How to ship wheels?

[daylate$short]

I was going to put a pair of used wheels up for sale on the 'bay so stopped at a LBS and picked up a couple of wheel boxes. I checked the shipping cost at USPS, UPS and FedEx. 2- 27x28x7" boxes (strapped together so shipped as one.) ~ 8 lbs. Price ranged from $65 to over $100 to ship from here to the left coast (figuring worst case). Holy crap! I might as well sell them local on C.L. for $75. I see other people charging $20 to $35 for shipping a pair of wheels on ebay and I don't think the mailorder places are charging $50. What am I doing wrong?

[Wilkinson4]

I have screwed myself a few times underestimating shipping on wheels so maybe here or CL would be better.

mIKE

[thegunner]

gotta dimension your boxes just perfectly. a perfect square with a 7" cross section is ideal... OR the alternative is to leave it up to USPS parcel (you can get away with <$30 shipping that way). I don't recommend the latter if you have a weak heart...

[tfunkin]

I don't recommend the latter if you have a weak heart...

Ahh, but they come through in the end. :)

[dogdriver]

DayLate: See if either your LBS or someone with a UPS account will ship them for you-- ought to be about half of what you're looking at now.

[bigmatt]

The dimensions you list sounds like a normal wheel box if they are square. You should be able to get a pair of wheels into them without any trouble. Sign up for your own Fed Ex account. You will get discounts on shipping. I almost always use Fed Ex ground when shipping bigger heavier items (wheels, frames, or complete bikes). I used your dimensions of a single wheel box and weight using my own Fed Ex account and shipping to San Francisco would be $37.51.

Or what are the wheels? I am not to far away maybe I could use them.

[cmg]

use a 27" x 28" x7" or 8" wide box, place wheels diagonally in the box, drive hub on the inside of front wheel. Cut 2 spacers with slots for top and bottom that will hold rims in place. $41.13 FEDEX ($99 declared value, above that raises the cost) from San antonio to New york as an example.

[thegunner]

Ahh, but they come through in the end. :)

hope you enjoyed my class notes as added filler :p

[rugbysecondrow]

I alway ship my large parcels fed ex, smaller items USPS. Cheaper, more reliable and no damage incidents the far.

[rickbb]

I've had good luck shipping USPS, following the sound packing advice given above. You may need to cut a standard wheel box down a bit (it's easy) to accommodate their formula, girth + long dimension </= 108" to get the low rate.

[beer_meister]

Or what are the wheels? I am not to far away maybe I could use them.


Dayum Matthew, according to the pics here:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=84018&page=7&pp=15

you already got a basement chock fullah wheels and yer wantin' more??

Bad boy !!

[John M]

I recently shipped single wheels by FedEx from Seattle to NJ in 27 x 27 x 5 inch boxes for approximately $15 each. A 8 inches deep, that would move them into the next dimensional category of about $37 each, I think, but you should be able to get 2 wheels into an 8 inch box.

[bigmatt]

Dayum Matthew, according to the pics here:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=84018&page=7&pp=15

you already got a basement chock fullah wheels and yer wantin' more??

Bad boy !!

N+1 applies to wheels right. None of those hanging around are 700c geared wheels though. If I have a wheel problem with a geared bike I have to steal wheels from another bike to be able to ride it.

[daylate$short]

Thanks all. I just had to spend more time on each website experimenting with numbers - they don't make the rate rules very obvious.

Looks like USPS charges 20 lbs for any box over 84" L x Girth so still can get pricey.

Little changes make big differences:
UPS 48302 to 90012 8 lbs 28 x 27 x 7 $47 :crap:
UPS 48302 to 90012 8 lbs 27 x 27 x 7 $17 :banana:

I was able to fit both wheels in 1 7" wide box, but will have to cut down 1 side to make the length 27" or go shopping for a more "UPS friendly" box at my LBS.

[rice rocket]

I echo what rugby says.

I used to buy/sell race tires pretty often (for cars), for 30+ lbs, large diameter/width stuff, FedEx has always been the cheapest. I hope your wheels are 30 lbs... :P