What's your preferred method to move bikes cross country?

[cribbit]

https://i.imgur.com/mmx18Lc.png

Got a lot of packing material to put in but fingers crossed on this one...

Alaska Airlines has no oversize or overweight fees for sports equipment, including bicycles & bike parts, and free checked baggage with frequent flier or credit card. I've done trips like this several times now with no issue, but none with this big a chunk of the stable at once. It's been a great way to move stuff - more worried about TSA mis-packing than Alaska bag handlers.

[zmudshark]

Zip tie more pipe insulation to the tubes. Anything that moves will get damaged, anything that rubs will get damaged.

Secure everything so that even TSA can't mess it up. Put multiple large font notes in in case the do try to muck it up by taking it apart.

I would look for big sheets of poly to put between the frames. Nothing should touch without padding. Movement is what damages things. If it can't move, it can't get damaged easily.

[C40_guy]

If you're going to ship by air, look carefully into the loss coverage offered by the airlines. It's usually pretty limited.

I've opted to ship many times by Fedex Ground, where I can insure to a specific value and have received exactly that, with no issues, the one time something arrived damaged.

[Blue Jays]

Agreed on the notion of more pipe insulation throughout.
Tom Kellogg is no longer available to refinish the Spectrum!
Good luck with the upcoming journey.

[zmudshark]

You cannot over protect. Take it from a long retired UPS driver. If I had access to a foam machine, that's how I would ship it, foamed into the case. Don't let TSA touch it. At least FDX/UPS won't open it up and intentionally mess with it.

If you have a nearby factory that ships high end machine parts, they may foam it for less than you would think.

[dave thompson]

An excellent way to prevent bikes moving around in a box is the judicious use of pool noodles, both slit and installed on the appropriate tubes (as you would use pipe insulation) and as distancers to prevent the box from being crushed.

I sent a full bike to an Ironman event in South Africa and back with no damage and 3 fully equipped touring bikes from Washington State to Virginia successfully. (The bikes were ridden back to Washington)

I love pool noodles for frame/bike packaging and always have a supply handy.

[Willy]

What about riding it?:banana::banana::banana:

[zmalwo]

A well-constructed cardboard box from a retail bike box with dermal is a pretty convenient and efficient way for me. Hard cases are just too big and bulky.

[FlashUNC]

I had a shop pack mine individually and load those boxes in a UPack when we moved cross country. Everything arrived in great shape.

[cribbit]

Thanks for the tips!

My experience is that Fedex/UPS will randomly put large boxes flat on their side and then crush them. I don't trust them at all. Hard to reinforce a cardboard box against that.

I'm looking into the starter pistol trick. I'm far more worried about TSA mis-packing this than baggage handling. Apparently packing a starter pistol means TSA inspects it with you right there, then you lock it - and can lock it with non-TSA locks.

Currently zip tying foam to the bottom bracket and base of headtube, have a layer of bubble wrap on the bottom, and will solid pack foam/bubble wrap between the frames.

[C40_guy]

What about riding it?:banana::banana::banana:

!^^^^^!

That!

[C40_guy]

Thanks for the tips!

My experience is that Fedex/UPS will randomly put large boxes flat on their side and then crush them. I don't trust them at all. Hard to reinforce a cardboard box against that.

If you're shipping Fedex Ground, you're paying for volume rather than weight. Use that to your advantage and build a crushproof box.

Most of my bike shipping was done using a Trico IronCase, so I wasn't overly worried about crushing...

[charliedid]

What about riding it?:banana::banana::banana:

Beat me to it. :)

[tctyres]

^+1 to packing securely

Also, cut some cheap wood at 100/130mm. Insert the wood in the dropouts and screw them in with wood screws to support the frame and fork.

[thirdgenbird]

^+1 to packing securely

Also, cut some cheap wood at 100/130mm. Insert the wood in the dropouts and screw them in with wood screws to support the frame and fork.

Looks like he needs 100/120/135 :)

[cribbit]

^+1 to packing securely

Also, cut some cheap wood at 100/130mm. Insert the wood in the dropouts and screw them in with wood screws to support the frame and fork.

I put hubs in the the drops of everything.

[R3awak3n]

Looks like he needs 100/120/135 :)

TA bike it seems so 142 :)

[lavi]

Ship ahead with bikeflights. No TSA dudes involved.

[tumbler]

I had a shop pack mine individually and load those boxes in a UPack when we moved cross country. Everything arrived in great shape.

I had a shop pack mine, and then used BikeFlights to ship them to an especially kind Paceliner (FlashUNC) who held them for me until I arrived on the other side. Thanks again for that!

If you have someone to receive them, shipping ahead of time is going to be a lot less stressful than worrying about what the airline and/or TSA will do (vs. what their website says they will do). And if you do ship, I highly recommend BikeFlights. Very cheap and easy to use.