Costs to ship frameset in conus - UPS vs. Fedex ground

[smead]

Have a standard size frameset box, and am getting some reasonable quotes online from UPS shipping cross country (around $30 for ground). But my fedex quotes are 2-3 times higher? Is UPS the way to go these days with respect to reasonable shipping costs? I'm shipping a frameset that I sold for $120 shipped so I sure as hell don't want to pay close to that to ship :crap:

Thanks, Steve

[BumbleBeeDave]

Go to the search function and do a search for all threads with the word "shipping" or "fedex" in the thread title and you will find quite a bit of discussion of this in the recent past.

BBD

[Spin71]

What can Brown break for you...

[pdmtong]

I asked the same question. consensus was to use fedex if you want the frame to arrive undamaged.

Counterpoint...Sacha used UPS for my bike.

[thwart]

You'd be lucky to ship a wheelset cross country for $30. Figure 2-3 times that for a bike box. I've had better luck with FedEx than UPS, but their prices are relatively competitive.

[rccardr]

Have shipped several framesets lately using Brown and was pleased with both the price and the way the box was handled during shipment.

Cut down a full sized box and overlap the panels for strength, brace it well internally, use appropriate packaging materials and good tape and you should be fine.

Cost was less than $30 for each frame.

[sokyroadie]

The key is to keep it at or under 108" L = Longest dim(Wx2+Hx2) if it is over that size the price skyrockets. Try USPS also.

Jeff

[Steve in SLO]

IIRC, there are also break points in price for longest side .

[wallymann]

ntnt

[oliver1850]

Last frame and complete bike I shipped were both quite a bit cheaper UPS. That's what I used. Both arrived safely. I think the frame did cost more than $40 to ship from IL to Boston with either service. I checked USPS, and it cost more than UPS for the size and weight of my box. I would check all three.

[maximus]

Ive used both. Sending and receiving.

I doubt one carrier "cares" more than the other. Pack it right and it should land OK.

Always get insurance.

[fogrider]

make sure you are using the Fedex GROUND form.

[David Kirk]

I ship by Fed Ex ground 98% of the time. Getting a frame from Bozeman to the east cost is about $65 and to the west coast it's about $45.

This includes insurance for the full new retail value. I also have a Fed Ex account which saves about 15% I'm told. Anyone can get an account.

I have very good luck with Fed Ex.

dave

[RFC]

The key is to keep it at or under 108" L = Longest dim(Wx2+Hx2) if it is over that size the price skyrockets. Try USPS also.

Jeff

USPS best deal I have found.

[smead]

Thought I'd close the loop here with what I ended up with shipping a 107" len+girth box from CA to FL. Fedex online showed ~$60, UPSP parcel post ended up being $26, but would have been about $70 if it exceeded the magical 108". Did not get a clear idea of UPS online, but suspect it would have been closer to the USPS rate I received.

Steve

[4Rings6Stars]

Thought I'd close the loop here with what I ended up with shipping a 107" len+girth box from CA to FL. Fedex online showed ~$60, UPSP parcel post ended up being $26, but would have been about $70 if it exceeded the magical 108". Did not get a clear idea of UPS online, but suspect it would have been closer to the USPS rate I received.

Steve

I wish you shipped my frame!

I just had a 52cm frame/fork shipped to me UPS from Sacramento, he told me he cut down the box as small as he could get it and it cost $93.... I was expecting 40-50. I'll check the dimensions tonight and see why it was so much.

[dave thompson]

There are more than 1 chart for shipping charges. The least expensive way is for you to have a FedEx or UPS account, arrange and pay the shipping through their respective website and merely drop off your box at a designated location. The most expensive way to ship the same box is to go to one of the UPS stores or FedEx Kinkos and have them arrange the shipping.

If you want to check out exactly how much it will cost to ship a box, go to FedEx.com and use their 'create a shipment' page.

If you are shipping merely a frameset, most likely you are using a box that is too large. It is monetarily beneficial to you to cut the box down to an appropriate size. To see how, use the above mentioned 'create a shipment' feature and when it comes to filling out the dimensions of the box, reduce the length dimension one inch at a time and see where the price break is. I think you'll be surprised to see how much the cost can be reduced by using a correctly sized box.

