Yes. The service is open to everyone: bike shops, private individuals, teams, and anyone else shipping a bike across Europe or the US. You do not need any buying or selling history on the buycycle marketplace, but you do need a buycycle account to book (see below).
Help Center
Answers to common questions about bike shipping, packaging, tracking, and protection. Plus in-depth guides on how bike shipping works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions about bike shipping.
Getting started & booking
Yes. If you already have a buycycle account, log in with your existing details. If not, create one first. It only takes a minute. Note that your shipments will not appear in the buycycle app or your marketplace profile. Everything is managed in the separate shipping dashboard.
We cover most countries in Western, Northern, Central, and Southern Europe, and we run a separate service inside the United States. The full list of supported routes appears when you start a quote.
We do not ship between Europe and the US in either direction.
We also do not currently ship from or to these regions: Azores, Canary Islands, Ceuta, Cyprus, French islands, Livigno, Madeira, Malta, Melilla, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, United Kingdom (UK), Vatican City.
Most shipments arrive within 2-7 working days of pickup, though in rare cases it can take up to 14 working days. These are estimates based on past shipments on each route. You will see the estimate for your route when making your booking.
Yes. Just mark your shipment as an e-bike in the booking form. Keep the battery attached to the bike at all times: it must not be removed or packed separately in the box. You will receive an e-bike label. Make sure no electronic devices or batteries are loose in the box.
Yes. One order can cover multiple bikes, up to 8 per order. Each bike gets its own shipment, but they are all collected and delivered together on the same route. If the bikes need different pickup or delivery addresses, create separate orders.
Yes. Select the shipment type (full bike, frame only, or wheelset) at booking, and pricing and box recommendations adjust accordingly.
Note that we only provide packaging material for bikes and framesets. If you ship a wheelset without the matching frame, you will need to arrange packaging yourself.
Not yet. We cannot generate both the outbound and the return label within a single booking, so please create two separate bookings: one for the outbound shipment and one for the return shipment.
If you would like one of our bike boxes, request it with the first shipment. You can reuse the same box for the return shipment, so there is no need to order a second one. This only works if the box is still in good, undamaged condition.
We pick the carrier automatically, based on origin and destination. International shipments often travel with UPS or FedEx. Domestic routes may use other carriers, such as Poste Italiane, depending on the destination.
Packaging & box requirements
buycycle offers three box sizes, depending on the type of bike you are shipping:
- Extra Small (114 x 30 x 76 cm), for frames and wheels
- Small (149 x 24 x 76 cm), for most road and gravel bikes
- Medium (149 x 31 x 84 cm), for most mountain bikes and larger frames
Add a buycycle box during checkout and we deliver it before your scheduled pickup. You can also buy a box on its own.
You can use your own sturdy box instead, provided it meets these limits:
- Maximum length: 274 cm
- Maximum girth (length + 2 x width + 2 x height): 380 cm
- Maximum weight: 45 kg
If your box exceeds these limits, we will not be able to ship it and you will need to use an official buycycle box instead. If your box exceeds the maximum dimensions accepted by our logistics partners, oversize surcharges of €318 plus processing fees may apply. These are carrier rates that we pass on to you. We make no profit on oversize surcharges.
The booking form recommends a size for you. It is a recommendation, not a guarantee: for larger frames and non-sport bikes we cannot promise that our boxes will fit. Please measure your bike first, as shown below.

A and B are the critical measurements. If A is longer than the box, measure C and take both wheels off so the bike fits. In that case, also check that the frame plus the wheels laid alongside it stay within the box width. We strongly recommend leaving some buffer on every side, otherwise the box will not close cleanly.
| Box | A | B | C (only if A is too long) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra Small (114 x 30 x 76 cm) | max. 114 cm | max. 76 cm | max. 114 cm, with frame and wheels side by side no thicker than 30 cm |
| Small (149 x 24 x 76 cm) | max. 149 cm | max. 76 cm | max. 149 cm, with frame and wheels side by side no thicker than 24 cm |
| Medium (149 x 31 x 84 cm) | max. 149 cm | max. 84 cm | max. 149 cm, with frame and wheels side by side no thicker than 31 cm |
If your bike does not fit within these measurements we cannot supply a box for it. Please source your own box, staying inside the maximum dimensions we can ship. Note that we cannot refund the box cost if you ordered the wrong size.
