Packaging big ole Schwinn cruiser for shipping?

[Jeff Potter]

So is there a commonly used approach for shipping big ole cruisers via
UPS?

With racing bikes you can box em so they squeak under the big price
jump, but a big ole cruiser misses it by a mile.

I've been studying the UPS rate chart and it looks like you get kinda
shafted when shipping big boxes.

I note that a 50x12x24 box ships for about $25, while a 55x12x24 goes
for $90. Or something like that. --Right around a box size for a small
bike you get a HUGE price jump.

It looks like anyone trying to ship an old Schwinn Typhoon or Wasp
will pay the $90.

BUT! What about sending TWO boxes? Does anyone do that? It looks like
I could send the frame in one box and the wheels, etc., in another and
pay about $20 each = $40.

--JP
outyourbackdoor.com

 

[Matt O'Toole]

Jeff Potter wrote:

> So is there a commonly used approach for shipping big ole cruisers via
> UPS?
>
> With racing bikes you can box em so they squeak under the big price
> jump, but a big ole cruiser misses it by a mile.
>
> I've been studying the UPS rate chart and it looks like you get kinda
> shafted when shipping big boxes.
>
> I note that a 50x12x24 box ships for about $25, while a 55x12x24 goes
> for $90. Or something like that. --Right around a box size for a small
> bike you get a HUGE price jump.
>
> It looks like anyone trying to ship an old Schwinn Typhoon or Wasp
> will pay the $90.
>
> BUT! What about sending TWO boxes? Does anyone do that? It looks like
> I could send the frame in one box and the wheels, etc., in another and
> pay about $20 each = $40.

Yes, this is done often. You might also try pulling the fork out, and doing
whatever else you can to make the package smaller, if that's feasible
(considering your recipient).

However, you might want to look into Fedex Ground. I've found it considerably
cheaper for bikes than UPS -- even if you already have a UPS account.

Matt O.