# Shipping a bike via USPS



## Chris T (Jul 19, 2002)

I'm looking at buying a bike from the US and shipped up to me in Canada. Seems most options are via courier companies only. This is not ideal, as then I get dinged a huge brokerage fee by the company. So, I'm wondering if anyone has ever shipped a bike to Canada from the US via USPS? If so, approximate cost? Thanks!


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## Jetmugg (Sep 22, 2010)

Biggest factor is the box size. You can go to the USPS website and play around with box sizes and estimated weights to get a shipping cost. Above a certain size, USPS will not handle your parcel.


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## Mailmover (Mar 29, 2011)

If possible spring for a hard Bicycle Case vice the cardboard box... just an added bit of protection for your new ride.


I see bikes come through my Processing Facility all the time, never direct from a Bike Shop, but from the owner. Most boxes look fine and they seem to be treated better than the rest (mailed at Parcel Post Postage) but, I have seen some boxes that looked as if they went through a shredder..


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

*Two boxes instead of one*

Put the wheels in their own box. 
The boxes will be smaller and you may avoid oversize surcharge. And at least one them will pass through customs.
The smaller box is less likely to get squished or damaged during processing too.


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## Mosovich (Feb 3, 2004)

*Can you do this??*

FED EX ground.. I ship everything that way.. USPS is WAY to expensive..


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## fast ferd (Jan 30, 2009)

Two boxes, for sure. Make sure to reinforce the boxes with cardboard or hard foam.

I've shipped wheelsets and frames to Canada, although not at the same time. It gets expensive depending on destination. About $40 for wheels and $60 for a frame, both on a Fedex business account, so going into their store will cost more. Shipping to a business address will save a few bucks. You need to create a customs commercial invoice that describes and values your contents.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

*Wrong!*



Mosovich said:


> FED EX ground.. I ship everything that way.. USPS is WAY to expensive..


FedEx brokerage fees negate any savings. Cheaper for the shipper maybe, but for the buyer it's two or three times as expensive.


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## Kontact (Apr 1, 2011)

Is there a brokerage fee if you aren't "importing" it. If I sent one of my bikes to Canada for a race, would there be a brokerage fee, or only if I bought a bike mail order.

I don't think USPS will do bike boxes. The divided shipment might work, though. There's got to be a reason I've never seen a bike mailed.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Kontact said:


> Is there a brokerage fee if you aren't "importing" it. If I sent one of my bikes to Canada for a race, would there be a brokerage fee


If it goes through customs, FedEx will charge a brokerage fee and duty. Brokerage fees are a lucrative profit stream for FedEx and UPS. They are not interested in your bike or what you do with it, they see a box entering Canada that they can make money on.

Taking something across a border is "importing", no matter what the purpose or whether you bring it back with you when you leave. That's a point of law, not a matter of opinion.

I have had frames and wheels mailed, but not complete bikes.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> If it goes through customs, FedEx will charge a brokerage fee and duty. Brokerage fees are a lucrative profit stream for FedEx and UPS. They are not interested in your bike or what you do with it, they see a box entering Canada that they can make money on.
> 
> Taking something across a border is "importing", no matter what the purpose or whether you bring it back with you when you leave. That's a point of law, not a matter of opinion.
> 
> I have had frames and wheels mailed, but not complete bikes.


This^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I work for one of the above companies and Cinelli 82220 is spot on... USPS will be far cheaper for the buyer. split into two boxes.. Frame in one and wheels in another


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> Taking something across a border is "importing", no matter what the purpose or whether you bring it back with you when you leave.


Hmm... didn't really think that one through before typing it, huh?



Ever been charged import duties on your luggage when travelling across borders? When you bring a camera with you on vacation are you "importing" it to the country you visit? What about when you bring the same camera home?

:thumbsup:


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## lessarde (Feb 17, 2007)

I've recently found that splitting the bike or wheels into seperate smaller boxes is far cheaper than bigger boxes.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

RJP Diver said:


> Hmm... didn't really think that one through before typing it, huh?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The thread is about shipping a bike via USPS or courier, not bringing the bike over as luggage. Legally, you are importing your luggage, although it is usually exempted from duty as per discretion of CBSA or US personnel. 
And yes US Customs asks me if I have anything of value that I will not be bringing back.
And when I bring it home CBSA will require proof that my camera was bought in Canada. They provide a specific form for that purpose "Identification of Articles For Temporary Exportation Form Y38 (04) ". If a person cannot prove they bought a specific item in Canada it may be subject to duty or forfeiture.