I cannot imagine a frame in an appropriately sized box costing anywhere near $93 shipped from coast to coast using a FedEx or UPS account. I've shipped a large frameset from Washington State to Vermont for well under $60. An account costs nothing and can save you quite a bit of money the first time you use it. If you purchase something, you can set up the shipment from the seller to you, using your account, and you control the costs and conditions of the shipment.

I use FedEx exclusively now, ever since UPS tried to charge me a lot of money for re-importing a couple of Serottas from England. The UPS incident was traumatic to say the least. FedEx has been smooth like buttah!

[harryblack]

This is correct-- shipping a frame parcel post + insurance + delivery confirmation in a cut down bike box shouldn't be more than $30 and that's with generous packing materials (tho' I don't know about the imminent rate increases).

USPS best deal I have found.

[Volant]

I just recently shipped a frame from east coast to west coast via USPS Priority and it cost $24.83! It arrived in 3 days and the recipient said it was perfect.
It was a little weird taking that large of a box to the Post Office. But, it went smooth and no regrets. I'd use them again!

[nm87710]

i just recently shipped a frame from east coast to west coast via usps priority and it cost $24.83! It arrived in 3 days and the recipient said it was perfect.
It was a little weird taking that large of a box to the post office. But, it went smooth and no regrets. I'd use them again!

+1

[victoryfactory]

Remember that insurance costs .80 per $100 of value
so a $3000. frame is $24. just for the insurance!
A declared value of >$1000 triggers a high value item
report in the UPS system which may or may not mean they
will watch it more closely.
as stated above, the key is <108" length plus girth
UPS hates big boxes, they get stuck in the automated machinery.
That's what leads to the high percent of bikes that get
crushed IMO (along with insufficient packing)

VF

[Gummee]

Last frame I shipped was NoVA to NM. Sixty some odd $$ via Priority Mail. Lots less via Parcel Post (forget how much). Didn't hear any complaints so the frame must've made it there OK.

M

[Fixed]

ordered winter boots from rockport shipped fedx
fedx hangs the box on my gate in a bag on a busy street with a lot of foot traffic , i go look for it, not there... stolen
fedx says tough ***** rockport was better reshipped it
this time i will pick up from fedx
cheers

[nannon]

Usps is the cheapest way to ship a frame.

[bargainguy]

I've used www.shipbikes.com a few times now, and they're generally cheaper than anywhere else I can find.

Shipbikes is essentially the corporate account of Lickton's in Oak Park, IL. You can do the whole transaction online and then print out shipping labels -- even the return trip! - and pay with credit card. They use FedEx.

For buying a bike across the country on CL where I wanted it to return safely and the seller didn't have much experience packing for shipment, I sent them a (now discontinued) Colorado Cyclist clamshell plastic box, had the shipping label for the return trip inside, and all they had to do is minimal disassembly to pack and call FedEx for a next day pickup.

I have yet another bike arriving in a week with shipbikes. If anything goes wrong, I'll post back.

Disclaimer: I have no ties to Lickton's, shipbikes or anything else here.

Don

[shortribs]

I have yet another bike arriving in a week with shipbikes. If anything goes wrong, I'll post back.

Don

In June I took delivery of a beautiful machine (sold to me by a fellow forumite). The bicycle was boxed within an AirCaddy and delivered through shipbikes, which in turn employed FedEx... I suppose in an ideal world it would've been as seamless as FedEx transactions sometimes are, but in this case, the frame did sustain some damage.

Long story short, while the eventual FedEx claims process was drawn out, the folks from shipbikes were incredibly helpful through the process, responding with prompt telephone calls and emails when required. I would not hesitate to use them again.

As for the bike: local builder Johnny Coast here in Brooklyn did a stellar job getting things right, so positive experiences all around.

[lavi]

ntnt

This dude knows how to pack and ship a bike! Thanks again bro.

#uspsischeapestneverhadaproblem

[rounder]

Shipping stuff can be expensive. Depends on how you do it.

For example, I left my cell phone in MD the other night and shipped it overnight to SC by FedEx. It cost $100.