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Size of a bike box

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
I am not at the shop today, so does anyone know the size of a typical bike box?

I am trying to figure if it is cheaper to ship a bike to Portland OR or drag it on the plane with me...
 
J

JRB

Guest
9-11" x 27-30" X 40-52"

The length will put it in OS3, which is outrageous, as you know.
 

bradical

Monkey
Dec 9, 2003
588
0
G-Vegas SC
Make sure you make them just under the size that UPS will allow to ship. When we went to northstar last summer, we UPSed them there and it was very easy. Our bike boxes were very close to the maximum size they would ship however.
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
43,072
15,162
Portland, OR
FedEx allows a larger box than UPS and is cheaper with more insurance. My lbs uses DHL and says they are even cheaper than FedEx.

I looked at trying to take my bike to Guam and it would have been cheaper to mail than to check as bagage. But that was to Guam.
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
65
behind the viewfinder
a lot of it depends on the wheelbase of the bike. a DH bike is a pain to fit in a box (and that's with the fork off), unless you somehow have a wide enough box to fit both wheels out of the frame.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
MMcG said:
I think a guy over on the NEMBA forum had a bike "lost" by DHL.......just something to consider.
I shipped two frames last month by DHL. No probs...
 
J

JRB

Guest
stosh said:
how much did they cost?
I need to ship a frame tomorrow.
Make sure you cut the box down as much as you can, if you don't have an actual frame box. It was going to cost $75 to ship the frame to Stinky for OS3. I cut it down to 40", and it was $20 instead.
 

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
loco said:
Make sure you cut the box down as much as you can, if you don't have an actual frame box. It was going to cost $75 to ship the frame to Stinky for OS3. I cut it down to 40", and it was $20 instead.
Yeah, I think I'll cut down the frame box I have. I could probably save about 6"
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
$50 for road frame fork crankset from NorCal to Ct
$30 for frame post seat from NorCal to Phi
 

-dustin

boring
Jun 10, 2002
7,155
1
austin
so i'm curious...if you fill out the paperwork online, and drop the box off at a shipping point, why not just fudge the measurements? when/ how will 'they' know the difference?

and make sure to fill up the box with expanding foam.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
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SF
the Inbred said:
so i'm curious...if you fill out the paperwork online, and drop the box off at a shipping point, why not just fudge the measurements? when/ how will 'they' know the difference?

and make sure to fill up the box with expanding foam.
I did do the labels online, and I suppose I could cheated on the measurements. The worst thing that would happen is to reship it, so to save $10...

I just packed it with marbles. I hear it does wonders for the frame finish...
 
J

JRB

Guest
UPS will back charge you if you fudge the numbers. It would be a pain in the rear.

*also make sure that you sand all of the paint off and then call people lame when they complain.
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
54x8.5x28

Shave two inches off of any of those dimensions and you have an oversize 2 box.

And lovebunny, it doesn't matter how close you live to a UPS hub...
 

GumbaFish

Turbo Monkey
Oct 5, 2004
1,747
0
Rochester N.Y.
Forget marbles, always package frames with these easy steps.
1.) place frame in a large bag, and place the whole thing in the box.
2.) fill the bag with industrial strength paint remover
3.) also place in the bag shards of glass, and old circular saw blades
4.) ship to your satisfied customer
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
the Inbred said:
so i'm curious...if you fill out the paperwork online, and drop the box off at a shipping point, why not just fudge the measurements? when/ how will 'they' know the difference?

and make sure to fill up the box with expanding foam.
What sanjuro said.

I know UPS uses automated lasers in hubs to measure packages. They will bill you for the excess (like if you jump from OS2 to OS3), and if its a big enough difference and you have a new account, they may just ship it back to you.
 
J

JRB

Guest
GumbaFish said:
Forget marbles, always package frames with these easy steps.
1.) place frame in a large bag, and place the whole thing in the box.
2.) fill the bag with industrial strength paint remover
3.) also place in the bag shards of glass, and old circular saw blades
4.) ship to your satisfied customer
And then talk about how you are more hardcore than the pussies on ridemonkey. Laugh on the way to the bank.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
Bitching about packing, I covered every frame surface with cardboard and/or bubble wrap. I ebay'ed a GT road frame for a friend, the guy shipped it in the "original packaging" and the fork came loose and banged against the frame!!!
 

stosh

Darth Bailer
Jul 20, 2001
22,248
408
NY
FYI I sent a frame box 42X29 to Maryland from New York via the USPS for $11.60 today. It was just a hardtail frame inside so it wasn't heavy but it was oversized. I thought that was a great deal!!!
 
J

JRB

Guest
blue said:
No...it's not...Why do you think UPS bought the franchise?
:stupid: UPS could doesn't care if you leave it in a field. It costs the same.