'Posting' bikes - recommended carriers ?

[Sprunghub]

I am seriously contemplating offering up for sale my Dawes Sardar....the older, "Go to & tour Mongolia" one from the late 1990's, & when I know how the recession is realigning 'values', buying in with the proceeds, a lighter, road 'racing' bike of comparable value.

I want to be able to offer a 'postal' facility with any sale. I also want to potentially be able to organise the 'collection' / couriering of any subsequent purchase back to me ( in South Worcestershire ) from a possibly "reluctant" poster, which will mean I will need to be able to organise the whole deal from my end, without them getting 'jittery'.

Can any one recommend a hassle free 'Pick up & deliver' company who are not going to charge an 'arm & a leg'. I appreciate there are 'Pony Expresses' but I am guessing any 'sale' / purchase will be time constrained, so I will need to go commercial.

 

[highlandsflyer]

Paisley Freight are pretty decent for price across the UK.

If you need a service to pack it and send it, or collect an unpacked bike, I wouldn't know. LBS for a bike box I guess and do it yourself. If you have a bike in mind from a seller who doesn't seem inclined to pack a bike, you could perhaps ask in the thread on RetroBIKE where members offer assistance with this. Other than that you would have to accept a seller doing it grudgingly, thus perhaps not very well, or having a bike shop local to them do it, but that would be pricey.

This subject comes up so often it must be stickied somewhere...

 

[EarlofBarnet]

I use City-Link via the Parcelmonkey web site. A typical bike box is approx 130cm x 20cm x 70cm and they'll send this for £5.89 + vat. Prices goes up depending on value. I've just sent a Specialized S-Works insured for £1000 for £32 (incl vat).

 

[Sprunghub]

Thanks for that - I just put some "Guesstimate" dimension's, on the safe side of correct, into Parcel Monkey & it came up very affordable.

Re. a Bike 'box' for packing, are they an item you can 'buy'....or is it a case of trying to 'blag' a 'used' one from Halfords or a Bike Shop ? I did have it in mind, for a reluctant seller, to send them the empty 'packing' & get them to pack it as part of organising the transaction. Persuading them to 'break down' things like pedals, bars etc.....if needs be, would be more of a stumbling block, I fear. Mind you....it might be a "stumbling block" for me yet !

 

[cyfa2809]

Halfords and the like should be happy to supply you with bike boxes.

 

[ringo]

www.senditnow.com

Next day £15 inc VAT, includes £100 insurance. Driver brings labels.

Don't have to put in box dimensions... just state weight as 15 kilos...

Tis is Parcelforces backdoor internet service (to presumably book up unused space on their trunking network...)

 

[ringo]

Halfords happy to give boxes away, as they now have to cut them up into flat two foot squares... saves them work giving them away...

 

[Barneyballbags]

I use www.parcel2go.com - it's much the same as senditnow and the other sites mentioned.

Prices vary depending on the weight, dimensions and value but I can usually get a bike collected and delivered for around £10-11.

Regarding the 'jittery' seller - so long as he's happy to box the bike up for you, then that's literally all he will need to do (apart from perhaps sticking shipping labels to it, which you can send him once you've booked the collection).

I've actually just done this myself. Arranged for a Cannondale Raven to be collected from Lincolnshire and delivered to me in South Wales. The seller is boxing it up and provided me with the collection address, and I did the rest. The whole process took about 2 minutes and cost me £11.01

 

[cyfa2809]

Halfords happy to give boxes away, as they now have to cut them up into flat two foot squares... saves them work giving them away...

How do you know that?

 

[highlandsflyer]

Halfords happy to give boxes away, as they now have to cut them up into flat two foot squares... saves them work giving them away...

They would find it easier if they removed the BSOs first.

Any bike shop should be happy to supply an empty box, but I have been asked for money a couple of times!

Needless to say I didn't bother, nor ever went in to buy anything from them.