No, you pack the bike yourself. If you order packaging material with your booking, we ship it to you before the pickup and send you a guide showing how to pack the bike step by step: how to pack your bike.
Nobody comes to your address to dismantle or pack the bike, and the driver cannot help with packing. The box has to be packed, closed and labelled before the driver arrives.
Remove the wheels and pedals, and if needed the handlebar (or turn it sideways). Wrap the frame, fork, and derailleur individually in foam or bubble wrap, and pad the disc rotors. Pack everything snugly so nothing can shift, and fill any gaps with packing material.
Every buycycle box also includes a QR code that links to a detailed packaging guide. You can read the full guide here: how to pack your bike.
Yes. As long as you stay within the 45 kg weight limit, you can add items such as clothing or a helmet. Make sure they do not make the box bulge, and secure everything so the bike cannot shift or get damaged in transit. Damage caused by added items is not covered, even with Premium Protection, so packing extra items is at your own risk.
Never add electronics to the box, e-bikes included. The e-bike battery is the only electronic item allowed, and only while it is mounted on the bike. Separate batteries, laptops, smartwatches, and other electronics must not be shipped alongside the bike.
No, we require cardboard boxes. There is a very high risk of loss with a travel case, because the label often falls off. Labels do not stick reliably to a hard case surface, and a shipment that loses its label in transit has nothing left to identify it by. Most carriers will not take bike travel cases for that reason, so drivers may also refuse the pickup.
Please order a box from us during booking, or source one elsewhere that meets the size requirements.
This has no effect on your shipment or your price. The weight printed on the label is a standard default value (usually 15 kg) and the dimensions can differ from your package too. Some labels are also generated as an e-bike label even when you are shipping a regular bike. That is completely normal and changes nothing.
Important: if you receive an e-bike label together with a warning PDF but you are shipping a regular bike, do not print or attach the warning PDF. Use the shipping label only. The warning document is only required for actual e-bike shipments.
If you are shipping an e-bike and did not receive an e-bike label, contact support immediately. You need a new label: never ship an e-bike without a declared e-bike label.
Pickup, delivery & labels
Yes. Just indicate during booking that you are shipping multiple bikes, up to 8 at a time. Everything booked together gets the same pickup date automatically. If you need separate pickup dates, please make separate bookings.
Note that one booking can only cover one route. So if five bikes go to one destination and three go to another, please make two bookings, one per route. When destinations differ, two carriers (for example UPS and FedEx) may show up on pickup day.
We can collect Monday to Friday, between 08:00 and 18:00. Whether we can narrow that window down depends on the carrier and the specific route. You choose the pickup date yourself during checkout, together with a time slot wherever the route offers one. Weekend pickups are not possible.
No, this is intended. On some routes we ship with a UPS partner, and on those labels the sender address is always the partner warehouse in Montfoort, Netherlands. Your actual pickup address is set correctly in our system, and the UPS driver sees it as soon as the label is scanned. Hand the bike over as normal: it will be collected from your address and delivered just fine.
No, this is intended. Where the label shows the warehouse in Montfoort, your bike is first delivered to the UPS hub there and then forwarded to your actual delivery address. Tracking in your profile follows the shipment to Montfoort, then updates with a new tracking link once the bike is on its way to its final destination.
This is the same hub described under why a bike is delivered to the Netherlands.
Please stay home for the full time window shown in your dashboard. If you know in advance that you will not be there, contact us beforehand so we can reschedule.
If the pickup is still missed, contact us with a new date and we will book the next attempt free of charge. We need at least 1 business day between your request and the new pickup date.
If you are traveling soon after, we strongly advise booking your first pickup attempt 2-3 business days before you leave. That leaves room for a reschedule.
Not a problem. The carrier will usually try again the next day. You can also arrange delivery yourself through UPS or FedEx customer service. With UPS, for example, open your tracking link and you will find the option to set your delivery preferences there.
