Best way to ship frame to Canada.

[bicycletricycle]

I'm in New England , whats the best way to ship a frame to Canada? I know it is a big place but any ideas on cost?

Thanks

[cadence90]

I would look at BikeFlights first. Getting an exact quote (if you have the destination) takes about 20 seconds.
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[ultraman6970]

USPS? do they have size restrictions?

[GregL]

I sold a frameset to a fellow forum member earlier this year and shipped to Canada by FedEx Ground. Price was reasonable and the FedEx website was easy to navigate for the export documentation.

Greg

[cadence90]

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

USPS? do they have size restrictions?

Yes. Length plus girth cannot exceed 108". A typical frame box (42" x 8" (x2) x 28" (x2)) = 114".
I know you always say cut boxes down, etc.; in any case 108" is the max.

Originally Posted by GregL

I sold a frameset to a fellow forum member earlier this year and shipped to Canada by FedEx Ground. Price was reasonable and the FedEx website was easy to navigate for the export documentation.

Greg

BikeFlights uses FedEx as the courier, and every single time that I have compared BikeFlights rates to FedEx rates on the FedEx website, from Los Angeles to USA, Canada, Italy, England, and Singapore, BikeFlights has been the nest price by a significant (~$175/$200 less to the further destinations) amount.

Extremely easy website navigation as well; fast shipping; great customer service.
For me now BF is a no-brainer.

Just for the heck of it, for bicycletricycle, BF cheapest rate to ship a frame box to a cross-country Canadian destination:

BIKEFLIGHTS

Providence RI, 02903 United States to Vancouver BC, V6Z 2H7 Canada
$94.95
6 BUSINESS DAYS
DELIVERS Thu Dec 21, 2017 by end of day
MOVED BY: FedEx Ground

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[m_sasso]

The least expensive method is ship it to a BikeFlight/Fedex office or postal outlet in US border city close to the buyer.

Let the buyer cross the border pick it up frame and transport the frame across the border themselves. Can save the buyer dollars in brokerage fees, shipping costs and taxes.

I do it almost weekly with many parts, wheels, frames, etc. I purchase here on the Paceline, Ebay, Amazon, …..etc.

Not possible because of the buyers location, BikeFlight it to a Fedex outlet in Canada, however the cost is going to reflect/include a brokerage fee, Canadian GST and PST taxes.

Still not going to work, most expensive shipping, BikeFlight it to the buyers residential location and the cost is going to reflect/include a brokerage fee, Canadian GST and PST taxes.

[cadence90]

Originally Posted by m_sasso

The least expensive method is ship it to a BikeFlight/Fedex office or postal outlet in US border city close to the buyer.

SNIP

Correct.

If in the BikeFlights scenario I posted above in #5 the shipment is from Providence, R.I. to Bellingham, WA (so near Vancouver, but all in the USA) the rate for a frame/fork drops from $94.95 to $40.95.
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[m_sasso]

Originally Posted by cadence90

If in the BikeFlights scenario I posted above in #5 the shipment is from Providence, R.I. to Bellingham, WA (so near Vancouver, but all in the USA) the rate for a frame/fork drops from $94.95 to $40.95.
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Haha, send it to Blaine, Washington, closer to the border and save the buyer some gas money!

[cadence90]

Originally Posted by m_sasso

Haha, send it to Blaine, Washington, closer to the border and save the buyer some gas money!

Sure, but I just made those destinations up as a shipping scenario example for bicycletricycle.

The potential buyer could actually be in Saskatoon or Whitehorse or St. John's, Newfie, for all I know.


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[zzy]

One thing to consider is that certain companies love to charge fees to import items into the country and charge brokerage fees. USPS/CanPost is the best for avoiding this. FedEx as has a service that is reasonable (I suspect Bikeflights would know). I've been badly burned by both UPS and DHL. Nothing like getting a bill in the mail for $60 after paying $200 in GST and duty..

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by cadence90

I would look at BikeFlights first. Getting an exact quote (if you have the destination) takes about 20 seconds.
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Another vote for BikeFlights...easy, save some $..AND they say they will ship any size box..so if you want to ship a crankset..BF also.

[chunkylover53]

As a Canadian, I always ask for someone to send a frame to me via USPS. Seems the best way to avoid insane brokerage fees, charges etc.

[R3awak3n]

I love bikeflights and it would probably be what I use but their prices have gone up substantially. I just sent a frame to the west coast and was $65. I remember sending a whole bike (huge box) with my camping gear for $85 a few years ago.

[veggieburger]

Anything but UPS. We northerners get nailed with mad brokerage fees from those clowns.

[shovelhd]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Another vote for BikeFlights...easy, save some $..AND they say they will ship any size box..so if you want to ship a crankset..BF also.

So what do you choose from the drop-down box? I don't recall an "any size" option.