Sometimes you need to send a bicycle somewhere far away, on its own. That calls for shipping it. UPS, FedEx, DHL, Post office are the main choices for most of us. But how to pack the bike into a box and create the best odds that it will arrive safely is a skill most of us don't learn in day to day life.
I have shipped a lot of bikes, and they are all different, but then I've made a lot of mistakes too. I've also received bikes that were destroyed because they were poorly packed - not because the carriers did anything terrible to crush them. Here are some suggestions.
Get a bicycle box from a bike store or a department store. Call around, generally these are thrown away, and often if you ask the bike store will also save the packing materials of new bikes that they assemble. This is a big step up for you.
If you absolutely cannot get a bike box, look for BIG cardboard like appliance boxes, because you will have to build your own box to fit.
Bikes come in all shapes and sizes and here I 'll take a middle road and start with an adult 2 wheel bike that is not XL. Extra tall bikes are a challenge. Here's why -you have to find a balance of weight and size. If you go over the size limit by 1 inch, then suddenly shipping costs that were $32.00 are $115.00. It is a close thing, so you need to be very accurate in measuring and packing
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