Fly. Keep your bike with you. Your shipping will be about $150 each way anyway and the delivery companies are worse than the airlines. And all airlines are not created equal. Many only charge $50 each way.

bikeflights.com may change your view on this.

Never had an issue in over 20 shipments

Another vote for bikeflights.com I couldn't say anymore good things about them as long as you have a hardbox to use. Ever had someone at TSA rifle through your bag and put something back wrong and it messes up your bike? It's probably cheaper too - I shipped my bike for about 140 both ways with insurance when I did VA to MIAMI.

I've used bikeflights.com a few times now

Another one I've heard of but not used is http://www.shipbikes.com/

I always ship to a FedEx hold location and pick the bike up at my leisure.

jaretj

Another vote for bikeflights.com, It's under < $150 roundtrip for me to ship my bike via Fedex Ground anywhere in the US48 in a Ruster Sports Armored Hen House (frame bag + wheel bag). I used to lug it through the airpoirt, which is a real hassle (for me at least). I will probably only in the future fly with my bike if scheduling doesn't give me an extra day or two as a safety buffer.

I got 140ish round trip to AZ in November. Didn't have to deal with bike in airport and opens up your options for airlines. Plus, after having a frame cracked due to a wheel not being placed back properly (I'm assuming based on the damage and the wheel not being secured as when I dropped off). Plus, you can get a smaller car.

Also, I just use a car board box from the lbs. Free and got tons of packaging materials that I have been reusing forever.

+1 on bikeflights with a hard case. It only cost me about 180 round trip with a lot of insurance. Dont use a cardboard box though- had a bad experience with that due to the box getting ripped and the bike getting really scratched. Luckily with was an alloy road bike so just cosmetic but wouldnt have happened with a hard case.

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Andy Mullen
Team Zoot

Or, book your travel on Southwest and pay $75 each way for the bike instead of $150 each way.

Does Southwest charge $75 automatically for a bike box or does it depend on how strict the check in people are? For hardshell bike cases.

I'm about to take my bike on southwest. Anybody know how airlines feel about a cardboard box?

I've not attempted to haggle with Southwest about bike fees. And haven't tried the Hen House or smaller options for taking my bike. I have a Trico case. At any rate, even if I didn't call it a bike, it is still oversized luggage and subject to a $75 fee each way, which is less than several other airlines.

On the Southwest web page, it says that bikes in a cardboard box are "conditionally accepted" which means that if they crush the box, they won't accept any responsibility.

You could have a case made out of 2" thick steel and they wouldn't accept responsibility if they damage your bike.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

I've flown 3 or 4 round trips with Southwest with the Hen House. They treat it like an ordinary checked bag, so free as long as it's under 50 lbs (which is pretty much impossible to exceed unless maybe you have a beach cruiser or downhill bike in it)

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IG: idking90

I'm just answering the poster who asked the question. I've never had any damage flying my bike with them or any other airline in my Trico case.
According to their Contract of Carriage, they will cover up to $3400 in value unless you pay an extra fee, and with the extra fee they may cover up to $4650.
How successful one might be in recovering any money after claiming damage is unknown to me. Though it does very clearly say you must make the claim within 4 hours of getting your luggage, so no tossing the bike box in your car and trying to claim it later.
It's not a bad idea for savvy travelers to actually read some of the fine print if they are going to check precious items.

I'll just echo what everyone else said, bikeflights.com. Looks like it would be about $120 round trip LA to LP. They're awesome, drop it off at a FedEx office at your leisure and have it waiting for you at your AirBnB when you arrive. I've done the airplane thing too many times and it's so not worth the extra hassle or expense to check your bike and lug it around.

However, if you have the money, the absolute 100% best way to transport is with Tri Bike Transport. I do that for my A races so the bike is waiting for me at the race assembled and ready to go with tech service on site. It's by far the easiest way to get your bike to the starting line and the money is worth it to have the peace of mind that everything will be there good to go before your A race.

I just checked bikeflights.com for a trip to Florida. $44 each way looks great but the form shows a value of $100. do you know if there is any way to raise the value of the bike?

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

There is later in the prOcess. It is 10 dollars per 1000 of value

I'd vote for shipping it. It will be cheaper through Bikeflights.com, and also, airport baggage handling will annihilate your stuff. I wouldn't trust those animals with my bike. Even when I carefully pack and pad my luggage, it usually gets opened up for inspection and subsequently destroyed. UPS and FedEx are used to shipping and handling fragile things.

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http://trainingwheelsrequired.wordpress.com
@KellyNCollier

Having worked in the airline industry in a previous life, I'd lean towards shipping. Excess baggage fees, TSA, lack of space on regional jets & commuter planes, dragging bike box/bag through airports, onto rental car buses...have it shipped to local bike shop.

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#swimmingmatters
Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind.
The Doctor (#12)

Just checked bikeflights for Kona and it more than Tri Bike Transport. $550 from Michigan

can anyone explain how bikeflights or shipbikes are any different than just packing, dropping with fed ex directly? is there a savings to be had? I have not priced FedEx yet.

thanks!

Not sure how they get the rates they do, but I have found it is cheaper through them.

I just checked their rates. From US to 70.3 Pula Croatia, and back, $3,500 roundtrip. Weeeeee! Or I can pay $150 each way to United or whoever. Domestically I always fly with the bike. $75 each way on SWA or Alaska. Trico Ironcase which is common, familiar to TSA, and easy to close. More exotic boxes (with air bladders and so on) would obviously lead to more issues.

I just checked on UPS & FedEx - much more $ with both than bike flights...

also, shipping to someone else(end point of ride) who is assembling bike and then bringing a few hundred miles to start point of ride, so, flying with the bike isn't an option...