Shipping MtnBike from US to Australia

[th_boone]

Howdy everyone - hoping to solicit some help and words of wisdom. Have a kind transaction I am trying to work out with a Forumite that will have my shipping a 29er to Australia. 29er just doesn't fit in a road bike box (53x6x30), whereas it really needs to be in a mtn bike box (59x9x33). The trouble is that FedEx, UPS, and BikeFlights (fedEx) just isn't liking those mtn bike box dimensions.

We could split it up into a frame box and wheel box, but still gets the cost up.

Any ideas??

Thanks in advance!
Todd

[54ny77]

It's brutal cost, that's all I know. Shipped a frame there several years ago and it was something like a few hundred bucks. Can't imagine it's any better today.

Are you using DHL or similar commercial freight service? Or USPS? Those were the cheapest back then. Fuhgettabout UPS or FedEx.

Howdy everyone - hoping to solicit some help and words of wisdom. Have a kind transaction I am trying to work out with a Forumite that will have my shipping a 29er to Australia. 29er just doesn't fit in a road bike box (53x6x30), whereas it really needs to be in a mtn bike box (59x9x33). The trouble is that FedEx, UPS, and BikeFlights (fedEx) just isn't liking those mtn bike box dimensions.

We could split it up into a frame box and wheel box, but still gets the cost up.

Any ideas??

Thanks in advance!
Todd

[th_boone]

I tried USPS but it kept rejecting any parcel close to that size, even a standard bike box. I'll try DHL, didn't think of that one. FedEx via BikeFlights isn't "horrible" for a road bike, just this mountain bike conundrum is the real deal. It just a tad too large to ship international per their metrics.

[ultraman6970]

U are better getting a new bike and then selling it or something.

By experience a friend from chile bought a downhill bike, had to send it by sea, the only way to get shipping to a descent price. And had to put the darn bike like in 3 boxes, never imagine a bike like that was so massively big.

Oh... there you have.... put the frame in one box with some stuff inside and put the wheels in another box and use bikeflights?

[sdrides]

Shipping mountain bikes internationally can get expensive! I had the same issue a few years ago with a DH bike I shipped to France. Depending on your carrier, the dimensional weight metric can hinge on an inch here or there so do some trial/error on the carriers website to calculate the biggest box dimension that you might possibly somehow get the bike down to, then get your box knife and packing tape out and do a custom box.

To make the bike shorter, I took the rear tire off, compressed the rear suspension, compressed the fork, took the front brake off and turned the fork around. You can also then pad the bike up, take out the rear axle and slide the wheel forward "in the frame" if you're really committed. You can BS the bottom of the box for a good inch or two with some distortion, print your own label, then in all likelihood they'll only measure the top if at all.

There's a trade off somewhere between a few hundred bucks and the pain of damaged goods. Pad it with sturdy materials (old MTB tires and zip ties).

[Plum Hill]

Have you checked with Bikeflights?

[th_boone]

Thanks!

I am going to go back to the Road Bike Box and see if I can tweak it a bit. That or modify my mtn bike box I have.

Was thinking of also taking rear wheel off and 'pushing' it up into the chain stay, securing it solidly. It's the only way to reduce the length.

Worth a shot - as seems the next cheapest option is to split into two boxes (wheel box and frame box) but that pushes the price from $455 to about $750+, FYI.

I too think they are not going to measure it too closely once a label is printed. In my experience, sometimes the bikes that are packed more tightly have less damage than those more loose in giant boxes where things can shift around.

BikeFlights was super quick to respond to my inquiry earlier this week and quickly said "NO" to a mtn bike box internationally due to shipping limits. They suggested splitting into two boxes.

[chrismoustache]

I was going through a similar scenario a bit ago. I decided on not trying to tetris everything into the same box and shipped the wheels in a separate box.

Made things so much more manageable.

[bikser]

It may be a customs regulation there regarding size. Unless DHL can do it or some freight company I don't see how you could ship a bike with small enough dimensions. I sold a MTB full suspension frame to Malaysia or Singapore years back. I had to completely take apart the frame and then keep cutting the box down. Took me hours. Regretted the sale, but it arrived safely.

[FriarQuade]

It might be more cost effective to fly to AUS with the bike, just a thought. I've always wanted to go there.

[christian]

Find an acquaintance who flies to Australia for business. Buy them a few bottles of Glenlivet 18.

[th_boone]

The Glenlivet would be a great option - rather put the coin into that rather than fees/shipping !

Looks like we got this one worked out, it is sneaking into a road bike box and going to Australia next week. Happy Forumites x2.

[Russity]

I'll soon be the new owner of said MTB and I'd like to say a big thanks to th_boone for all his efforts in getting this done.

I have had similar problems sending bikes/frames the other way and it can sometimes seem easier to place it all in the "too hard" basket and move right along. That didn't happen in this instance, so I am grateful we could find a solution that worked.

Forumites are the best.