Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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danfoto
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by danfoto »

hemo wrote: 14 Nov 2022, 8:01pm I used the services of Interparcel to send a hub motor to the midlands ...
I'm pleased that worked for you, but I need to send an ebike to Northern Ireland. And Interparcel won't do it.
Jupestar
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by Jupestar »

Are you trying to do this without dismantling the bike? I think that will be very hard.
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willcee
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by willcee »

I have in the past done many many machines from Ulster to all parts of the Uk sorry Great Britain from the Scottish isles to Jersey, AND ALL points in between.. as far as i know Parcelforce are handling heavier stuff these days and ime its best to pack the machine in a proper touring bike or Ebike carton and be overprotective when removing wheels making sure that the wheel dropouts are blocked with protectors or wood screw in with washers or just a pair of thru axles if its that type is on the machine what youre doing is prevention of crush..
they PF.brought me a full mx5 mohair navy hood and frame recently in early spring, and a full carpets set for same in a huge box the hood weighed more than my E bike and was as long.. best to get yourself to a parcelforce depot speak with them have sizes pics and weight to hand and and speak directly, post offices and the interweb collection vans aren't the best way to do biz.. will
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Vetus Ossa
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by Vetus Ossa »

As said elsewhere, most busy bike shops that sell a lot of bikes have more cardboard box's than they know what to do with, and will be only too glad to give you a box.
I sold a bike last week and shipped it using Paisley Freight. They collected my boxed bike at 5pm from me one day and delivered it at 9:30am the next day.
It cost the buyer £44 I think including insurance to the value of the bike.
Beauty will save the world.
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danfoto
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by danfoto »

To clarify, it is a big ebike. The only dismantling I am prepared to do is removal of front wheel and pedals and rotation of bars. In that state, the minimum internal length of box needed is 160cm. That, coupled with a gross weight of around 30kg, seems to rule out all the "known quantity" carriers, including Paisley Freight, DHL, UPS and Parcelfarce.

I have done what I can to assist the prospective buyer, so AFAIC it is now for him to arrange shipping. Thank you for all the suggestions.
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cycleruk
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by cycleruk »

Knowing now it is an E-bike. Does it have a Lithium battery ?
If so it could need special paperwork for its transportation. Weight/size of the battery I think may have some affect on this.?
I would suggest doing a google search to check this out.
You'll never know if you don't try it.
thirdcrank
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by thirdcrank »

More generally, shipping ebikes is likely to become a recurring topic.

Higher up, before it became clear this was an ebike, it was wisely suggested that an LBS would be the place to source packing materials like a bike-sized cardboard box and the plastic bits they put in the fork ends / dropouts to minimise crushing etc.

My experience of ebikes is zilch. I've just checked and I see that my own LBS (where I've not been for a while since I started clearing my bike stuff rather than buying more) stocks a range of ebikes. In the unlikely event that I needed to ship an ebike, I'd be down to Sowerby Brothers in Mirfield for expert help and guidance. ie Their stock must arrive somehow, even if some of their orders are delivered from distributor to customer.

There must be similar outfits elsewhere, although I appreciate their numbers are dwindling.

https://sowerbybroscycles.co.uk/index.aspx

(No connection other than as a very satisfied customer.)
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danfoto
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by danfoto »

thirdcrank wrote: 15 Nov 2022, 10:30am ... My experience of ebikes is zilch ...
Many ebikes are nowadays much the same as ordinary bikes, and would therefore fit in a normal bike box. This one however is a bit special (see viewtopic.php?t=153872) and it needs a bigger box. That seems to be the major stumbling-block.

Several other folk have suggested consulting a local bike shop, but alas the nearest one is 8 miles away, and the last time I ventured through its hallowed portals I was immediately seen to be not a roadie and therefore not really worthy of their kind attention. Things may well have improved since then, but I do not have a motor car and even if I did acquire a bike box, I doubt that the driver would allow me on the bus back home with it. Acquiring a box is not an issue though: even Amazon sell them. The problem is simply the shipping to Norn Iron.

ETA - Ref the battery, if it's securely fitted to the bike, it becomes part of it AFAIK. That seems to be a different proposition to shipping the battery on its own, but I would suggest the mater is something for its own thread.
thirdcrank
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by thirdcrank »

danfoto

It's up to you, of course, but I hope that you are not only successful but that either way you will post with the outcome. I'm thinking here of the next poster wanting advice on shipping an ebike (not necessarily to NI)
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danfoto
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by danfoto »

thirdcrank wrote: 15 Nov 2022, 2:33pm ... I hope that you ... will post with the outcome ...
No sooner said than done, sir. Message just in to say that the prospective buyer is no longer interested ... :roll:
thirdcrank
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by thirdcrank »

I'm sorry to hear your sale has fallen through and even more sorry if you felt I was being bossy.

I'll neb out
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danfoto
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by danfoto »

thirdcrank wrote: 15 Nov 2022, 2:49pm I'm sorry to hear your sale has fallen through and even more sorry if you felt I was being bossy.
Can't for the life of me imagine why I might have thought that, so kindly disabuse yourself of that notion forthwith :)
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willcee
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by willcee »

I am sorry for the situation you find yourself in, I would be concerned that you aren't either prepared or have either a lack of skill or space to dismantle further than a front wheel , not forgetting the guard as it needs off too and that you are relying on comments from DISSED users who only tell half the story, the half that they can play to their own advantage or not.. in 25 years using Parcelforce for bike stuff, USUALLY full cycles both ways, Car stuff one way i have had 2 issues both caused by the toes of a fork by PF when they say they don't use 'em, took 5 months of wrangling for a paint job on a newish Whyte but i prevailed.
.The other thing that gets me and its not just on here, but anyone who puts an article for sale in the open market eg on Here, Gumtree F/B Marketplace must think that everyone lives a few mile down or up the road or street from them.. if they don't want to post or cannot get to a post place or are working f/time or like yourself have limited access to motor transport, who don't wish or cannot physically make the parcel smaller, would be sensible to say so in very CLEAR TERMS on the advert, So that neither person is offended or hassled or looking froward to a sale thats not ever happening ..I had this on here recently... Rant over , NO Disrespect ever Intended...will
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willcee
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by willcee »

By the way, just had a looksee at your machine ,take front wheel out, and the Quill stem removed totally then loosen the bars where they go thru the stem, tie them wrapped in bubble stuff to the area on the down tube and protect the battery , if the cable have enough give turn the forks after removal of the guard and you have saved around 100mm / 4 inches in overall length, tie that steady ....by the way that highly likely the way its in its original Gazelle box.. during 2018 over 3 weeks in the spring summer I built up maybe 40 E bikes either hybrids or 29mtbs for a touring operation that i consult with Over here.. will
Dingdong
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Re: Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

Post by Dingdong »

Jupestar wrote: 14 Nov 2022, 9:46pm Are you trying to do this without dismantling the bike? I think that will be very hard.
If you can take the wheels of and turn the bars, it should compact to less than 100cm length. This is sufficient for DPDb parcels. Good prices for UK shipping
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