in France and Sweden and sent a rare carbon monocoque to Italy but not sent a whole bike back from continental Europe.

I would run some quotes through PArcel2go and do it on the basis of putting the wheels and frameset separately which generally lowers the cost of sending compared to a single oversized one, courier prices are based on volume and an oversized tends to jump the price up massively. it also reduces chance of in transit damage IME.
Basically getting the packages as small as possible saves you money, the weight in itself with couriers is less of any issue as it's volumetric weight the prices are normally based upon.
I did a rough quote from 06100 (Nice) to my address in England with two parcels 110x20x60-8kg and 75x68x35 and 4kg which came out at £38 with UPS 3 day economy. I'm a very good packer and remove forks to not only make the parcel smaller but it also reduces chances of the forks getting damaged. For a 5 minute job either end that saves money and reduces chance of damage it's certainly always been worth it for me

[Morzedec]

'Jour, everyone,

As many might know I go back tween France and Cornwall fairly regularly, and often have spare (and free) space available.

If you can get your bikes/kit to the northern end of Deux-Sevres, I'll be happy to help - but some notice will be needed, because I'm 'off-grid' (no phone no internet) in France so only contactable whilst here in the UK. Thinking about things, with even more planing I could bring you back as well! The only box that you might need would have wine in it ........hic.

Happy days,

[RodWhitworth]

'Jour, everyone,

As many might know I go back tween France and Cornwall fairly regularly, and often have spare (and free) space available.

If you can get your bikes/kit to the northern end of Deux-Sevres, I'll be happy to help - but some notice will be needed, because I'm 'off-grid' (no phone no internet) in France so only contactable whilst here in the UK. Thinking about things, with even more planing I could bring you back as well! The only box that you might need would have wine in it ........hic.

That's a kind offer, Morzedec, but I was planning to come back from the Med rather than from your neck of the woods. Mind you, that box of wine...

[st599_uk]

How close to the Spanish border will you be?

The Spanish Post office seems to have a bike couriering service.

[Morzedec]

Morning, replies to some questions: yes, I'm based way North of the Med and Spanish border.

It means that I won't be able to help everyone repatriate, unless you add a week or so to you trip - depending on where you end up. If you 'land' south of Montpellier, Beziers, or Carcassonne, then a quick dash up the Canal du Midi to Bordeaux, and then northwards through Charente will be fun, and from my area you can train and ferry back to the UK via either Roscoff or St Malo, or fly from Nantes or Poitiers.

I've often wondered why more people don't get transport down to the Med, and then ride back again: alternatively do as I did last year and ride both ways (a double 'end to end' in France. Eat your heart out, Mick F. But then, I'm rather older than Mick is, so maybe he's still building his stamina up).

Whatever you do, enjoy all your rides in France.

Happy days,