Hoping to get some advise/opinions. I recently shipped my bike using bikeflights back from Roth. Packed appropriately in Bike Box Alan plus foam around portions of frame as best as possible. Upon receipt, looks like the velcro straps that hold the frame secure were detached and not re-attached (assuming customs?) so frame was loose in the case. Stem cover broke and lots of small scratches as well as some bigger paint chips on frame.
I had purchased the additional bikeflights “premium protection” insurance with a total covered value of $4000. Its a 2019 Trek Speed Concept 2nd gen with Di2 and Zipp disc/wheel. Meticulously taken care of but now has paint chips and scratches on frame. Stem cover is an easy $30 fix. Scratches and chips are all cosmetic but obviously affect resale value which was planned for an upgrade this year. Not to mention hard to see my “baby” all banged up.
I contacted bikeflights and they offered $400 for stem cover and cosmetic scratches/chips. After I pushed back they said maybe $500 is possible if they get “creative”.
I realize the bike is getting older and it is still functional but this value doesn’t sit well with me and this is the reason I paid extra for insurance. Any experience in working with bikeflights insurance? Any thoughts on value, is this fair and I am just being emotional :)?
On a happier note, shout out to Challenge Roth. Its been a bucket list race for me for a long time and didn’t disappoint. Amazing race and refreshing to do a quality non Ironman race.
Hoping to get some advise/opinions. I recently shipped my bike using bikeflights back from Roth. Packed appropriately in Bike Box Alan plus foam around portions of frame as best as possible. Upon receipt, looks like the velcro straps that hold the frame secure were detached and not re-attached (assuming customs?) so frame was loose in the case. Stem cover broke and lots of small scratches as well as some bigger paint chips on frame.
I had purchased the additional bikeflights “premium protection” insurance with a total covered value of $4000. Its a 2019 Trek Speed Concept 2nd gen with Di2 and Zipp disc/wheel. Meticulously taken care of but now has paint chips and scratches on frame. Stem cover is an easy $30 fix. Scratches and chips are all cosmetic but obviously affect resale value which was planned for an upgrade this year. Not to mention hard to see my “baby” all banged up.
I contacted bikeflights and they offered $400 for stem cover and cosmetic scratches/chips. After I pushed back they said maybe $500 is possible if they get “creative”.
I realize the bike is getting older and it is still functional but this value doesn’t sit well with me and this is the reason I paid extra for insurance. Any experience in working with bikeflights insurance? Any thoughts on value, is this fair and I am just being emotional :)?
On a happier note, shout out to Challenge Roth. Its been a bucket list race for me for a long time and didn’t disappoint. Amazing race and refreshing to do a quality non Ironman race.
-Matt
Sorry to hear this. Customs/TSA seem to be the biggest offenders next to baggage handlers. With the bomb proof BBA, maybe they’re the biggest after all. Too bad there isn’t a way to prevent this. Look in the box? Fine, but why untie the straps?
If your frame was rattling around in the box such that it’s now got cosmetic damage, you may want to consider looking into having it inspected by a carbon repair place. Hard to say for sure what the risk of that is without seeing any of the damage, but it sounds like there were some serious impacts.
Sorry to hear this. Customs/TSA seem to be the biggest offenders next to baggage handlers. With the bomb proof BBA, maybe they’re the biggest after all. Too bad there isn’t a way to prevent this. Look in the box? Fine, but why untie the straps?
I’ve just returned from a long flight with my bike in a Velovault case (similar to Bike Box Alan) to discover that TSA or Customs had opened the case but couldn’t be bothered to close it properly. 3 or the 4 clasps weren’t even done up so the case was flapping open, which broke the case. Seriously, wtf? How are they allowed to do that? By all means look in the care, but take the time to leave it as you found it - straps inside done up and case buckled back up.
Same thing happened to me twice now with my BBA. I’m at the point now that I refuse to use it any more in favor of a zippered bag that hopefully they know how to close after opening it. Shame really since the BBA is indestructible.