Courier to ship a bike from Sussex to Belfast?

[danfoto]

Can anybody recommend a reliable courier service to deliver a bike from Sussex to Belfast? Never having shipped a bike by courier before, I'd also appreciate any handy hints and perhaps some idea of pitfalls to avoid.

Also, anybody know if the bike boxes that Amazon flogs are any good?

[mumbojumbo]

Scrounge box from Halfords and send by Parcelforce who collect from your door.

[delilah]

I've used these in the past and was very satisfied with their service. You should be able to source a cardboard box from your lbs although in the past Halfords have always been happy to let me have one.
https://www.paisleyfreight.com/bike-courier

[cycleruk]

Sorry I'm not sure who I used but I think I booked through "Parcel to Go". :- https://www.parcel2go.com/?cq_src=googl ... i1EALw_wcB
Fill in the dimensions and weight and they offer various quotes.
Consider insurance just in case.

I got a box from my LBS and packed it myself.
Easy to do such as putting a piece of wood between the fork and rear dropouts to stop them being squashed. Either turn or remove the bars, pedals and anything else.
If you leave the chainwheel on, then something to protect the teeth, but that will make the box higher.
Wheels strapped either side of frame and remove remove the skewers. Put the skewers in bag taped to frame.
Sponge, cardboard etc' for padding, but keep the weight down, and use strong tape for boxing up.
I cut a couple slits in the box to make it easy handle if there aren't any in it already. ( cut the slits hand width and height. But just do 3 cuts, bottom and 2 sides, and then bend the flap up inside.

[danfoto]

Thanks very much for the link to Paisleyfreight which certainly warrants investigation. I'd considered ordinary parcels carriers but I 'd feel happier using a specialist courier, Or maybe DHL. I certainly wouldn't trust Parcelfarce with a complete bike.

[rjb]

Don't fall into the trap I set myself. Drove to local bike shop in town 20 mile round trip to collect a bike box for a bike I was posting having sold it on this forum. Even the smallest box was too large to fit in my car, a Hyundai i10
I had to fold the box up to get it in destroying it's rigidity in the process. Never again. I sell bikes by collection only nowadays. Life's too short to put up with the hassle of posting.

[danfoto]

... Life's too short to put up with the hassle of posting.

True, and especially at my age. But needs must: I have a bike to sell urgently that is suited only to a discerning minority of riders, I need both the space and the money, and the only interested party is in Belfast ...

[audaxjk]

I think cycleruk's advice is very sensible and more important then the type of courier. I've used paisleyfreight and parcelforce in the past with no issues. If you get a used cardboard bike box from your your LBS and securely package the bike (especially protecting the front fork and rear dropout gaps from compressive force) I don't think that a cycle specific courier (if one does exist) will offer much more, particularly if you insure the parcel for the full value of the bike.

[danfoto]

I think cycleruk's advice is very sensible and more important then the type of courier.

Indeed, but the problem I have is that this is a large, heavy ebiike which requires a very large box even with the front wheel removed. Paisleyfreight won't ship a box big enough, and neither will DHL if I deal direct - but it seems that they will if they carry it on behalf of Sendbike.com! And a possible problem there is the very mixed reviews ...

ETA - Box size/weight is over the limit for Parcel2go

[Jupestar]

two packages? I used parcelforce in the past.

People say posting a hassle, but personally i'd rather post than organise collection. Parcelforce pick up, and i work from home every Thursday.

[danfoto]

two packages?

... and the problem there would be packaging two wheels (and probably their mudguards), plus splitting it into two would make the shipping to Belfast considerably more expensive than it already is ...

[audaxjk]

I think cycleruk's advice is very sensible and more important then the type of courier.

Indeed, but the problem I have is that this is a large, heavy ebiike which requires a very large box even with the front wheel removed. Paisleyfreight won't ship a box big enough, and neither will DHL if I deal direct - but it seems that they will if they carry it on behalf of Sendbike.com! And a possible problem there is the very mixed reviews ...

ETA - Box size/weight is over the limit for Parcel2go

That’s stumped me a bit! Never posted an E-bike. You may also have issues declaring the battery as a potential hazard. If no one here can offer definite advice, ring around your local bike shops and ask them for advice. Years ago, my friend did this (for a non e-bike) and our local shop offered to allow him to use their courier service to post his bike at their cost price as long as he packaged it all up.
It did cross my mind that if you want an adventure & have time on your hands - ride it over to NI !

[danfoto]

... You may also have issues declaring the battery as a potential hazard ...

Ah, that bit's easy. Buyer arranges and pays for courier

[hemo]

Lock the battery to the bike and make sure it is nicely protected and secured, bubble wrap (plenty of ) and some strapping.
The battery on it's own represents just that a singular battery, with the bike it isn't just any old battery but an integral component part of an electrical system.

[hemo]

I used the services of Interparcel to send a hub motor to the midlands, one can input all necessary details to find which courier from a selection to use and ones that wil deliver to N.I.
My package was collected at the door at 4pm and was at the recipients destination by 11am the next morning.