Little OT: Didn't Bike Flights switch to FedEx?

[rccardr]

I always give a coast to coast shipment a week to arrive. Stuff happens, weather changes, delays occur.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by unterhausen

bikeflights has big warnings if you ship something that is not a bike. I know it probably wouldn't be a problem, but I just finished packing it and let my wife pay staples three times what bikeflights would have charged. Someone else is footing the bill

I ship wheels all the time..

[unterhausen]

wheels are okay. You can ship any bike-related item. It's just that gun racks are not bike related in any way and the box was awkward enough that I thought I might get found out

[bward1028]

I've started using PirateShip for most of my postal needs, and find shipbikes cheaper than bikeflights for larger packages.

[htwoopup]

Originally Posted by fkelly

Live and learn. Doing it over I would talk to customer service at Bikeflights and make really, really sure that I was leaving enough time for the bike to be delivered on a timely basis. Or try Shipbike. Or talk to Fedex directly, leaving Bikeflights and Shipbikes out of the equation. There is a Fedex store 200 yards from where I'm staying. Just have the bike shipped there.

Both Ship Bikes and Bike Flights are at the mercy (as you know and acknowledge) of their carriers for delivery standards and exceptions to those standards.

I ship using both a bunch.

I have ALWAYS found Bike Flights customer service more helpful on big problems and the two about equal on every day problems.

The bit about going directly to the carriers...my wife has a commercial account with FedEx...and even when I have priced out using her discounted rate I can not come close to the bulk rate that Ship Bikes has with FedEx ground nor with what Bike Flights has with UPS. So, save the effort...they both have a better deal than mere mortals can get.

And with Ship Bikes you can have it sent and held at a FedEx office location (I have done it) for no upcharge (if you ship to a residence there is one) and with Bike Flights I have found that where I have gone there are plenty of UPS locations to ship to also.

[fkelly]

Post script: Bikeflights refunded almost all of my payment based on the delays caused by UPS.

That's all I can ask. Their customer service is consistently excellent and responsive. UPS they can't control very well. I sent them a photograph of the 50 foot wide two story house with the readily apparent stairs leading to the second floor where the shipping label gave the address and SECOND FLOOR in all caps. And had my phone number.

I suggested that they build a little more buffer into their suggested shipping schedule. A Monday pickup near Albany NY seems really a tight schedule to get the item delivered in San Clemente, CA. on the following Friday.