Sometimes, despite our best efforts, unfortunate things can still happen. We can’t shield ourselves from the constraints of the world of commerce, so we try to use the available resources to our best advantage.

One of the hardships in the bicycle industry is the shipping of bicycles. Anyone who has spent time behind the counter at the local bike shop can attest that complete bikes are often subjected to poor treatment during shipping. No matter the packaging, professional carrier, or the cautionary tales, bikes still get damaged.

We have been pretty fortunate with shipping; no bent and twisted frames, no mangled wheelsets, no forklifts piercing the packages. But we have had our share of headaches with damaged packages, bent racks, and un-trued wheels.  In other words, the writing is on the wall … one of our custom built bikes might meet an untimely fate.

In an effort to be proactive, we now have an alternative packaging option for our customers … the Thule 699 Round Trip Travel Case.

Yes, this the real-deal Terminator-meets-cocoon travel case. Basically, it is a hardplastic shell with layers of internal foam padding, plenty of straps, and external wheels for transport.  Sure it is heavy and tough, but so are the guys throwing around the packages at the warehouse.  Fortunately, Thule designed this case to meet standard UPS Ground shipping requirements, so it is not considered an oversize package, saving the $45 “oversize” tax.

And here is the best part:  If you need to ship a bike via UPS, you can rent this case from us. For a nominal rental fee of $45, we will let you borrow this case and send it anywhere in the U.S.A.  Basically you pay for all the shipping hither and yon, and you get to keep your valuable bike in a safe harbor against the wear and tear of commercial shipping.  Obviously there are some restrictions with extended use, bikes larger than 58cm, using this like personal luggage, etc. — but we’ll try to work with you.

The bottom line is this:

• As a customer of Renaissance Bicycles, we will be happy to send your custom built Soma, Rivendell, Colnago, etc. in this case.  Just send it back (at no extra charge) using the enclosed UPS address label.
• If you are buying / selling / or trading a unique bike that deserves a little extra care, just contact us for the availability and fine print regarding using this case.

The bottom bottom line is:

• Cardboard is good but a hardshell case is much better.
• Cases are expensive, but you can borrow ours.
• We’re just trying to think inside the box (and write bad puns).