UPS hates my bike box
16 10 2006I think that UPS hates shipping my bike box. It’s been on a few flights with me and made it through those trips with nothing more than a small scratch or two. I’ve seen the baggage guys loading it on the plane before, and they don’t exactly “handle with care”. I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of mood the UPS guys must have been in.
After the Adventure Xstream race I decided to ship the bike back home to save some cash. It made here on time, but looked like it had been dragged behind the truck by its straps. The UPS shipping label was partially gone due to the box being dragged across the floor (I assume). I suppose they didn’t notice that it has wheels. The metal bar for the locks was bent and required pliers and a bit a muscle to fix. Also, one of the rubber feet was torn off. All that was left was the bolt that had held it on, and it had been bent beyond repair. It will have to be cut off. The delivery guy didn’t even bother to knock. I just happened to find it outside the door. I have this image in my head of the box being dragged behind the truck with a quick release, and as the driver makes the turn near my house, he pulls a lever and the box slides up into my driveway 
I’m glad Trico makes a sturdy box. Maybe bike box manufacturers should start rating their products as UPS-proof!
A little trick for cheaper shipping. Ship fedex and do it online…set up an account and use the measurements to adjust the size of your box. With Fed ex cutting an inch or two off a bike box could be the difference in paying two to three times the amount. The first time I found this out I borrowed a knife from the fed ex place and cut the two inches off right there in the shop. Originally the wanted to charge me $114 to ship to California…once I cut it down it cost me $42. Go figure
Yeah, it’s the same way with UPS. Bike box dimensions are usually the exact maximum you can get away with before going into the over-sized, super expensive classification. If measured in the store, they usually round up and add an inch if in doubt. Plus, after being shipped once or twice, my box was a bit squashed, distorted, and no longer a true rectangle, so the the dimensions depended on where it was measured!
With an online account, you can enter the “true” dimensions and get the lower price with a pre-paid label. I don’t even bother taking it directly to UPS (or FedEx) without a pre-paid label. It’s cheaper to take on the plane than to pay the over-sized charges that they’ll likely stick you with.
Also, I think the rates are even cheaper if you have a business shipping account. …It pays to have a friend at your LBS!