Top 10 Tips for Packing and Shipping Bikes Internationally
Do you need to travel along with your bike? If you are going for a professional cycling competition or just a vacation that requires you to carry your bike along with you, it is important to have first class gear. It means that your bike has to be shipped to the destination safely. The safety of your bicycle begins from the packing through the transit process. RunRex has established the following tips and tricks you can employ to ensure that you pack and ship your bike internationally safely and securely.
1. Find durable and reliable packing box
The first step is getting a suitable packing box that can comfortably accommodate all the parts of your bike safely. It is easy to get a good shipping box from local retailer shops. To save on the shipping costs, you can opt to get a shipping box that is small in size. The smaller the size of the box the lower the shipping cost. The box should, however, fit all the parts comfortably.
2. Disassemble the parts
It is possible to ship the bike as a whole without taking apart the parts by just wrapping it up using a nylon bag. However, it is advisable that you disassemble the bike to make it easy for its shipment from one point to another. Remove the wheels, handlebars, pedals and the other accessories to allow them to fit in the shipping box. Besides making it easy to move the package from point to point, disassembling the bike helps reduce the package size hence making it easy to store and reducing the shipping cost.
3. Protect the bike parts
The individual parts of the bike have to be correctly and securely put in the box. You can get packing materials like foam strips, bubble wraps or plastic sheets to help protect the parts. You can add padding or a layer of cardboard on the walls of the shipping box just to provide additional protection and security to the parts.
4. Secure the shipping box
Reinforce the openings of the shipping box with tape and be very generous in its use to ensure all the contents don’t come out. You can add tape around the handles and at the bottom of the box since it might be dragged on the ground at some point. A “FRAGILE” tag can go help a little by notifying the shipping company to handle your package with extra caution.
5. Opt for the best shipping company
If you have a trusted shipping company that often handles the shipping of your packages, you can contact them to ship your bike. If not, you can do some research and identify the most trusted shipping company that offers competitive prices. Be keen to choose a company that has a proven track record if you want assurance that your bike will arrive safe and sound.
6. Insurance
The shipping process is quite hectic and sometimes unfortunate events happen. Your bike might get to the destination only for you to realize that it was damaged in the course of transportation. Another scenario is where the bike gets lost during transit. As such, it is important that you employ a shipping company that is covered for such risks especially if you don’t have a personal insurance cover for your shipment. Such a company will ensure that you receive your compensation on time and help prevent loss on your size.
7. Shipping policies for other countries
Different countries have different laws that govern them. You can, therefore, expect them to have different rules governing the shipping or packages such as a bike. It is good to first check the policies in place before you ship your bike. You do this to ensure that you comply with all the requirements and avoid the unfortunate event of your bike being shipped back hence inconveniencing you.
8. Put labels inside and outside your shipping box
The tags that the shipping companies put on the shipping boxes come off often. It makes it difficult to identify your bike shipment especially if there are several other similar packages. Having extra labels and tags on the outside and inside of the shipping box can help easily identify your package in case the one put by the shipping company comes off. Have one placed on the inside just in case the ones outside get damaged.
9. Track your package
As a safety precaution, monitor your bike parts throughout the shipping process. Communicate with your shipping company regularly to get knowledge of your shipment status. The best shipping companies provide their clients with a means of tracking their packages and knowing the status of their shipment. That is why you need to employ a company with a proven track record.
10. Inform the destination of when to expect your package
Communicate early enough with the party meant to receive your package early enough on when to expect it. It is yet another critical stage where you have to handle the logistics and comply with the policies. Prior communication and arrangements will ensure your bike is received and securely stored until you pick it up.