What does it cost to send a bicycle? KNOWLEDGE BASE: Prices & Booking 💳
Understanding bicycle transport costs shouldn’t be complicated. In this guide, we’ve answered the most common questions about pricing, bookings, main centres, remote areas, payments and everything in between. Whether you’re sending one bike or organising transport for an event, you’ll find the answers below. So, what does it cost to send a bicycle?
What does it cost to send a bicycle?
Just R799 between main centers (ie major towns or cities in SA, listed here) or R1099 for remote areas (which is anywhere outside of a main center). We also have 24-hour express overnight bicycle deliveries in certain routes like CPT to JHB for just R2499 and it operates Monday to Friday last day for delivery. For quick and easy deliveries and the best boxed bicycle courier company in the country (as voted by us) contact #bicyclecouriers today.
Why are there only two prices?
We keep it simple and standardized. If you go to a traditional courier company, then you need to supply the bike box dimensions and get a variable rate quote based on the volumetric weight of the shipment. Whereas #bicyclecouriers took an average and split the main routes from remote areas to come up with a simple standardized solution for sending bicycles across South Africa. Which most likely costs a lot less than the opposition. Now where can we send your boxed bicycle today?
What is a Main Centre?
The biggest towns and cities in South Africa. To where the most boxed bicycles are being sent every day. The cities are easy and include CPT, GRJ, PLZ, ELS, DBN, PMB, JHB, PTA, NLP, PLK and BFN and because our head office is situated in Stellenbosch, we have also extended the area around it as a main center, including Paarl, Stellenbosch and Somerset West. Brilliant. Now where can #bicyclecouriers send your boxed bicycle today?
What is a Remote Area?
Anywhere outside of a main centre, ie outside of CPT, JHB, PTA, GRJ, PLZ, ELS, DBN, PMB, NLP, PLK, BFN, etc. And why do #bicyclecouriers provide for remote areas? Because it is further out and there are fewer deliveries in those areas. Hence the small price difference. In many cases it will likely cost you more the travel to the nearest depot to the bicycle yourself, than the circa R300 price difference between main centers and remote areas.
Which towns are Main Centres?
Main centres include the following 15: Cape Town, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Somerset West, George, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Nelspruit, Polokwane and Bloemfontein. Anywhere else is a remote area. Popular exclusions are Mosselbaai, Knysna and Plett, which counts as remote areas. And popular during holidays. Now where can #bicyclecouriers send your bicycle today?
How do I know if my town is remote?
If it falls outside of the main centers, then it will be classified as remote. For example, Knysna and Sedgefield and Mosselbaai and Plettenbergbaai are all in the Garden Route but fall outside of the closest main center which is George. So, sending it to George would be R799 but sending it to any of the other four listed here would be R1099. And if you are in doubt whether your deliver is remote or not, just ask! Quick and easy, where can #bicyclecouriers send your bicycle next?
Why does remote delivery cost more?
Two main reasons. Because it is further to drive and because there is less existing freight going there so the economies of scale disappear. Which means we have to send vehicles especially for your bicycle delivery and cannot use existing trips tro bring down the cost as with main centers. Regardless, we believe the #bicyclecouriers remote rates for bicycle couriers are still some of if not outright the lowest in the country. Please do compare and tell us if you find alternatives. Now to which remote area can we send your bicycle today?
Do you charge by distance?
Nope. It costs the same to send a boxed bicycle between any two main centers. Or the same remote rate when any remote area is involved. So, whether you send a boxed bicycle from CPT to George (say 400kms) or from CPT to PTA (1400kms) they will both cost the same. Isn’t that great? You are not penalized for sending a bicycle on a longer distance to the delivery point. Think of Springbok on the one end or Richardsbaai on the other end. Now where can #bicyclecouriers send your boxed bicycle today?
Can I get a quotation?
Always. Just ask. Pop in your details here and we will send you the corresponding price. Whether you want to send a boxed bicycle or a vending machine, #bicyclecouriers are here to help wherever and whenever we can. But when you are sending standard items like boxed bicycles to anywhere in SA then there is no need to get a quote, you can just go ahead and save time and book online. Now where can we send your boxed bicycle today?
Are there hidden costs?
Nope. Flat rate boxed bicycle transport across the country with #bicyclecouriers. Just ensure your bike is already packed in a bikebox before our drivers arrive. Or drop it off at the nearest bike shop so they can pack it for you, and we can collect it directly from them when ready. Boxing a bike depends on the individual rate from shop to shop, but the national average is around R250-350 for same. On exception we can also do it from our head office for just R299. Happy to help. Now where can we send your boxed bicycle today?
How do I pay?
Online card payment or EFT. No cash payments. We have the following payment portals and online card payments available: YOCO so you can Pay securely with your debit or credit card on our website or with a payment link. iKhokha secure online payments via credit, debit card and Instant EFT. Or a direct payment via EFT into our #bicyclecouriers Nedbank account. which we prefer, because that saves us a heap on transaction fees throughout the year.
Can I pay later?
Yes, you can book now and pay later. As long as you have paid before we collect. This is a prepaid service. Our book is usually filled with near-dated boxed bicycle deliveries. But we also get customers who book their bicycle transport long in advance. Especially for events and races like the ABSA Cape EPIC, IRONMAN® and CTCT Cape Town Cycle Tour. So no need to wait, get your order in now and book with #bicyclecouriers online.
