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In this update, you'll find everything about shipping bikes to/from Iowa for RAGBRAI. For those who have shipped bikes with us before, please read carefully, as the process is a bit different this year relative to last year and a lot different than in 2021 and prior years.
The Bike-Shipping Partners
Two organizations will work together to provide this service during RAGBRAI...
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BikeFlights is the bike shipping company that will receive your order, send you a box (if you order one), and provide your shipping labels. BikeFlights' services will include a pickup of your packed bike from your house or a local bike shop, $1,000 in Premium Protection (additional insurance coverage available), plus improved tracking and priority movement through the UPS system.
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Pork Belly Ventures and our crew will provide the bike-shipping ground game in Iowa. We'll receive your shipped bike, truck it to our location in Sioux City, keep it secure until you claim it on July 22nd, provide the option of pre-assembly, and store the bike-shipping container until week's end. In Davenport on Saturday, July 29th, we accept bikes for return shipping and reverse the process! We have a proven ground game before and after RAGBRAI, and we can even handle bike-shipping for those who can only ride part of the week.
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NOTE: Prior to RAGBRAI 2022, you ordered shipping labels from our company/brand, SendMyBike.com. This year, like last year, you will order shipping labels from BikeFlights (link below). SendMyBike.com will not be part of the bike-shipping plan for 2023. No worries. It will still be us, the same people who have handled your bike-shipping ground game through many RAGBRAIs in the past, receiving and return shipping out your bikes this year. | |
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Order from BikeFlights by June 21st
BikeFlights is accepting round-trip bookings for round-trip shipments within the contiguous U.S. through Wednesday, June 21st. This is a hard date. Don't wait too long, please.
The June 21 deadline is earlier this year to better serve you.
If your order includes a bike shipping box, BikeFlights will process your order within 1-2 business days and send a BikeFlights Bike Box Large (BBL) directly to you via their ground shipping service (typical transit time of 3-5 business days for most locations). Then, they’ll email your shipping labels by Saturday, July 1st. They’ll also schedule a pickup on Tuesday, July 11th for your packed bike from the shipping address you input upon ordering. Please have your bike packed, labeled and ready for pickup on this date. Be sure to coordinate with your local shop about this July 11th date if they are packing it and shipping it out for you.
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The Riders We Serve:
All RAGBRAI Riders
- In Sioux City, you will find us in the Pork Belly Ventures campground, which is conveniently located in relation to the main campground. Pork Belly Ventures and Bike Shipping will be located in Riverside Park, 3 miles north of Sioux City. Any RAGBRAI riders may claim their shipped bike from us there. You may ride a Sioux City shuttle to Riverside Park, and pedal the three miles back to your campground on a safe bike path. You'll be receiving a map later on.
- In Davenport, you will find us at the Pork Belly Ventures staging area at St. Ambrose University, less than two miles from the riverfront. You can drop off your bike or pack your bike for shipping there. Shuttles will be running between the riverfront and St. Ambrose. You'll be receiving a map later on.
- If you're shipping a bike, we will provide storage of bike-shipping containers during the week of RAGBRAI at no additional charge, whether or not you are with Pork Belly Ventures for the week of RAGBRAI. Remember, please, that we cannot give you access to your shipping container during the week. In Davenport, all of the containers will be unloaded for you to claim.
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For international riders and those who are shipping from Alaska or Hawaii, please contact BikeFlights directly at [email protected] for special arrangements to get your bike to RAGBRAI.
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Mechanical Assistance
Before RAGBRAI
Pre-assembly is an option for any RAGBRAI rider who ships a bike to us. Choosing this option means you will arrive in Sioux City and find your bike fully assembled. The cost is $80, selectable at the BikeFlights site.
Any RAGBRAI rider may use the mechanical assistance available on site in Sioux City. The rates of that Iowa bike shop will apply for all work/assembly, if you did not sign up for pre-assembly when ordering your shipping label.
Of course, you may assemble your shipped bike yourself.
There is one significant advantage for riders who are spending the week with PBV. We offer free mechanical assistance from our experts in camp if you don't elect to have your bike pre-assembled before your arrival ($80). From Saturday morning until about 6:00 p.m., our mechanics will be set up to help those on our support. Again this service is only for those riders with PBV Weeklong support.
After RAGBRAI
For those who booked it in advance, hand-off in Davenport is an option for any RAGBRAI rider who will return-ship from Iowa. To simply hand off your bike and label to our crew for packaging and shipping, the cost is $105.
If you can pack up your bike yourself, we will stage a UPS trailer in Davenport, and we'll help you load it.
Bikes shipped from RAGBRAI will be delivered within a week or so of the end of RAGBRAI.
Please plan to avail yourself of our return shipping service in Davenport by 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 29th.
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Shipping Labels Emailed
to You
Regardless of when you order your shipping labels, BikeFlights will email your stage 1 labels to RAGBRAI to you on Friday, June 30th, and your stage 2 labels from RAGBRAI to you on Saturday, July 1.
After receiving your label and before Tuesday, the 11th of July, you'll pack your bike into your box or case, affix your label, and have your bike ready and out for pick-up on Tuesday, July 11th by UPS. (If you intend to have your bike packed by and shipped from your local bike shop, use the bike shop address when ordering your shipping.) Prior to shipping, be sure to completely remove all previous shipping labels, barcodes and warning stickers. Here’s how to attach your label to your box or your case.
If you order a BikeFlights Bike Box along with your shipping, it will be sent directly to you at the shipping address you specified while ordering. You can expect to receive the box within 4-7 business days after ordering shipping services.
NOTE: Pick-up is included for all orders. The pick-up date is pre-arranged as Tuesday, July 11th. If you use your home address, the pick-up will be at your home. If you use your bike shop's address, pick-up will be at the shop.
If you are shipping from a bike shop, make sure the shop knows that you are getting your bike picked up on Tuesday, July 11, so they can have it packed, labeled and ready to go. It’s always a good idea to call and remind them prior to the pick-up. BikeFlights will be monitoring to make sure pick-ups are successful and will follow up as needed.
If you're ordering pre-RAGBRAI assembly, your bike will need to be received in time to assemble it. Please be sure your bike goes out by the 11th so we have time to assemble it.
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Types of Bikes and Containers
for Shipping
When you order, you will see a number of options on the BikeFlights drop-down menu:
- Shipping a traditional bike in your own case
- Shipping a traditional bike in a BikeFlights Bike Box Large
- Shipping an e-bike in a BikeFlights Bike Box Large
- Shipping a tandem in your own box or case
- Shipping a gear bag
- Assembly of your bike before RAGBRAI and/or packing of your bike after RAGBRAI
- Option to purchase Premium Protection for your bike. $1,000 is included, up to $20,000 available. We recommend you purchase Premium Protection in an amount to fully cover the market value of your bike.
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Other Options
Perhaps you have a usual way of shipping your bike and other parcels. You can use that preferred method of shipping, and we can still receive, transport, pre-assemble, and make your bike available to claim in Sioux City, transport your case/box for the week, return ship/package at the end of the ride. The cost would be $40 each way plus assembly/packaging costs. Please contact Pete for specifics, 402-681-2613.
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If you have questions about bike shipping, please contact Pete at [email protected] or at 402-681-2613.
[With any other questions about Pork Belly Ventures RAGBRAI Charter Service, please contact Tammy at [email protected], 808-375-8921 c.]
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We'll have more good news for you soon, friends, and until then, we remain,
Your friends,
Tammy and Pete
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