Selling a fold-up E-bike but where do I get a box to post it in?

Klang180

Pedelecer
Jun 6, 2017
147
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41
exeter
I have just finished getting my partner's Woosh Gallego back in shape and ready to sell when it dawned on me that a bike I can post will probably sell much better. As you are such an experienced bunch does anyone have any ideas of where to acquire a box big enough to send it in? If not, how much of a hit do you reckon I will take by not posting it? I am in Exeter if that makes much of a difference?

Thanks all.
 
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Deleted member 33385

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I have just finished getting my partner's Woosh Gallego back in shape and ready to sell when it dawned on me that a bike I can post will probably sell much better. As you are such an experienced bunch does anyone have any ideas of where to acquire a box big enough to send it in? If not, how much of a hit do you reckon I will take by not posting it? I am in Exeter if that makes much of a difference?

Thanks all.

I once ordered a PC online and it arrived in a truly massive ball of bubblewrap, wrapped up in heatshrink. It was surprisingly effective in protecting the PC and all of it's internals worked perfectly - because the case was also filled will bubblewrap. If your bike folds small - many metres of bubblewrap is pretty cheap.

Sending the battery separately would be a good idea - a lithium fire with masses of bubblewrap would be fierce!
 
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Klang180

Pedelecer
Jun 6, 2017
147
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exeter
Oh the battery, I had totally forgotten about that!

Thanks for the idea, that is a novel solution and one I would never have thought of.
 
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Deleted member 33385

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Oh the battery, I had totally forgotten about that!

Thanks for the idea, that is a novel solution and one I would never have thought of.

I was shocked, the ball was about 3.5ft wide. o_O
 

Scorpio

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 13, 2020
357
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Portugal Algarve (temporary)
Local bike shop of Halfrauds etc ... they're normally very heppy to give away bike boxes, if you are lucky you might get one before it has been torn open or squashed for their recycling.
 
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Deleted member 33385

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Oh the battery, I had totally forgotten about that!

The battery for my bike arrived via UPS - not all carriers will deliver lithium-ion batteries, and when they do - there may be specific requirements in terms of packaging and labelling.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
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The battery for my bike arrived via UPS - not all carriers will deliver lithium-ion batteries, and when they do - there may be specific requirements in terms of packaging and labelling.
They aren't always caring with them either. The one below was carried from China by DHL. It looks like they unloaded it before the plane landed:

 
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Deleted member 33385

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They aren't always caring with them either. The one below was carried from China by DHL. It looks like they unloaded it before the plane landed:



Whoa, how was that packed? Thankfully, mine arrived from the UK in a box, lined with reassuringly solid and substantial foam. Labelled with "This burst into flames" or something, all over it.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
Whoa, how was that packed? Thankfully, mine arrived from the UK in a box, lined with reassuringly solid and substantial foam. Labelled with "This burst into flames" or something, all over it.
Just a cardboard box that fitted snugly like a sleeve, so no packing or padding.

That battery was fine though, here it is repaired with silver duct tape:

 
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Deleted member 33385

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Just a cardboard box that fitted snugly like a sleeve, so no packing or padding.
That's insane. I get mobile phones delivered in just cardboard boxes these days, but they are fiendishly clever cardboard boxes with large air gaps and calculated collapsable areas, and the phone is strapped to the strongest central panel....


That battery was fine though, here it is repaired with silver duct tape:
...nice save!
 
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Klang180

Pedelecer
Jun 6, 2017
147
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41
exeter
Wowsers that battery is surprising! Makes me think maybe it might be better just to do a collection only or just put it on Gumtree/FB mktplace.
 

Jayfdee

Pedelecer
Nov 14, 2018
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I had great difficulty finding a carrier to accept the battery,make sure you check with them. I eventually had to deliver to eBay buyer.