Anyone purchased a bike case from the US

[Gurrie]

I am considering purchasing a bike case from the US online, but am getting
conflicting reports about what can and cannot be shipped via the mail
system.

The case I am considering is a Trico Ironcase which is 47 long x 10.5 wide x
30.5 high (inches) and is 31lb.
Even allowing for freight costs, Australian GST, currency exchange etc,
there are substantial savings to be had over purchasing locally.

It needs to be shipped to Melbourne Australia. Many people have reported
that they have been able to ship this very item via UPS and other carriers
without issue. The problem is that according to the UPS site, it exceeds
the maximum size restrictions.

Possibly UPS have tightened up their restrictions recently?

I have emailed UPS tp clarify, but while I am waiting for a reply I thought
I would post, asking others for details of recent experiences.

Any advice that can be provided is appreciated.

Regards,

Craig

 

[Tom Henderson]

"Gurrie" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
> I am considering purchasing a bike case from the US online, but am
> getting conflicting reports about what can and cannot be shipped via
> the mail system.
>
> The case I am considering is a Trico Ironcase which is 47 long x 10.5
> wide x 30.5 high (inches) and is 31lb.
> Even allowing for freight costs, Australian GST, currency exchange
> etc, there are substantial savings to be had over purchasing locally.
>
> It needs to be shipped to Melbourne Australia. Many people have
> reported that they have been able to ship this very item via UPS and
> other carriers without issue. The problem is that according to the
> UPS site, it exceeds the maximum size restrictions.
>
> Possibly UPS have tightened up their restrictions recently?
>
> I have emailed UPS tp clarify, but while I am waiting for a reply I
> thought I would post, asking others for details of recent experiences.
>
> Any advice that can be provided is appreciated.
>
> Regards,
>
> Craig
>
>
>

Wouldn't that be best answered by the company you're going to purchase
from? They can probably tell you immediately if they're able to ship to
Melbourne.

 

[Mark Cathcart]

We've had mixed experience trying to get bike boxes shipped around the world
by either Fed-ex or UPS. It may be different in this case since the package
is originating in the US, but trying to ship from here in the UK to the US,
or recently from the UK to NZ for the recent worlds, UPS were not interested
as many bike boxes were oversize, Fed-ex shipped my Scicon case but only
becuase the height/length/width was over size as the box is not a rectangle.

As always on this importing stuff, my advice is its mostly not worth the
money you save for things less than say 1000USD. If you have problems the
local dealer won't touch grey imports under guarantee, even if its a WW one.
Are you sure you don't have to pay additional import duty ? Here in the UK
you are required to pay import duty on packages then tax on the price +
duty. Now, the post office doesn't always collect the duty and tax... but
you can't depend on it.

Of course, if your were taking vacation in the US and bought the bike box
back with you, you can decide if you are going to declare it at customs for
duty.... you might chose to go through the green/nothing to pay channel and
they may not stop you.... buyer beware.

Have you tried making a deal with Cecil Walker Cycles ? They were more than
helpful last time I was in Melbourne and perhaps if they though yo were
serious about buying over the net might make a deal...

++Mark.

 

[John L]

I think you may be getting confused between UPS a courier company &
USPS the United States Postal Service.

UPS don't have any size restrictions to my knowledge, but charge like
wounded bulls. They will add every charge imaginable to the bill when
it arrives & won't hand the goods over till they're paid. A polite
term for them would be ripoff merchants.

USPS are much cheaper, but I believe the article is too large to be
shipped by them.. Have a look at this site http://ircalc.usps.gov/
it should give all the information you need.

John L.



On Fri, 2 Jan 2004 16:46:22 +1100, "Gurrie"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>I am considering purchasing a bike case from the US online, but am getting
>conflicting reports about what can and cannot be shipped via the mail
>system.
>
>The case I am considering is a Trico Ironcase which is 47 long x 10.5 wide x
>30.5 high (inches) and is 31lb.
>Even allowing for freight costs, Australian GST, currency exchange etc,
>there are substantial savings to be had over purchasing locally.
>
>It needs to be shipped to Melbourne Australia. Many people have reported
>that they have been able to ship this very item via UPS and other carriers
>without issue. The problem is that according to the UPS site, it exceeds
>the maximum size restrictions.
>
>Possibly UPS have tightened up their restrictions recently?
>
>I have emailed UPS tp clarify, but while I am waiting for a reply I thought
>I would post, asking others for details of recent experiences.
>
>Any advice that can be provided is appreciated.
>
>Regards,
>
>Craig
>

 

[Al User]

Do you mean UPS (United Parcel Service) or USPS (US Postal Service)?

