BikeFlights is an easy-to-use bicycle shipping service and also a supplier of quality bike shipping boxes based in Portland, Oregon. Their business began in 2009 helping a small handful of fellow cyclists to chase adventure around the world with affordability and the assurance that their bicycle would make the journey there and back. Thirteen years later they’ve assisted over 1,100,000 cyclists in shipping bicycles and gear and have set the standard in how cyclists travel and move around the world with bikes.
BikeFlights is the official bike shipping service for Cycle Oregon Classic XXXII. To learn more, click here.
“We are more than just a bike shipping company. At BikeFlights.com, we love to ride our bikes and to inspire others to do the same. Through our partnerships with grassroots cycling programs, advocacy organizations, bike events of all types and our many Ambassadors, we believe in taking care of our fellow cyclists and giving back to the sport.”
– William Alcorn, President
What does Oregon mean to the company and how has it shaped the development of the business?
Oregon is a beautiful state with a big sense of adventure. That’s married well with our own sense of adventure. And while we’ve enjoyed exploring riding all over the state, we know there are lots of other great places to ride, too, so we have always maintained a global focus. Portland is an excellent place to be based on the West Coast, and we’ve met great people from all over the world. Having such a diverse consumer group come visit our state helps us better understand and serve our customers from all over.
What is BikeFlights and how does it work?
BikeFlights is an easy-to-use bicycle shipping service and a supplier of easy-to-pack bike shipping boxes. We help people ship their bikes, wheels and gear with confidence. What that means is our customers get low costs, excellent service and on-time delivery with every shipment. Since 2009, we’ve served more than one million – including individuals, bike shops, events and cycling industry businesses.
To buy a bike shipping box or book a bike shipment, visit BikeFlights.com. Bike boxes ship directly to you anywhere in the contiguous U.S. within just a few days. We can also ship your bike to and from just about anywhere – for example, your house, workplace, hotel or a bike shop. When you want to book a shipment, enter your shipping details as prompted and get rates instantly. Upon booking, you’ll get your label in minutes. Apply your label directly to your bike box or case, being careful to first completely remove any and all previous labels, barcodes and warning stickers. If you booked a pickup, we’ll send a driver to come to get your shipment, or you can drop it off at any UPS Customer Center. Then sit back and relax, and we’ll take care of the rest by monitoring and tracking your bike until it’s delivered!
At BikeFlights, we are cyclists serving cyclists. Our Support Staff is available seven days a week to assist with questions or changes.
What makes it better than “just shipping it yourself”?
Look a little deeper than just the arrival times and costs of shipping BikeFlights provides and there’s a lot going on. Advocacy work from ambassadorship across all cycling disciplines and types, sustainability, and even e-bike education are all major themes the company expresses on the site and through social media. What drives advocacy in the business and how do you connect your mission to your customers?
A lot of people helped us get to where we are today, and we believe it’s important to give back. We also care about the planet and running our business sustainably.
We started our Buck Up For Bikes program in 2016 and since then, we have raised over $87,000 for non-profit cycling organizations such as Trips for Kids, National Interscholastic Cycling Association, Little Bellas and the International Mountain Bike Association. All of these organizations help get more people on bikes, especially kids and women, or create more and better places for people to ride.
We not only participate in our carrier’s carbon offset program to reduce the environmental impact of shipping, but we also adopted many other sustainability practices such as remote work and intentionally designing our boxes to use fewer materials and be recyclable.
We help others reduce the environmental impact of their travel. For example, by using BikeFlights, travelers can ship their bike(s) directly to their destination and save themselves the extra money and fuel costs associated with needing to hire, rent or operate a vehicle large enough to transport their bike(s) to and from the airport. It means they – with no bike boxes or cases in tow – can easily take mass transit or use ridesharing, and their bike will be there waiting for them upon arrival.
What are some simple tips for packing a bike and gear for trips?
After having shipped nearly 1.2 million shipments, we have a lot to say on this subject! However, there are three simple things that you can do to help ensure that your shipment goes well:.
- Completely remove old labels, bar codes and warning stickers that are on your bike box or case from previous shipments.
- Properly attach your label to your box or case. If using a case, it’s especially important to use a pre-made luggage tag (or make your own!) and zip tie it on so that your label stays on throughout the shipping process.
- Accurately measure and weigh your shipment prior to booking.
If you’ve never shipped before, or if it’s been a while, we highly recommend you watch our Bike Shipping Tips & Tricks video series on our BikeFlights YouTube Channel for 12 essential tips, each in a one-minute video. They contain lots of great packing advice, too!
Longtime BikeFlights Brand Ambassador Kerry Werner has put together some amazing how-to videos that go in depth on everything from how to sell (and ship!) your bike online to how to ship your bike, wheels and gear internationally.
And don’t worry, if you don’t feel comfortable packing or don’t have the time to pack your own bike, you can use our BikeFlights Bike Shop Finder to locate a shop near you that you can hire to pack your bike for you.
What is BikeFlights most excited about for 2022?
Oh, there are so many things – we can’t just name one!
First, we’re incredibly excited about our new and improved BikeFlights bike shipping boxes (launching April 2022). We took our previous best-selling design and made it even better, and we added two more sizes to fit more different bikes.
We also love partnering with and attending events, so we’re stoked to see the return of events all across the world.
And finally, we are enjoying the continued growth of cycling. We love seeing our favorite sport pick up more riders, and we appreciate what many people, companies and organizations are doing to make cycling a more inclusive sport, from encouraging more diverse participation to creating more and better bike infrastructure everywhere.
Quick office poll, what’s the best place to ride in Oregon?
The Gorge!