trying to find the price difference in these two options, is shipping considered the best way to go to get your bike across the country?
There are a lot of variables. To and From is a big one. Is it going to a business or residential?
Example: I shipped my bike via FedEx from Boulder (FedEx store) to a residence in New Orleans for 70.3. Added on 2k insurance. $110.
Shipped the bike from FedEx Store in New Orleans to my office (where FedEx has to drop anyway) Added on 2k insurance. $85.
I learned too had I booked it online and printed the label at home, and just dropped the bikes off at FedEx, I would have saved 10% more.
Flying was going to be $150 on United. Plus it was both my wife and I travelling, so it was easier to ship then lug 2 bikes to the airport and get a bigger rental car in NOLA to fit the boxes. Southwest I think is $75.
Really the to and from are the big factors. You can go on FedEx and price it out. I have found FedEx cheaper than UPS in most cases.
Oh and think about how long you want without your bike. Shipping takes 3 days vs flying is instant.
Ship bikes.com will allow you to purchase and print fedex shipping labels at a discount. You would still be using fedex just cheaper.
Shipping domestically (my n=1) is much easier than lugging the bike to the airport, and most airlines will charge you $100-$150 each way. I would avoid trying to beat the system by calling the box “bike parts” or “trade show materials”, simply because the limits of liability go out the window when they discover you lied about it being a bicycle in the box.
FedEx is much better than UPS, mainly because most UPS locations are franchises and they’ll charge you a handling fee (got stuck for $60 handling fee in Chicago, and I was there when the box came in the door!) whereas most all FedEx locations are in a Service Center with Kinko’s and they won’t charge a handling fee.
I always prepare the return shipping document and put it in the box. That way, if for some unlucky reason I don’t make it to the hotel or FedEx location at the race, I can call and ask them to pull the shipping document from the box, slap it on, and send it back.
International is a different thing altogether, and I always take my bike on the airplane with me.
We don’t have access to TriBike Transport and services like that, because we’re in a small town…
When you ship, your bike can arrive late and damaged. I shipped my bike out to a training camp and it arrived Monday instead of Friday and was ruined despite being packed in a Thule Hard case. Fed Express ground did make it right but the ruined frame made training camp logistically challenging.
Wow, I shipped my bike from florida to my home in arizona after I moved for 75. I took it to a bike shop where they took it apart packed if and sent it. Doesn’t get much easier than that. I did this after my last race in florida and saw no need to keep a bike there. The race itself had a bike shop that would do it for only 5 more. Now this was a road bike. But I don’t think a tri bike would have cost much more assuming the store you ship from knows the bike.
When you ship, your bike can arrive late and damaged. I shipped my bike out to a training camp and it arrived Monday instead of Friday and was ruined despite being packed in a Thule Hard case. Fed Express ground did make it right but the ruined frame made training camp logistically challenging.
When you fly your bike can arrive late and damaged also. I did a race that was a direct flight and they sent my bike to the other coast and I got it but it was literally 30 minutes before transition closed the day before the race so both ways offer their challenges. Typically I fly to the race with the bike because I want to have it the week before the race and when I get back, but there is nothing wrong with shipping the bike and I have done it for a few races.
2nd this option!
I use bikeflights.com to ship my bike. I have the Ruster Sports Armored Hen House, which they have dimensions available in a drop-down menu. The Hen House is generally small enough to avoid bike fees on planes but lugging a bike through the airport sucks. I would do it if I have to, but if i have the time to ship I will.
this would be for Alcatraz in June…worth renting a bike in SF?
How about riding your bike to the race?
A buddy of mine lives here in Auckland NZ and when he races Challenge Wanaka, he rides there. The route he takes is about 1600km (1000 miles). He rides every day, swims some days (when he’s in a town with a pool) and runs some days too.
He rides on his race bike, with a small carrier for a change of clothes, speedo, goggles, credit card. He gets the rest of his gear taken down by a fellow competitor. He flies home. Some years, that’s been his only training!
