Consider this scenario: you have an exercise bike at point A, and it needs to be shipped to point B.  Right around now is when an ad for a new exercise bike pops up on Craigslist.  After all, this is the perfect opportunity to get rid of the old exercise bike and get the new and improved exercise bike, the one you’ve always wanted.  But what if you already have the exercise bike you’ve always wanted?  Well, darling, it looks like you’re going to have to ship it.  Therefore, the first thing we are going to have to talk about are packaging supplies.

It goes without saying that packaging supplies are going to make or break the exercise bike shipping experience.  Obviously, you aren’t going to wrap your high-tech gym equipment in garbage bags and send it on it’s way.  Well, what do you wrap it in?

First, make sure the bike is clean.

Second, take a lot of really good, clear pictures of the bike, from every angle.

Third, remove any moving parts or parts that stick out.  Consulting the manual will be extremely helpful for this.  If you don’t have a hard copy still, you can usually find a PDF on the internet.  Basically, you should be removing the pedals, the handlebars, the seat, any control panels, stuff like that.  You’re going to be using the most obvious packaging supplies, like bubble wrap, tape, shipping boxes, and poly bags.  It’s how you put them to use in this case that is the most important.  All of these pieces should be wrapped securely, put in their own boxes, and labeled correctly. You can ship those boxes individually or put them all in a larger box. Be sure to wrap the power cord to the frame of the bike and secure it.  Also, leave the legs on the frame of the bike, which makes for more manageable shipping (double check that this is what your carrier prefers).

Speaking of carrier, who are you going to use to ship your exercise bike?  There are a couple of recommendations and things to consider:

• You’re going to need to use an LTL carrier because the bike is simply too large for parcel shipment.
• LTL carriers usually specialize in what they carry, so you are going to need to look for one that specializes in awkward household items.
• If you choose a provider that does not specialize in what you are selling they wont have the experience or the equipment necessary, which is going to add to the cost. Even though you hear the word “specialized” and think “more expensive”, in this case a specialized carrier is the cheaper option.