Hi
I'm planning on the Great Divide MTB route next year and want to send my bike back from Banff to the UK at the end of the ride so as to free me up to do some non cycling travel before returning home. Just wondering if anyone has any experience of bike shipping companies, the ones I've checked seem really expensive? Or alternatively I would be happy to break the bike down into parts and box it up in a smaller package and air or sea freight it home, there is no rush to get it back. In reality it's only the wheels and a few other bits that I would want to get back, not necessarily the whole frame.
any thoughts?
Cheers
Shipping bike Canada to UK
Re: Shipping bike Canada to UK
This type of question comes up fairly often. Unfortunately there has not yet been a good solution, apart from taking the bike on the plane with you (small charge or free).
You don't say what 'expensive' is, but I'm guessing it is well over £100. A recent search showed it cost well over £100 from Netherlands to UK. The problem is that couriers, etc use linear measurements and bikes are long and tall.
If you are not bothered about the frame, then stripping and posting or couriering the components is probably your best bet. You may even be able to post the frame if completely stripped.
In my long history of 'getting bikes home', I knew an Irish woman who posted a complete bike from China to Ireland. The Chinese accepted the complete bike, but I don't imagine the Irish postal service were amused. A German guy completely stripped his bike and posted it home from NZ to Germany. Nowadays these exploits are probably not possible.
You don't say what 'expensive' is, but I'm guessing it is well over £100. A recent search showed it cost well over £100 from Netherlands to UK. The problem is that couriers, etc use linear measurements and bikes are long and tall.
If you are not bothered about the frame, then stripping and posting or couriering the components is probably your best bet. You may even be able to post the frame if completely stripped.
In my long history of 'getting bikes home', I knew an Irish woman who posted a complete bike from China to Ireland. The Chinese accepted the complete bike, but I don't imagine the Irish postal service were amused. A German guy completely stripped his bike and posted it home from NZ to Germany. Nowadays these exploits are probably not possible.
Re: Shipping bike Canada to UK
Our son has just moved from Vancouver to Ireland. As part of his move he shipped a bag using Sendmybag.com, which seemed work well. They claim to be cheaper than taking stuff as baggage. I note they offer a bike shipping service too - https://www.sendmybag.com/bike-shipping - but have no personal experience.
If you take your bike as baggage double check the fees, etc. for the airline you are actually flying with. When Mrs H & I visited our son in 2019, we booked our tickets through Delta but actually flew on KLM aircraft. Delta's rules were your bike could be part of your luggage allowance so we paid for 2 lots of baggage (23kg a piece I think) & took 1 (shared) suitcase & a bike bag. That was OK going out but when checking in to fly back the KLM staff at vancouver insisted I needed a separate bike booking, so I'd paid for general baggage which I wasn't using & had to pay for the bike. I wasn't left with much choice as we were at the airport & I wanted to get my bike home.
If you take your bike as baggage double check the fees, etc. for the airline you are actually flying with. When Mrs H & I visited our son in 2019, we booked our tickets through Delta but actually flew on KLM aircraft. Delta's rules were your bike could be part of your luggage allowance so we paid for 2 lots of baggage (23kg a piece I think) & took 1 (shared) suitcase & a bike bag. That was OK going out but when checking in to fly back the KLM staff at vancouver insisted I needed a separate bike booking, so I'd paid for general baggage which I wasn't using & had to pay for the bike. I wasn't left with much choice as we were at the airport & I wanted to get my bike home.
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
Re: Shipping bike Canada to UK
This is really good information. Thanks for sharing it.
Re: Shipping bike Canada to UK
A mate brought his climbing gear home in a big blue barrel. Can't remeber the exacat price but it was only a few tens of quids. Will the frame go in such a thing? It took a month or two though
Re: Shipping bike Canada to UK
Thanks for the feedback
In answer to the query above expensive was over £300. The frame was less than that but the rest considerably more
Cheers all Bill
In answer to the query above expensive was over £300. The frame was less than that but the rest considerably more
Cheers all Bill
Re: Shipping bike Canada to UK
My family have moved a fair bit of furniture between the UK and South America as personal luggage on airlines. That would be high on my list of options. Of course for this trip you'd need to store the bike somewhere first.
Jonathan