No, he’s not at the pointy end of the race 
trying to find the price difference in these two options…
Shipping bike:
Looks like fun although this one would be way more cool (probably more expensive):
Flying bike: Not many effective options here. This one went across the Channel:
Probably it’s expensive.
When you ship, your bike can arrive late and damaged. I shipped my bike out to a training camp and it arrived Monday instead of Friday and was ruined despite being packed in a Thule Hard case. Fed Express ground did make it right but the ruined frame made training camp logistically challenging.
I also had a bike damaged by FedEx while shipping cross country. Completely tacoed the rear wheel, looked like it had been run over by a forklift. Getting them to pay was a huge hassle but they eventually did. Since then I’ve flown with a bike in a hard case and also used Tribike Transport. TBT is by far easier but only if you have a shop nearby where you can drop the bike off. I have a race I need to get a bike to in 2016 but haven’t decided which way to go yet.
Kind of on topic, I need to get my bike to Australia next fall. Should I ship it or fly with it? Also, does each specific airline charge a bike fee? I have 3 total flights there and 3 back, because of layovers. That could be $500-$600 there and back. Whats my best option?
Check with the airlines. A few do not charge for bikes on international flights and despite layovers the airline will transfer your bike if there is a plane change. Shipping international will involve customs and you don’t want to go through that. Insure your bike for taking it out of the US. Velosurance has worldwide coverage with a regular policy
if you fly on one reservation, you pay the bike fee 1 time, each time you cross a border (have to clear customs, you just drop the bike (luggage) off at the drop off. for example - united ord-lax, quantas lax to syd, syd-lax, united lax-ord, i would expect the fee would be $200 each way.
This
I’ve used bikeflights.com, similar to shipbkes.com
I did a race in Grand Junction and FedEx ground from GJ to Indianapolis was $63 in a Bikeboxalan. I’m never flying domestically with my bike anymore.
I’ve used both shipbikes.com and bikeflights.com to ship my bike to races. I usually compare the two and pick the cheaper option. Then I go to a bike store when they are building bikes, and ask for a box and all the packaging that they just toss in the recycling every day. Pack up the bike and ship… easy peezy. Never had a problem. (Don’t worry, I always buy something when I’m there to support the local LBS!)
Kind of on topic, I need to get my bike to Australia next fall. Should I ship it or fly with it? Also, does each specific airline charge a bike fee? I have 3 total flights there and 3 back, because of layovers. That could be $500-$600 there and back. Whats my best option?
I am going to throw in a recommendation for the Armored Hen House. Others may disagree, but I’ve packed up my bike twice now and flown with it with zero fees, once domestically and once to Europe. Even after my race, I just stowed it in my rental car for a week in Spain for vacation with no issues. It takes a few hours to figure out how to disassemble and re-assemble your bike, but after that the first few times, I can take it apart or put it back together in less than 30 minutes.
One trip with zero fees and it pays for itself.
I also don’t buy that lugging around your bike through the airport is a pain. Usually I just have to drag it 90 feet from the curb to the check-in counter, and then upon arrival just grab a cart (even if it’s a few bucks) and it’s super easy to get the bike where you need it to be. Even if you get a different case I would recommend flying with the bike.
Cost aside, as a former airline baggage handler I wouldn’t fly with my bike if any of my flights were on a CRJ-700/900/200. Bike cases always end up on the bottom of the stack of bags in a cargo hold, and the cargo holds on the CRJ’s are much taller than those on a 737/757/Airbus 319/320, despite the smaller size of the aircraft (on the larger narrow-body aircraft, the cargo hold is generally about 3’ tall, on the CRJ’s it’s more like 6’ tall). Unless you want 6’ worth of bags thrown on top of your bike case, I wouldn’t fly with it. Hard sided bike cases will often be tipped over on their side and then used as the base underneath all of the other bags.