transporting a bicycle

[2seas]

i'm just getting into cycling and i've discovered that my dad (who lives in scotland) has a decent road bike which he said i can have. i live in hampshire. now i've ruled out the option of driving up to get it as i can't be arsed.

so what's the best way to get it delivered? are there any particularly good couriers for this? i'd rather it was sent assembled (as i'm a muppet with tools) but it does have clip off wheels apparently so that could help to condense the packing...

Edited by 2seas on Friday 13th August 23:07

[Parrot of Doom]

Lots of bits need to be removed, or you risk them being broken, and the frame bent.

I'd give driving up there more consideration.

[Uriel]

Send your Dad to his local bike shop to scrounge a bike box, put the bike in then: https://www.myhermes.co.uk/wps/portal/PN_CTR/

Picked up and delivered for less than £9. Champion.

[neilski]

Train or fly up. Ride back.

[dubbs]

If it's not being packed by an LBS that knows what they're doing (with a cardboard box, bubble wrap and LOTS of careful disassembly and wrapping) then I'd suggest lumping the cost of picking up through mates/you.

Another option if he has a dealer nearby that does, is hire a bikeboxalan - I'm hiring one at end of August to go to chicago and whilst not the cheapest option those boxes will protect ANYTHING you care to put in them very well.

www.bikeboxalan.co.uk - have to admit, no matter how much tritalk people say how good they are I still can't stump up buying one though!!

Tri people are always transporting bikes all over europe and UK so tritalk.co.uk might be a good resource for cost conscious options

[v8 jago]

I went to my lbs and got a box that a bike had come in then put it in the box and turned the handle bars on a side and used parcel take round it many times and it cost around £12 mark and a courier came to pick it up and took it down with no problems. No damage and a happy buyer. Sorry cant remember who picked it up as it was 2 years ago. Maybe parcel force.

[ewenm]

I'd travel up (car or train), take Dad out for dinner to say thanks for the bike and travel back the next day.

[ccr32]

If your Dad's LBS does any form of mail order/internet stuff, they may well do this for you for a small fee. Worth trying anyways... no harm in asking and all that.

[2seas]

Uriel said:

Send your Dad to his local bike shop to scrounge a bike box, put the bike in then: https://www.myhermes.co.uk/wps/portal/PN_CTR/

Picked up and delivered for less than £9. Champion.

Cheers for all the advice. I've sent the above link to my dad and we'll see how it pans out.

i'll post an update to let you all know just in case someone finds themselves in a similar scenario..

[Great Pretender]

ewenm said:

I'd travel up (car or train), take Dad out for dinner to say thanks for the bike and travel back the next day.

This.

What has happened to manners these days?!

[2seas]

Great Pretender said:

ewenm said:

I'd travel up (car or train), take Dad out for dinner to say thanks for the bike and travel back the next day.

This.

What has happened to manners these days?!

my parents actually flew down to london for the weekend - i took them out to dinner and it cost me well over a ton!

[Great Pretender]

2seas said:

Great Pretender said:

ewenm said:

I'd travel up (car or train), take Dad out for dinner to say thanks for the bike and travel back the next day.

This.

What has happened to manners these days?!

my parents actually flew down to london for the weekend - i took them out to dinner and it cost me well over a ton!

In London? You tight git!

£200 is what I'd expect to pay for decent nosh for three people.

[DrMekon]

I've had stuff picked up by these people

http://www.kiwicouriers.co.uk

found them on ebay, and they have 100% positive feedback. They were very handy, as they give small time windows on pickup and will take stuff as is, which is great if getting a bike box is a pain.

Ebay page http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/kiwi-courier/

[bleesh]

What's up with you man?
Ride the damn thing back!!!!

[2seas]

update - thanks for all the suggestions. we tried a couple of the recommendations on here but quotes came out as high as £140! weird.

anyway my parents went with royal mail in the end and it was all sorted for £30 including delivery in 2 days!

so i now have a road bike. goodbye skin...