The last thread on this was in 2006 and I am hoping there is new information.
Does anyone have a recommendation on shipping a bike from New Zealand to US. We are flying in for Taupo and have no issue getting the bikes there, but then plan to explore both islands for two weeks and are looking to travel light. Ideally we could drop these off the day after the race and ship them to a friend’s place, but my Google searches are not helping me find a provider and those that do have a 20kg weight limit.
There is no urgency in getting the bike back and this could go by shipping container, but I am striking out there too and am unfamiliar with freight forwarders.
Other options:
Anyone in the Seattle area racing Taupo and willing to fly my bike back? I can cover bag fees and pay.a little for the inconvenience.
Anyone going to Taupo interested in buying a 2015 BMC TM01 and a bike case? (maybe pink?)
No advice on shipping but when I raced IMNZ in 2018 I did the race, then packed up my bike and sent it to be stored by the airport in Auckland while I went and toured both islands for 12 days and picked it up the day before I was due to fly home. This was arranged by Ken Glah with Endurance Sports Travel. Maybe worth checking out as an option?
100% best way would be to get the bike within NZ to your departure airport and then take as baggage. How are you travelling around NZ? Air NZ domestic is fantastic for carrying bikes. Most airports have stands/tools at the door to do any disassembly, and then airNZ has (cardboard) boxes/bags available. Bikes go as a standard piece of baggage (no excess charge). So if you were doing Taupo and then flying to Akl to start exploring, or even CHCH then take bike with you then leave at CHCH baggage, pick up when you fly up to Wellington/akl etc.
Otherwise, you should be able to drop at Mainfreight depot and get it shipped to your departure city for collection from the depot. Personally I’d not use the couriers (Poste Haste, NZ Couriers, etc), but in theory they do this too.
After all the action and suspense movies I have seen with airport lockers and storage being used, this option should have been top of mind for me. Seems reasonably priced and I am going to gamble on them having room for my bike along with all the other athletes doing some island hopping afterwards.
It’s NZ. The national motto is “she’ll be right”. As in no matter what, there’ll be a workable solution found. Worst case then the cousin of the daughter of the person in the left luggage counter happens to be the importer of BMC in NZ and has a garage round the corner where they’ll let you store it for a Perky Nana and a Chocolate Fish.