Sending a bike by courier in the UK. Expected cost?

[PHmember]

Hi all,

I'm trying to send a bike by courier 260 miles in the UK. The box is quite big as the bike is built up (it has to go like this). The package weighs 12kg & has to be insured up to £1750. I'm getting a lowest quote from Parcelforce at £83 - I know, not a huge amount, but I could drive it there & return home myself for not much more than that. Anybody know of any cheaper courier options with insurance?

Edited by PHmember on Saturday 11th April 22:54

Edited by PHmember on Sunday 12th April 06:25

[47p2]

Try Simpson Transport

I sent a set of valuable alloy wheels through them and the service was first class, never even had to wrap them

[Gingerbread Man]

There are parcel compression sites. Might help in your quotes?

[PHmember]

A lot of the comparison sites say the parcel is too big - even Yodel, despite the fact that they delivered it to me in the first place

[neenaw]

You could try Paisley Freight, they're supposed to be quite good.

Normally it's about £20 or so to ship a bike, it's the insurance that'll be hiking your price up.

[anonymous-user]

The problem is the size of the box, I've sent a few bikes with the wheels off using normal cardboard bike boxes (with loads of bubble wrap) for £25 using parcelforce. You have to drop it off at the depot but it's relatively pain free.

[ecsrobin]

When you say the bike is built up I'm assuming the bars are turned or off to make the box narrow?

[PHmember]

Yes, bike is built with the wheels on but the bars turned. It's going back in the same box it arrived in. It was delivered free & I can't imagine any company offering free delivery on something so expensive. Got a quite from Parcelforce for £83 with insurance.

Thanks for the suggestions chaps. Will try them tomorrow or just go with Parcelforce.

[campermanj]

Try parcelmonkey.com... Sent a bike with these guys in the past and from memory cost about 30 quid

[PHmember]

[bakerstreet]

PHmember said:

Out of interest, why are you sending it back? I would certainly ship it compared to driving. It would be quicker for a start.

[PHmember]

It's just too big for me, the actual bike is great, it's just too stretched out for me, even with a shorter stem & the seat being moved forward.

[militantmandy]

neenaw said:

You could try Paisley Freight, they're supposed to be quite good.

Normally it's about £20 or so to ship a bike, it's the insurance that'll be hiking your price up.

Paisley are great.

[PHmember]

Paisley quote £22.50 for a bike (which is great), but don't offer insurance. I know it SHOULD be fine, it's well packaged & boxed, but it's still a risk.

[anonymous-user]

If you want to ease your worries about insurance, go to your local self storage warehouise place and buy some bubble wrap. When I post a bike, I use about £10 worth of bubble wrap on it and dont bother with inusrance. You would be surprised how good £10 worth of bubble wrap looks when its wrapped around frame and forks, mechs etc.

[PHmember]

Good call, might give that a try.