UPS would classify your package as Oversize 2 (OS2)
Your length and girth is 129" and the weight is only 31 pounds.
They will ship but charge you for a dimensional weight of 70 pounds.
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/prepare/dim_weight.html
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/prepare/oversize.html#Oversize+2+Package+Conditions
( http://tinyurl.com/3f64k )

The USPS on the other hand, would not ship your package as their maximum
size allowance is 108" length and girth.
http://ircalc.usps.gov/speed.asp?Country=Australia&Pounds=31&Ounces=0&cmdSubmit=Continue&Contents=1
( http://tinyurl.com/2jx8j )

Al


Gurrie wrote:
> I am considering purchasing a bike case from the US online, but am getting
> conflicting reports about what can and cannot be shipped via the mail
> system.
>
> The case I am considering is a Trico Ironcase which is 47 long x 10.5 wide x
> 30.5 high (inches) and is 31lb.
> Even allowing for freight costs, Australian GST, currency exchange etc,
> there are substantial savings to be had over purchasing locally.
>
> It needs to be shipped to Melbourne Australia. Many people have reported
> that they have been able to ship this very item via UPS and other carriers
> without issue. The problem is that according to the UPS site, it exceeds
> the maximum size restrictions.
>
> Possibly UPS have tightened up their restrictions recently?
>
> I have emailed UPS tp clarify, but while I am waiting for a reply I thought
> I would post, asking others for details of recent experiences.
>
> Any advice that can be provided is appreciated.
>
> Regards,
>
> Craig
>
>

 

[Gurrie]

Thanks for your advice, but I have checked both UPS and USPS and both have
size restrictions that prevent me from using them.

As I am in no rush, a 5-6 week delivery via UPS would have been ok and fair
in terms of affordability, the only issue is that the box is a little too
big!

-Craig

"John L" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I think you may be getting confused between UPS a courier company &
> USPS the United States Postal Service.
>
> UPS don't have any size restrictions to my knowledge, but charge like
> wounded bulls. They will add every charge imaginable to the bill when
> it arrives & won't hand the goods over till they're paid. A polite
> term for them would be ripoff merchants.
>
> USPS are much cheaper, but I believe the article is too large to be
> shipped by them.. Have a look at this site http://ircalc.usps.gov/
> it should give all the information you need.
>
> John L.
>
>
>
> On Fri, 2 Jan 2004 16:46:22 +1100, "Gurrie"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >
> >I am considering purchasing a bike case from the US online, but am
getting
> >conflicting reports about what can and cannot be shipped via the mail
> >system.
> >
> >The case I am considering is a Trico Ironcase which is 47 long x 10.5
wide x
> >30.5 high (inches) and is 31lb.
> >Even allowing for freight costs, Australian GST, currency exchange etc,
> >there are substantial savings to be had over purchasing locally.
> >
> >It needs to be shipped to Melbourne Australia. Many people have reported
> >that they have been able to ship this very item via UPS and other
carriers
> >without issue. The problem is that according to the UPS site, it exceeds
> >the maximum size restrictions.
> >
> >Possibly UPS have tightened up their restrictions recently?
> >
> >I have emailed UPS tp clarify, but while I am waiting for a reply I
thought
> >I would post, asking others for details of recent experiences.
> >
> >Any advice that can be provided is appreciated.
> >
> >Regards,
> >
> >Craig
> >
>

 

[John L]

Craig,

As I mentioned earlier be careful if you deal with UPS. The shipping
charge quoted by the shipper will not include all the "extras" that
UPS will add on this end. It could end up costing double or more than
the original quoted shipping price.

John L.

On Sat, 3 Jan 2004 16:55:21 +1100, "Gurrie"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Thanks for your advice, but I have checked both UPS and USPS and both have
>size restrictions that prevent me from using them.
>
>As I am in no rush, a 5-6 week delivery via UPS would have been ok and fair
>in terms of affordability, the only issue is that the box is a little too
>big!
>
>-Craig
>