HELP! cant get a bike purchase from Brighton to Nottingham

I’d like to buy a cargo bike off a forumite here but none of the couriers will ship it for a sensible price (£150 + shop packing time) was the last price I got via Ubyk in Brighton. They were flabbergasted at the price through their usual courier too.
Problem is its 20cm too long for a standard bike box, so hence silly prices.
I’ve shipped a tandem for a LEJOG with less trouble and a fraction of the cost, albeit a few years ago!
Don’t suppose anyone is heading north from Brighton(ish) to Nottingham (ish) and would be in a position to help out a fellow forumite?
Beer tokens would be happily parted with!

Cheers

CannyJ

Shiply? The quotes will come down fairly quickly so give it a few days. Used them to get a heavy van seat from Germany to UK, about half the price of the couriers.

We ship boxes larger than that from Inverness to mainland UK, for around £75 each. That includes our own boxes and us packing the bikes. We send via TNT. We’ve done Tandems, recumbents etc

Why not get the train down and bring (ride) it back?

If you can get someone to get it as far as Reading, i am back and forth to Nottingham from there every week

I used cyclesent’s courier service last time I sent a bike and it was the cheapest way to send a bike by quite a way. Might be worth seeing if their service will take a box of cargo bike size?

I’ve asked my brother – surely we can do a pony express sort of thing to help out??

I could get it to Reading from Farnborough or Twickenham area if that’s any use?

Tnt were the £150 quote for the bikeshop in Brighton! That was their price from tnt!!

It’s 20cm too big for cyclesent

Ill ask the seller if he can get it to Reading Ebygomm

Ponyexpress would would awesome! Many STW points would be given out!

I have considered cycling it back, I think it may need 3 days and I can’t take time out of work. It’s all booked in.

cannyj – Member
Tnt were the £150 quote for the bikeshop in Brighton! That was their price from tnt!!

I’m calling shenanigans

We had a TNT quote of £140 at work last year for a slightly longer than normal bike box.

We don’t send much stuff so don’t get a good price from the couriers.

That and many price by the volume of the box as much as the weight

Why is that bike shop always closed?

Will this fit in the back of a car?

I’m down in Maidstone this weekend, and I live in Notts, if it’ll go in the back of an estate car (pug 407sw) then I may be able to help, if it can be got to maidstone…

I don’t think so Scotroutes, they seemed too genuine and helpful. They seemed shocked

so, the Cargo bike in question is mine….
Thanks to all for offering to help out cannyj. It’s a bit of a pain to move around (other than pedalling it) so your collective knowledge is a great help.

I’m happy to get the bike on/in my car, and go a reasonable distance, as ‘cannyj’ seems to be ready to put the effort in. But, with hectic schedule i cant take it all the way.

Get the train down and ride back

Can you get it to maidstone?

I’ll be going Brighton-Derby a week Friday so could meet at J25/A52 if it helps but it needs to fit in the back of a xsara piccaso

Have you thought about just driving and picking it up? I picked up some specialist panels in Eastbourne (from Bath). Similar distance, I left work at 3.30pm and got back home around 12.30AM. Cost about £50 in fuel.

Loving the Pony Express idea. I’d join in, but I’m only 10 miles from Nottingham.

@greentricky
I do have a rear mounted rack, which i only bought to carry the ‘Mundo’ and i’d be happy for you to use that.
I’m not sure if it would go in a Picasso boot, but i reckon it should. Mail cannyj to see what he can do at the other end. Happy to help down here if i can.

without the front wheel in, the assembled bike is 1.8m long, and 90cm high.
Turning the bars around 180 might save around 20cm overall length.

I’ll be riding in Brighton on Wednesday night and heading back to Earby on Thursday at 12 ish. I can head up via the M1 if you are able to meet around junction 25 or 26.
I’m in an estate that does take 2 bikes with the wheels off.

Email in profile

@nickthegreek

Have. Emailed you.

Thanks for the generous offer

All the offers to help out are heartwarming and what what this forum is so good at, we need to remember stuff like this when you think it’s all going to Pot!
Will update progress

Makes sense to make your journey as useful as possible! Hopefully ensures it doesn’t get damaged on the way too. 😉

I’ve done this run every week for the last 16 years. If nothing else it’ll add a bit of variety.

Wow, Nick what a kind and generous offer.
Jaz has my details, so let’s liaise directly.

So, payment sent,contact made with Nick who will bring the bike up to within 20miles, fantastic! Just need to meet up and exchange bike for karma points and a malt as a thank you!

I sold a virtually brand new road bike to a guy in Kent. He drove up to Huddersfield for it, was here by 9.30 am on a Saturday morning, paid cash and drove straight back. I would have done the same for a similar deal.

yep, i do the same, leave sunday morning at 5am, I can be in most place by 9am (I’m in nottingham too)

And, to show cannyjbthat I appreciate his effort to get the deal sorted, I’ve just looked and seen I have a brand new spare 9 speed chain and cassette I’ll not use anymore. So,ill put that with the bike to aid in getting it ship-shape.

Cheers Lardman! Much appreciated 🙂

So it’s all worked out perfectly! Met nick of this parish this afternoon and evening managed to shoehorn the Mundo into the back of his car last night in Brighton. Top man! Looks like I wasn’t a moment too soon for the bike! Salt air and living outside don’t do bikes any favours it’s looking a bit sad 🙁
New tube in front wheel and a good ride up the lane and all working ok 😀
New saddle,good cleanup and maybe some citric acid , clean the rust from th stainless spokes!!!
Hopefully if using the bike for work is good, a respray is in order next year.
Thanks again to Nickthegreek what a star

My pleasure. It was great to meet 2 chaps from this forum.
Lee, top chap with a fondness for bloody heavy bikes.
Jaz, top chap with a fondness for bloody heavy bikes and is great at gifting malt whisky.

Now all that’s needed to bring this thread to a proper conclusion is a picture of the bike.