Anyone else get the email that their bike will be late (depending on from where you sent it). I ask because another fellow here shipped from one of the regions I understood to be an issue, but he didn’t receive the email.
Oh yeah, BTW, plenty aggravated that my bike won’t be here when they said it would be.
So, seeing as your bike won’t be there when they said it would be, I’m sure they won’t care if you pay them less than you said you would. 
I would be happier if they would answer their “event hotline.” I and others have been calling but only get to leave messages and don’t get return calls.
The email offered to try and get us loner bikes for today and tomorrow, haven’t heard back about that, email said some of our bikes might be here Sunday, I am trying to find out if mine could be one of them.
I have two messages and two emails in to them now. No word back yet.
Full text of email is below:
We have just learned that due to circumstances beyond our control, the airfreight containers with all bikes coming from the Midwest, Texas and East Coast have been delayed in Honolulu. This delay was incurred despite TriBike Transport having confirmed bookings with the third-party inter-island transporter to have them arrive in Kona today, Friday.
This will only affect IF you were planning to pick up your bike Saturday or Sunday AND you shipped from a location in the Midwest, Texas, North East, Mid-Atlantic or South East. All other bikes will be available as previously scheduled.
Our management team, both in Hawaii and here in North Carolina, is working hard to make sure that bikes will arrive as safely and as quickly as possible in Kona. The inter-island transporter has committed to getting the containers to us in time for pick up beginning at 9am Monday. However, there is a possibility that we will be able to have them ready sometime Sunday. If you would like to pick up your bike Sunday, please call the event hotline number below and so that we can keep you informed of any potential earlier availability.
Also, if you were planning to ride Saturday or Sunday, we may have a bike for you to ride. Call the Event Hotline for additional information. We understand that this not ideal but we will do our best to get you riding until we hand you your bike.
We are committed to doing what we can to make your race experience the best it can be. Please let us know how we can help.
Again, we sincerely regret this inconvenience and we appreciate your understanding. Should you have any questions, please call us on the Event Hotline.
not surprising. the same thing happened at imCoz last year. then they were late bringing it back.
another reason i’ll be flying with my bike from now on.
My bike is late too…the “loaner bike” is only available for one day, the bikes are low end, they couldn’t find pedals. I finally bagged it. They told me my bike would “probably be in today but couldn’t guarantee anything”. I spoke to the owner (he was at the TBT site) and told him I thought I should get some $$ back as I chose this service thinking I would get my bike Saturday to do some training rides…not sure what they will do. I am not a happy camper and will fly with my bike next time…I did the “bike 'n ship” since I live in the Southwest with no bike shop nearby. Somehow my bike got sent to Memphis and went “by boat”, so is late. Lots of excuses…sorry in business don’t give excuses, just tell me you will fix it…
Bummer about the issues for everyone. My experience with TBT have been mixed. Domestic/mainland races are no problem. Kona/Coz anything that requires airfreight has been disappointing.
Good luck
not surprising. the same thing happened at imCoz last year. then they were late bringing it back.
another reason i’ll be flying with my bike from now on.
Last time I supposedly flew with my bike it didn’t arrive with me. I’ll trust TBT over US Airways any day (plus it’s cheaper).
My bike is late too…the “loaner bike” is only available for one day, the bikes are low end, they couldn’t find pedals. I finally bagged it. They told me my bike would “probably be in today but couldn’t guarantee anything”. I spoke to the owner (he was at the TBT site) and told him I thought I should get some $$ back as I chose this service thinking I would get my bike Saturday to do some training rides…not sure what they will do. I am not a happy camper and will fly with my bike next time…I did the “bike 'n ship” since I live in the Southwest with no bike shop nearby. Somehow my bike got sent to Memphis and went “by boat”, so is late. Lots of excuses…sorry in business don’t give excuses, **just tell me you will fix it…
I’ve used TBT once and was happy (North Carolina to Wisconsin) and I have never taken my bike on an airplane.
It is six days before the race. Best I can tell, at this point, your bike is one day late. If you get your bike before bike check in, then I would considered “it fixed”. Why don’t you just let this situation play out before getting all worked up? Oh, i forgot, you’re a triathlete. My bad.
In the biggest race of my life, missing a 2 hour ride on the race course is a big deal. They said “probably will have today”, “maybe tomorrow”. Yes it is stressful for me, my bad…
No, not fixed. Perhaps acceptable, but certainly not fixed. When you provide funds in advance for a service that is not provided (ie your bike will be at x at y time), conpensation is due. Plain business.
Alaska airlines is $50 for bike. So if you live on west coast, it is a great option. I used to be a frequent TBT user, but their fees have gradually climbed over the past few years. If you have an expensive bike and insure it to its value, can be about $500. I now only use TBT if the logistics of traveling with it myself aren’t feasible.
not surprising. the same thing happened at imCoz last year. then they were late bringing it back.
another reason i’ll be flying with my bike from now on.
Last time I supposedly flew with my bike it didn’t arrive with me. I’ll trust TBT over US Airways any day (plus it’s cheaper).
tbt cost me over 400 (if i recall correctly) for coz. the bike bag pays for itself after 1 trip. not to mention the airline only loses your bike if you don’t have a direct flight. or fly business/first. they almost never lose that type of baggage.
john
I knows few people who have had bikes go missing on direct flights.
Its an inconvenience but worse things happen.
Macca just lost his bike this weekend traveling to Thailand… happens
WI to kona via TBT was 500 bucks with basic insurance.
US Airways was 150 bucks each way with the added bonus that i got to ride at 7 am today and didn’t have to give them my bike 3 weeks ago.
It happens, but really how often are bikes getting lost?
I have flown with a bike 13 times i think and have never had an issue, but i suppose if you do it often enough it will happen, though i’ve also never had to deal with lost luggage even when i was stranded in SFO overnight once…
WI to kona via TBT was 500 bucks with basic insurance.
US Airways was 150 bucks each way with the added bonus that i got to ride at 7 am today and didn’t have to give them my bike 3 weeks ago.
This is what I don’t get about these transport services. It is still expensive (sometimes more than airline fees) and you don’t have your bike for weeks on either side of the race.
I don’t understand the appeal.
Sure, airlines occasionally lose a piece of luggage, but it is rarely for more than 24 hours.
Agree
Most airlines loose for a few hours 2-4 of every 1000 bags
At a race you might travel with 2-3 bags so likely hood of bike being lost for a few hours is less than 1 in 1000. Having a more than 24h delay is probably a risk of 1:5000…
would it be in poor taste to put your kid in the bike box and the bike in his seat?
The flight would have been a lot less annoying.