Getting a bike from eBay by post - who’s best?

[Converse2020]

As per subject. Have bought a bike (almost) but stupidly missed that seller wanted pick up.

I’m trying to arrange a courier now but have no recent experience since using parcel force a few years back. Can anyone recommend an affordable but sensible postage / courier ? Bike is just outside Edinburgh and going to York.

Thanks

[Converse2020]

Shiply prices are around £50+ so quite a bit more than I was hoping.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Are you sure seller is OK with courier? I hate it if people do this to me. It adds an extra risk link (always buyer's risk) and presume he's got to wrap it too?

[Converse2020]

The seller has been great so far and has offered to see if their local Halfords will provide a bike box, but I have suggested buyer cancels my offer if he/she’s not keen at any point as I appreciate I made the mistake here.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Converse2020 said:

The seller has been great so far and has offered to see if their local Halfords will provide a bike box, but I have suggested buyer cancels my offer if he/she’s not keen at any point as I appreciate I made the mistake here.

You'd be amazed how many people do this not in error but deliberately.

[millen]

When I looked into this briefly it seemed that courier rates for large items like bikes vary considerably.
Eventually we found a couple of independent bike shops in Inverness that would pack and courier to SE England for c. £40. Bike shops will tend to have business accounts with courier firms that will be cheaper than you could get as an individual. Might be worth asking some independents near the vendor (if the vendor is willing to take bike that far).

[The_Jackal]

Is the bike worth a road trip to Scotland?

[Converse2020]

Not really - the Bike is only costing £200.

By car it’s 400 miles (£70 petrol) and a long day.
Train is similar.
Shipley coming out around £55-60 so this would win right now but I’m hoping I can get a courier collection for around £25 (which is what I think I paid last time I sold a bike).

[AWG]

Train up - ride back
Sounds like you have a great seller.

[Bear-n]

I've used Paisley Freight a number of times, all of which ended up being delivered/collected by TNT with no problems.

£25 for a 'bike' delivery, sometimes less if you actually just stick the measurements in for a 'normal' parcel.

[Piginapoke]

Cyclesent are very good, about £25 and next day service. Can also provide box.

[Converse2020]

Thanks - there are some useful options there (though I can’t ride it back as it’s for my wife so too small for me !)

[Converse2020]

Just to update my own thread ....

Seller was great and I used parcelforce which was was around £20 so long as the box length + girth was under 300cm.