Posting a bike in the UK

ColinJ
ColinJ Posts: 2,218
edited May 2008 in Workshop
Hi all.

I've just done battle with the UK rail system, and the Indian call centre they employ to give us useless and expensive information. Having been told that I had to travel via Manchester (involving changing stations) and my that trip would cost £138.60 or more, I went online and found out that I can go via York, just change platforms there and get a through train to Penzance, have a quicker journey, and save over £50 in the process. Of course I have to buy single tickets for the main part of my return journey and a separate saver return for the York leg, but hey - that's the current state of the UK rail industry :cry:

Okay, rant over...

The problem is that the trains' meagre bike storage was already booked up so I can't take my bike with me. I contacted a bike shop in Penzance and was told that I wouldn't be able to hire a decent lightweight racing bike in the Penzance area, but they do Trek hybrids for £10 a day. If I have to, I'll settle for one of them but I'd much rather use my own bike if I could. It just occurred to me that I might be able to post my bike down there. I could post it to someone I know in the town, so I was wondering...

Does anybody have any experience of posting a bike in the UK? I'd put the bike in a cardboard bike box (assuming that I could get one from my LBS). What company should I use - ParcelForce?

Comments

  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    I have posted a bike before and used a company called parcel2go.com - they use DHL and City Link depending on what options you chose - I think last time I sent a bike it cost £14 or something silly..

    check them out http://www.parcel2go.com/

    adios
    Doobz
    cartoon.jpg
  • ColinJ
    ColinJ Posts: 2,218
    Doobz wrote:
    I have posted a bike before and used a company called parcel2go.com - they use DHL and City Link depending on what options you chose - I think last time I sent a bike it cost £14 or something silly..

    check them out http://www.parcel2go.com/

    adios
    Doobz
    Thanks for that Doobz. If I could do it for about £15 each way, that would cost the same as hiring a hybrid bike 3 times and I hope to do more than 3 rides while I'm down there.

    Now I must check that the bike would be insured in transit. It might be covered on my home & contents insurance.
  • alan_sherman
    alan_sherman Posts: 1,157
    If you are going to take the bike apart to post it - just put it in the box and take the box on the train with you. No need to put in the special cycle storage (ahem) as it is a box, not a bike, so no restriction on carrying it. :D
  • ColinJ
    ColinJ Posts: 2,218
    alan sherman wrote:
    If you are going to take the bike apart to post it - just put it in the box and take the box on the train with you. No need to put in the special cycle storage (ahem) as it is a box, not a bike, so no restriction on carrying it. :D
    You've just reminded me - that's what I did the last time I took a bike to Cornwall (except I used a bag that time)! The only trouble with that idea is - several times that I've travelled by mainline trains recently there has been heavy overcrowding and in such a situation, there would be a risk of not getting the box onboard. People were struggling to stow rucksacks and suitcases!

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