The cost to ship a bike with USPS ranges from $84 to $220.50 depending on the destination.
When shipping within the US, the cost varies according to the distance your package will travel. A short trip of 150 miles or less will be $84, but sending a bike to a freely associated state such as Guam, for example, would cost the maximum price of $220.50.
Below is a breakdown of prices according to shipping distance for oversize packages using USPS Retail Ground service. USPS Retail Ground would consider all adult bikes to be oversize packages and delivers them within two to eight business days.
USPS Domestic Bike Shipping Cost by Distance
| Distance in miles | Cost |
|---|---|
| Up to 50 | $84 |
| 51–150 | $84 |
| 151–300 | $106.80 |
| 301–600 | $129.60 |
| 601–1000 | $152.15 |
| 1001–1400 | $174.95 |
| 1401–1800 | $197.65 |
| Over 1800 | $220.50 |
| Freely associated states | $220.50 |
How Much Does It Cost To Ship a Bicycle Internationally With USPS?
Shipping a bike internationally with USPS Priority Mail International can actually be a little cheaper—again, depending on the destination.
To Canada, expect to pay around $101.65.
For European destinations, the USPS shipping cost can vary quite a bit. For example, France and Italy would both cost just over $121, but the UK would be just over $145.
These bike shipping cost estimates are based on a 20-pound package. The average road bike weighs about 18 pounds. Prices will be slightly higher for a heavier mountain bike, and certainly higher for an e-bike.
International destinations are categorized by “Price Groups” and you pay a cost according to each price group. USPS has posted its full list of Price Groups, but here are a few more examples (based on a 20-pound package):
- Costa Rica: $134.55
- Thailand and Vietnam: $149.90
- Australia: $170.25
What Are the USPS Size and Weight Limits for Bikes?
USPS Retail Ground takes packages up to 70 pounds, so your bike will easily fall under that.
You do have to be a little more careful about the dimensions, though. They will accept a combined length and girth of only 130 inches. A typical bike is 68 inches long and my bike is about 40 inches high (I’m a tall rider). So that puts me at 108 combined inches. You should be okay if you disassemble your bike before packaging it.
How To Disassemble a Bike for Packaging
- Get a good bicycle shipping box from your local bike shop.
- Remove pedals, handlebars, wheels, and seat and wrap them in bubble wrap.
- If you can get foam pipe insulation, you can cut it as protection for your frame tubes.
- With all parts protected, arrange in the box and surround with lightly crumpled newsprint to minimize shifting.
This video kicks off a pretty helpful series about packing and shipping a bike:
Cost of Insuring a Bike for Shipping
Speaking of careful packaging, you might also want to buy some insurance when you ship your bike. With USPS, insurance prices for domestic shipping are based on the item’s declared value. If you want to insure at least $600.01 for your bike, it’ll cost you $11.00 plus $1.65 per $100.00 or fraction thereof over $600 in declared value. They don’t provide insurance beyond $5,000 in value.
No, USPS will not ship a bike from the mainland to Hawaii- I know because I tried to get a box with dimensions 62x31x12 with a weight of 54 lbs and USPS will not ship it.
I’ve disassembled a Worksman tricycle with frame about 60″ L from base to top of seat post 32″H bit because it is a tricycle with two rear wheels it 24″. Only weighe 49lbs. I plan on shipping all other parts in separate box. I built a cardboard package for it that looks like a triangle with those dimensions and can’t seem to get any online sites to accept it. USPS clerk recommended i bring in the frame unboxed and they would probably accept it. How should I measure the triangular package using l x w x h triangle is throwing off estimators, surely I can ship this relatively small but tricycle frame? Any suggestions
Yes, I can see the problem. Maybe you have to ship it in a cubic or rectangular box with some light filler inside to minimize movement. There will probably be a lot of wasted space, but I’m not sure if that’s avoidable.