Dear Members,
I've shipped about 15 bikes in the last 12 years and have had only one bad experience. I relied on a bike shop to pack the bike rather than myself and I used FED/EX instead of UPS. FED/EX told me that there drivers do not have to accept a damaged box on there truck because they will be held accountable.
I shipped a track bike a few weeks ago to Dale with UPS. It arrived in great shape. The woman at the UPS counter as always asked me if I had the end of the hubs protected. I said yes, but could you make sure they follow the instructions on my box "This End Up". She said almost all bikes are shipped on their sides. They will not fit through the conveyers sitting upright.
UPS or FED/EX, who knows who is better. As for me, I will continue to pack up my bikes myself keeping in mind that "all bikes at some point during the shipping process are going to be on their side with other boxes on top of them.
Tony Brown Reading, PA <A HREF="www.angelfire.com/sports/vintagebikes">www.angelfire.com/sports/vintagebikes</A>