Each rider is responsible for getting their own bike to the point where they start the ride and home from their ride’s end.
Here are some proven ways to do that well.
Have someone use a car to drop you off or pick you up. This is ideal as it saves you from the need to box your bike and send it separately, but of course it only works if you have someone able to do this for you. Some (but not all) of our rides will allow you to leave your car at the start — ask your trip leader if that is of interest to you.
Other ways to swing this simple option are to rent a vehicle that you return to a rental drop-off spot near your starting point. Just like with airports, we can pick you up from local car rental locations.
You can also look into carpooling, which you can coordinate in our Facebook discussion group.
Most, but not all, Amtrak routes will allow you to bring your bike, often without the need to box it up. Learn more about this option here.
If you’re using one of the options below, you will need to box and ship your bike. Bicycle boxes can usually be acquired for free from your local bicycle shop. Bike shops will also box your bike for you for a fee, but many riders can also do it themselves. Take a look at this helpful packing guide provided by BikeFlights.
As a reminder, no hard or soft bike cases will be kept in the trailer during the Bike Adventure. We will only keep cardboard bicycle boxes if they are fully collapsed flat for up to two weeks; please know that we do put screw holes into them when we store them. For more than two weeks, it is typically better to find another bicycle box from a shop at your exit point. If you choose to use a reusable case or desire to keep a reusable box longer, it must be shipped elsewhere after your arrival. Thank you for understanding of our space restrictions!
Many airlines have greatly improved their policies on traveling with bicycles. Check out Bicycling Magazine’s Best Airlines for Cyclists, but know that the information can change. Advantages of shipping by air are typically price and that you keep your bike with you; disadvantages are that not all airlines have bike-friendly policies and that they typically make you sign a waiver against damages.
Click on the links below to learn about their pricing and size requirements, and from experience we recommend printing off the policy and bringing it with you to the airport to be sure you get the deal promised!
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Delta
Southwest
United Airlines
Advantages of shipping by ground can be feasibility, availability of shipping insurance, and not needing to haul it to the airport or on a bus/train; disadvantages can be shipping delays or issues with receiving and picking up the bikes. Prices will vary.
Over the years, most of our riders who have shipped their bike ahead have used bikeflights.com, a company that specializes in bike shipping. Their shipments currently go through UPS, but the pricing and insurance are typically better than you would receive directly from the UPS website. Their customer service has been very helpful when it’s needed.
A smaller company that some have begun using and reported a lower price is shipbikes.com.
Please be sure to have the correct, approved shipping address from us for your arrival location before shipping your bike.
Did you know you can actually ship on Greyhound without being aboard the bus? Learn more about shipping with Greyhound.
You can also arrive by Greyhound and potentially bring your bicycle with you as luggage. Learn more about the baggage rules for arriving by Greyhound.