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> Taking something across a border is "importing", no matter what the purpose or whether you bring it back with you when you leave. That's a point of law, not a matter of opinion.


Really? I have taken any number of things to/from Canada and never paid duty. (Cars, boats any number of personal items.)

The purpose of duty/tariff is for international commerce, not simply taking something over the boarder. There are spots on the customs forms to designate the purpose of the item. Now that gets you free from "customs" charges. Carrier charges is another matter. UPS & FedEx probably will charge you for having it pass through customs. USPS rarely does.

The problem in this case is that a bike box is too big to ship via USPS to Canada. The restriction is length + girth must be less than 2.48 meters (I think)


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## fast ferd (Jan 30, 2009)

Dave Hickey said:


> This^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I work for one of the above companies and Cinelli 82220 is spot on... USPS will be far cheaper for the buyer. split into two boxes.. Frame in one and wheels in another


Mosovich and I must be doing something terribly wrong. In my case, USPS wanted over $100 for my largish frame set box going to Toronto. For FedEx, it worked out to around $60. I experienced similar cost differentials on other Canadian shipments.:cryin:

Therefore, for me, FedEx or UPS wins on the jumbo items, including domestic. Plus, they pick up for me at work, without the special trip to the post office.


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## Kontact (Apr 1, 2011)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> If it goes through customs, FedEx will charge a brokerage fee and duty. Brokerage fees are a lucrative profit stream for FedEx and UPS. They are not interested in your bike or what you do with it, they see a box entering Canada that they can make money on.
> 
> Taking something across a border is "importing", no matter what the purpose or whether you bring it back with you when you leave. That's a point of law, not a matter of opinion.
> 
> I have had frames and wheels mailed, but not complete bikes.


Well, I don't recall paying duty on my car when I drove into Canada, so I don't know what sort of law you're talking about.

Generally, if the sender and recipient are the same, different rules apply. But actually taking advantage of such things is a different question.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Kontact said:


> Well, I don't recall paying duty on my car when I drove into Canada, so I don't know what sort of law you're talking about.
> 
> Generally, if the sender and recipient are the same, different rules apply. But actually taking advantage of such things is a different question.



Cinelli 82220 is talking about a temporary import and he is 100 percent correct...

If you _shipped_ a bike/guitar/kayak/car/etc.... across an international border with the intention of using it and than shipping it back to yourself, you will have to pay duty unless you register it with customs...you'd then have to prove proof of export when returning it.

Driving/flying/walking/swimming/sailing across a border, with the item in your possession, is different story...the border agent should ask you if you have anything to declare but not all do....

Back to the topic, USPS is still the cheapest way to ship a bike...in order to do so and fit within the size guidelines, the bike would have to be broken down and shipped in at least two boxes


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

fast ferd said:


> Mosovich and I must be doing something terribly wrong. In my case, USPS wanted over $100 for my largish frame set box going to Toronto. For FedEx, it worked out to around $60.


You are looking at the situation from the point of view of the shipper.
The OP is the receiver. The $40 savings you get using FedEx are offset by him having to pay provincial and federal tax (12%) and brokerage fees (15-20%). If the bike is worth $1000 that is between $270 and $320 the OP will have to pay.
If the shipper uses USPS he will pay $5 brokerage or $8 if EMS. And he may pay zero tax, like I did on my Pina Dogma.


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## Chris T (Jul 19, 2002)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> You are looking at the situation from the point of view of the shipper.
> The OP is the receiver. The $40 savings you get using FedEx are offset by him having to pay provincial and federal tax (12%) and brokerage fees (15-20%). If the bike is worth $1000 that is between $270 and $320 the OP will have to pay.
> If the shipper uses USPS he will pay $5 brokerage or $8 if EMS. And he may pay zero tax, like I did on my Pina Dogma.


Yep, exactly. I basically avoid Fed Ex and UPS shipments like the plague unless there's absolutely no other choice. I rarely even get charged the $5 brokerage fee from USPS, but do get occasionally dinged for GST and customs fees.

Sounds like splitting up the bike is the way to go. As also mentioned, a standard bike box is too big for USPS, they won't even provide a quote on their site, they just state it's too big.

Thanks for the replies folks!


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