Can someone else pay?
Yes, someone else can pay on your behalf. In the case of a bicycle sale either the buyer or the seller can book online with #bicyclecouriers. And if they want to share costs can square up with each other directly afterwards. Or forward the order confirmation email with bank details for payment via EFT. There is also a permanent payment link if you want to pay with a card online in the #bicyclecouriers website footer.
Can I cancel my booking?
Yes, you can. Things change. If it is long in advance and we have not incurred any costs then no problem, we can just change the dates or venues, or you can use the booking at another time. But if we had sent out a vehicle for collection or incorrect cancelled waybill fess or bank and card portal fees then there may be a discretionary admin fee. Clean and simple with #bicyclecouriers. Now where can we send your bicycle today?
Can I change my booking?
Yes. Life happens. For instance, you can book for a main center delivery and then upgrade it to a remote area delivery. Or you can book for a regular 3–5-day service and then upgrade it to an overnight delivery. Maybe your event doesn’t happen, and you need to change the dates. There may be a discretionary service fee on changes, as #bicyclecouriers might have already incurred and accumulated cancelled waybills costs and card processing fees on changes and refunds.
Can I change the delivery address?
Yes, you can. If it is in time and the collection or delivery address stays within the same rate as which you have booked. Then there are no extra fees unless we have cancelled waybills or (sometimes multiple) vehicles going out on the #bicyclecouriers account. And obviously if you changed your service type from main center to remota area or express then you may have to top up the difference between the old and the new price.
Can I change the collection date?
Yes indeed. For example, the recent floods prevented the 36ONE MTB race from happening this year. So, you can use your bicycle transport for another event or carry it over to next year. And no top-up needed if done in advance long enough that we don’t have to send out a collection vehicle or cancel and existing waybill. Please refrain from sharing the change of date details with us on or after the fact, especially when our #bicyclecouriers driver is standing outside waiting for the bicycle.
Can I book months in advance?
Yes, certainly. We like to fill up a calendar. Before someone else does. We found that the events where people book the longest in advance are the ABSA Cape EPIC and the IRONMAN® series locally. Plus, the CTCT Cape Town Cycle Tour is also a very popular one (being the largest individual timed one day cycle race in the world, we’d expect nothing less). So, for when can we book your bicycle transport with #bicyclecouriers?
Can I book same-day?
Yes, you can. If you book early enough and the bike is boxed and ready for collection and our drivers haven’t already passed your area, then we can still collect them on the same day. Alternatively, it may roll over to the next collection day. Different providers have different same day collection cut-off times. Generally individual bikes in main centers are easier than truck collections in remote areas where the #bicyclecouriers pickup schedule is more sensitive.
How quickly can you collect?
We collect every weekday. Just say when and where and whether the boxed bike is ready for collection and we can confirm if we can still do it today. Or tomorrow. Or on the next available slot. And as I am typing this response, we got a perfect example. There is a boxed bicycle ready for collection at a bike shop in Scottburgh in KZN, but it is now 13.30 (still before the technical 2pm same day cut off for this provider). Yet the driver was already there to collect this morning and is on his way back to DBN. So please book early for same day #bicyclecouriers collections, especially in outlying areas.
Can I book over weekends?
It is possible. But not standard. We collect every weekday. Which means weekend collections may attract a surcharge. And we have done weekend deliveries in emergencies. But prefer that you book in advance so that we can stick to weekdays as for over 99% of our deliveries. As your friendly #bicyclecouriers also deserve some rest after the long week of bicycle deliveries all across the country.
Do you offer discounts?
Yes. Often. Online. And in person. For large groups or events or bike shops and frequent senders. If you are a large group attending the DC with a team or two or sending 20x bicycle up to DBN for the IRONMAN®. Or a bike shop sending exclusively or semi-exclusively through #bicyclecouriers then we can most certainly see how to accommodate you. Ask and you shall or may receive. Think like #bicyclecouriers and say, ‘wie nie waag nie sal nie weet nie’. Now where can we send your reduced rate boxed bicycle today or tomorrow?
Can companies open accounts?
They can. But do understand this is a thin margin and highly competitive industry. And we don’t want to sit with a collections department or large debtor’s book. So, while any company can open an account (in fact every single individual who book with us has the option to open an account and save their particulars online for future checkouts) we still prefer upfront or periodic or weekly payment. Keeping things simple with #bicyclecouriers.
Do you issue VAT invoices?
You can request a PDF invoice. These are produced by our backend but not sent out by default unless someone asks for it. To reduce the number of messages and comments and digital clutter. So, if you need a #bicyclecouriers invoice just ask and we will email it to you. But for over 99% of our orders email confirmation is sufficient proof. Now where can we send your boxed bicycle today?
How do I receive confirmation?
Confirmation email once your booking has gone through. We do receive WhatsApp bookings and tend to reply ASAP. But please do note the email confirmation is your proof that the #bicyclecouriers order has gone through the system. And you can do it all online yourself when you place the bicycle transport order. After which we will send you the PDF waybill to print and stick on the box.
