Boxing a bike

Q: Hey guys! I need to have my mountain bike boxed up to ship to Colorado. Are you able to box it up for me, how much does it cost, and how long would it take? A: Yes, our mechanics can box up your bike for you. Our charge for boxing a bike for shipping is $50. That's for doing a super-secure job assuming that it's going to be man-handled by UPS or FedEx, with foam, bubble wrap, cardboard, and whatever else we can wrap around the frame and all the parts to protect it from dents and scratches. After you drop off your bike with us, we should be able to get it done in a day or two. If you're shipping it by train, we've heard the trains handle them more gently, so it does not have to be boxed up as securely as it would if you were shipping it through a shipping company. Want to try doing it yourself? Here's how: Remove the pedals, seatpost, and front wheel from the bike, turn the handlebar sideways, and put the bike in the cardboard box (if you don't already have a bike box, check with us --we may have one at one of our stores you can have). Put the wheel in next to the frame, the seat/seatpost in the bottom of the box, and put the pedals and any other loose parts in a plastic bike, and secure the bag somewhere inside the box (tape it to the inside, or tie it to the frame). Of course, you can still add any paper, plastic, and foam padding you want just to be safe. We know people who used this method going from Pittsburgh to DC to ride the Great Allegheny Passage, and it worked fine. Let us know if we can help and good luck with your travels!