Yes. For hotels, enter the hotel's name in the company field of the address when you book, and make sure reception knows a pickup or delivery is expected. Carriers usually do not call ahead, so the front desk needs to be informed.
For an Airbnb or holiday apartment, the name you enter in the booking must be clearly visible on the door or doorbell, otherwise the pickup or delivery is likely to be missed. If there is no name on the door, attach a note with the name and, ideally, a phone number, so the carrier knows to ring or call.
Please contact our support team via our contact form and we will process your request as soon as possible.
Address changes and pickup-date changes need at least 1 business day of notice before the pickup date. Once the pickup has been dispatched to the carrier we can no longer change it.
Your label is ready no later than about 48 hours before your pickup date, and you can download it from your shipment overview. To unlock it, first upload the photos you took of the bike while packing. We send you an email as soon as the label is available for download.
No. The driver never carries a printer and cannot print or scan a label from your phone. A label emailed to the carrier does not work either. Print the label and attach it to the box before the driver arrives, otherwise there is no pickup.
No printer at home? A copy shop, a neighbour or a local bike shop can print the label for you. If someone else is handing the bike over, forward them the label so they can print and attach it in time.
Take clear, detailed photos of the bike and the packaging while you pack. Then print the label 4 times: one on the outside front of the box, one on the outside side, one inside the box, and one for the courier to sign at pickup and leave with you.
Keep proof that the bike was collected: the pickup receipt, the signed label, or photos taken at pickup. Ask your recipient to report any damage immediately on delivery.
Pricing & payment
It depends on the route. Enter your pickup and delivery location in the booking form and the price appears immediately, before you create an account or enter any payment details.
No, the price at checkout is final. There are no fuel surcharges, weekend supplements, or other add-ons. The one exception is your own box exceeding our measurements, in which case oversize surcharges apply (see the packaging section).
Private senders see prices including VAT. Commercial senders (shops and businesses) see prices excluding VAT, so please select "Commercial" at the start of booking.
We accept major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfer, and other local payment methods via our payment provider.
With bank transfer, we only process the shipment once the money has arrived. If the transfer takes a few days, we may need to move your pickup date slightly.
Yes, you can cancel the order yourself in your shipping profile. Cancellation is possible right up until you view or download your shipping label, so you keep maximum flexibility until the moment shipping starts. Open the order in your dashboard, select "Cancel order", and you will see the exact refund amount before you confirm. The refund goes back to your original payment method within 5-10 business days.
Once the label has been viewed or downloaded, or the bike has been picked up, the order can no longer be cancelled and no refund can be issued.
Ordered boxes are usually processed and dispatched immediately. If your box is already being processed, the box cost cannot be refunded, and the box is yours to keep for a future shipment. If the box has not been ordered yet, you get a full refund of both the shipping and the box.
If you paid by bank transfer, please contact support via the contact form and we will cancel your order and arrange the refund manually.
Protection & coverage
Premium Protection is an optional add-on that covers the full declared value of your bike, up to €6,000 per bike, against loss or significant damage. It costs 1.4% of the declared market value for private senders and 0.7% for commercial senders, plus €5 per bike in both cases. The minimum declared value is €250. The booking form shows the exact protection cost for your shipment before you pay.
Standard carrier liability applies. It is based on weight rather than value, at the statutory rate of 8.33 SDR per kg (roughly €10 per kg). If something happens, we will coordinate with the carrier on your behalf, but the carrier decides on compensation case by case. We strongly advise opting in to Premium Protection.
No. Without Premium Protection, compensation comes from standard carrier liability, and that is calculated by weight rather than by what the bike is worth: the statutory rate of 8.33 SDR per kg, roughly €10 per kg. A bike in a box usually weighs 20 to 30 kg, so the ceiling is a few hundred euros whether the bike is worth €250 or €6,000.
That is why the booking form asks you to confirm the limit in writing before you continue without protection. Premium Protection is the only way to have the declared value covered, up to €6,000 per bike, and it has to be added before the bike ships. It cannot be added after something has gone wrong.
