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What is the best service to use for sending a bike through the post?
I have a buyer interested in one of my many bikes and need a postal / parcel delivery service. Please share your tips and experience.
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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11 comments
Parcel Force via Parcel Monkey are usualy as cheap and more trustworthy than most of the rest. Never had a problem with them.
I ended up using Parcelforce - paying online and printing off a sticker - then drop off at the post office. I came across a couple of things worth sharing.
Sizing of the box - I couldnt find any clear information about what size boxes fall into which cost brackets but discovered by trial and error on the quotes page that a box 132cm long can be sent 24hrs for £16 but a box 133cm or longer can only go 48hr and will cost £53 (all other measurements and weights being the same. Also the same applies for boxes over 60cm tall.
The standard bike box given to me by my LBS was 133cm long and approx 75cm tall. So I modified that to fit the cheaper quote.
When I attended my local post office they refused to take the parcel as it wouldnt fit through the hatch. So I had to attend the main post office in town.
Dont think it's the ideal service for sending a full size adult bike hassle free.
Replies much appreciated.
Haven't gone as big as a bike yet, but I've used Parcelforce for some bulky ebaying recently (kids' buggies, cots etc). Was pleasantly surprised at how reasonable a 48hr door to door service was.
Agreed, I sold a couple of wheelsets on eBay recently, so not heavy, but a large box. Around £14 for insured 24 hour service, both sets arrived undamaged via Parcelforce.
Obviously packing is key, and in a suitable box, appropriately marked as fragile.
DPD for a next day service. Not cheap but good value. I worked for them for a while and one of my regular collections was at the KTM distributers in Huddersfield (before they gave up the ghost).
On no account use Hermes/EVRI, however well packed it won't make it!
Having used them hundreds of times with only a couple of lost parcels, my experience is the opposite, and better than with Royal Mail and UPS. Their customer service *is* awful, though, so booking through a more responsive intermediary such as Packlink or Parcel2Go may be worthwhile.
I have also worked on secondment at Hermes/EVRI and seen how they treat parcels in the warehouse. I was appalled to see packages routinely thrown across 20 metres or so when being loaded into trunk vehicles. Instant dismissal offences at DPD.
One bad review is worth 50 good ones. Thanks for the tip I will avoid.
A couple of lost parcels ... I think I will avoid.
Thanks i looked at the DPD website and think I will probably give them a go. 👍