HELP: Collect and ship bike from Cambs?

[DM]

I won (most of) a bike on Ebay.
I'm not in the UK at the moment, so I can't collect it.

Obviously, I would use a courier... but the seller "doesn't have any cardboard boxes", so has declined to pack it ready for collection.

The seller is cool about storing the bike, but that still means I need to travel half way across the country to get it. And I won't actually be in the UK any time soon.

Could any of you kind people help me out?

The bike needs to be collected from the seller; dismantled; boxed; shipped to my parents' UK address.

I realize this is a LOAD of hassle, so I don't expect it to be done for FREE. £$€ Happy to pay your costs and time etc.

Or if anyone knows a courier service that will ship an oily, dirty, un-boxed bike, that would be perfect!

Thanks,

DM

 

[Skeelsie]

So collection from Cambridge and delivery to.....?

I'm pretty near Cambridge just depends where it's got to go to.

 

[broadway]

Posting approximate locations of the bike and your parent's house might help.

 

[DM]

Yeah.

As far as I know, the bike is in Cambridge itself, not out in the Cambs countryside somewhere;

Delivery needs to be to my parents' UK address, which is in Wales.
But I guess that bit is less relevant, as the courier cost will be the same anywhere within the UK mainland.

I will get a more precise pick-up location from the seller, if that would help?

 

[legrandefromage]

Sorry, should have PM'd I can still do this during the week but not this weekend

 

[was8v]

How much is it worth / condition?

I had parcelmonkey.co.uk pick up via CityLink on their cheapest service £8.

I've used it twice for unpackaged bikes. Once for my £150 road bike and once for my £15 saracen.

The seller just stuck my address to the seat and frame, both arrived undamaged apart from a few scratched which may have been there before.

I think a bike is easier for a courier to handle this way, and is less likely to get thrown / dropped than a non descript box.

You have to be brave and take the risk- if it does get damaged then they will likely refer you to their packaging guidelines.

Obviously I wouldn't do this with an immaculate Yo Eddy or Klein.

 

[DM]

Thanks for the info was8v.
I thought it might be "possible" for a courier to just wheel a bike into the van.
But they usually list lots of conditions, like maximum length etc.
So I assumed they wouldn't touch it.

Good to know. And no - It's not worth a huge amount.

LGF - Thanks!
There's no great rush to sort it out. The seller seems fine about storing it for a while. I'll PM you when I get his full address (it's not showing on my PayPal for some reason). We can then sort out the details.

THANK YOU!!

 

[was8v]

Thanks for the info was8v.I thought it might be "possible" for a courier to just wheel a bike into the van.
But they usually list lots of conditions, like maximum length etc.
So I assumed they wouldn't touch it.

Good to know. And no - It's not worth a huge amount.

Yeah they have been fine with me. Both times the bikes were over the max length service I paid for I just winged it.

Also sent 8ft surfboard this way (max length is something like 1.5m) and they picked up and delivered just fine

 

[DM]

OK, the seller's location is CB1 7**, so central Cambridge.

I have asked if he will remove the pedals and tape any flapping brake cables etc. onto the frame for collection by ParcelMonkey. It's a lot less hassle than dismantling and packing it.

If not, maybe LGF could collect it and use this "ghetto" method to forward the bike to me. LGF, I will PM you when the seller decides whether or not to help with the courier stuff.

A big public THANKS for your help, people.
I knew there had to be a solution that minimized the hassle for everyone.

DM