We strongly advise against it. If you would still like to opt out, open the shipment in your dashboard and click "Not able to upload the photos?" next to the photo upload. You confirm the removal, and the protection fee is refunded to your original payment method. Like a cancellation, this is possible until you download your shipping label. If you run into any trouble, contact our support team via our contact form.
Claims & damage
We distinguish three cases:
- Item not as described (if you use our service to buy or sell): Premium Protection does not cover this. You are only covered for what happens to the bike during shipping.
- Damage during transport: please file a claim with our support team via the contact form. Our team will tell you which information we need and will then coordinate with the carrier on your behalf.
- With Premium Protection: our claims team assesses the case and the damage it determines is covered in full.
- Without it: our claims team assesses the case and standard carrier liability applies, based on weight rather than value, at the statutory rate of 8.33 SDR per kg (roughly €10 per kg).
- Lost shipment: we run a full investigation and our team coordinates with the carrier. The investigation period is 21 days from the day the claim is opened. If the bike cannot be found in that time:
- With Premium Protection: full reimbursement of the declared value.
- Without it: standard carrier liability applies, at 8.33 SDR per kg (roughly €10 per kg).
If the item arrives damaged, photograph both the box and the bike immediately. Then log in to your account and open the contact form to raise a ticket. Send us all the pictures you took and describe the situation in as much detail as possible.
Only the person who made the booking can open a claim. If you are the recipient, please ask the sender to raise it.
We will review your case promptly, tell you if we need any further information, and coordinate with the carrier on your behalf.
You have 48 hours from delivery. Always accept the delivery, even if the box looks damaged, because refusing it makes a claim harder to process. Take pictures right away.
Usually 2 business days. Complex cases can take up to 14 days.
Tracking
Log in to your dashboard and open the shipment to follow it live at every checkpoint. No separate carrier login is needed. We also email you the tracking link as soon as your shipment has been picked up.
Tracking scans can take up to 24 hours to appear, so the bike is often further along than the last checkpoint suggests.
At the moment, all email updates go to the person who made the booking. We are working on detailed communication for both sides. In the meantime, feel free to forward the tracking link to your sender or recipient.
Gaps of 24-48 hours are normal, especially on cross-border routes and over weekends. If there is still no update after 3 business days, contact support via the contact form.
In rare cases a shipment makes a stop at our logistics hub in the Netherlands, and your tracking can show that stop as a delivery. It is not the final delivery, your bike is still on its way, and this is completely normal.
There are a few reasons this can happen:
- Re-packaging: we may need to repack your bike so that it arrives in the best possible condition.
- Logistical routing: our shipping provider optimizes routes for efficiency, which sometimes includes a stop at our central hub.
- Customs clearance: we handle the customs paperwork so that your bike complies with the regulations of its destination country.
Rest assured, your bike is not being delivered to the wrong address, and nothing has gone wrong with your shipment. The Netherlands is simply our strategic export hub for international shipments.
What happens next: your bike will be forwarded to its final destination, and you will receive updated tracking information with the delivery details.
We email you as soon as your box is in transit to you. It can take 2-3 working days after payment for the box to leave the warehouse, and a further 2-3 days before the tracking id reaches us and we can send you the tracking link.
If your tracking link is not working, reply to the tracking email and we will check it manually and get back to you. If the box will not arrive in time, we will contact you to schedule a new pickup date for after it has arrived.
Account & billing
Log in to your dashboard, open Invoices, and download the PDF. Invoices are created automatically once your payment is confirmed.
Go to Settings, then Preferences. You can choose instant, daily, or weekly digest notifications, or turn them off entirely.
The fastest way is our contact form. It covers Shipping as a Service orders only. Please do not contact the support team of our main marketplace about shipments booked here, as your question will take much longer to be processed.
Yes. Contact support via the contact form. We verify your identity before making the change.
Guides
- How bike shipping works: a complete guide
- How to ship your bike when moving to a new city
- Bike shop shipping: how to offer delivery to your customers
- How to ship your bike on holiday: the complete guide
- Shipping vs Flying With Your Bike: Which Is Better?
- Can't Book a Bike Slot on the Train? Ship Your Bike Instead