Touring Europe by bike? Why shipping yours beats hiring — and costs less

Hiring a decent bike at your European destination sounds convenient until you see the prices: a mid- or high-range bike can cost you more for a week's hire than shipping your own. And the worst part isn't the money. It's riding hundreds of kilometres on a geometry that isn't yours, with a saddle that doesn't know your back and measurements that don't fit you. If you've invested time and money fine-tuning your bike to the millimetre, settling for a hire bike means starting your trip at a disadvantage. That's why more and more cycle tourists are choosing door-to-door bike shipping across Europe: you ride on your own trusted kit from the very first kilometre.

And flying with it? Anyone who's done it once knows the drill: special-luggage surcharges that vary from airline to airline, queues at the oversized-baggage desk, handlers treating your box like any old parcel, and the dread of opening it at your destination not knowing whether the derailleur survived the journey. Stress, cost and risk: exactly the opposite of what you want from a holiday on two wheels.

Shipping your bike to Europe: how it works step by step

Shipping your bike with our bike delivery service is a four-step process, with no sign-up and no surprises:

1. Work out your price online in 30 seconds. Enter the weight, dimensions and origin-destination in the calculator and you'll get a fixed price with VAT included, from 23 €. What's more, you get a 48-hour price guarantee so you can decide at your leisure.
2. Book and pay online. You'll receive the shipping label by email: just print it and stick it on the box.
3. The GLS courier collects from your door. We pick up anywhere in Spain, so you don't have to lug the box anywhere; and if it suits you better, you can drop it off yourself at a GLS pickup point or at our branch.
4. Track your shipment in real time. With online tracking you know where your bike is at every moment, right up to delivery.

Your bike travels on the European GLS network with guaranteed delivery to Spain and across the whole EU: Portugal, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands and the rest of the single market. And a big relief for anyone crossing borders: there are no customs within the EU, so your bike won't be held up at any checkpoint and there's no extra paperwork to pay for.

How to pack your bike so it arrives in perfect shape

Packaging is 90% of a successful shipment. Half an hour's work gets your bike ready to travel safely:

• Get a cardboard bike box. Bike shops usually give them away for free: they're the boxes their new bikes arrive in.
• Remove the essentials. Front wheel, pedals and saddle; turn the handlebars parallel to the frame to reduce bulk.
• Protect the derailleur hanger. It's the most fragile part; remove it if you know how, or pad that area well.
• Wrap the frame. Foam, cardboard or bubble wrap around the tubes, fork and chainstays.
• Secure anything loose. Cable ties and tape: nothing inside the box should move or knock against the frame.
• Check the weight. The maximum is 30 kg per parcel, plenty of room for the vast majority of packed bikes.

Common mistakes that could cost you your trip

• Measuring and weighing "by eye". The box's actual dimensions determine your price: take them with the box closed and avoid nasty surprises.
• Leaving gaps inside the box. Air is the enemy; fill it with cardboard or clothing so nothing shifts around during transport.
• Sending accessories loose. Cycle computer, lights or bottles must be well wrapped and secured, never loose next to the frame.
• Leaving it until the last day. The process is quick, but ship with time to spare so your bike reaches its destination a few days before your first ride.

Ship or hire? The maths speaks for itself

Do the maths: for a price from 23 € with VAT included, your own bike is waiting for you at your destination, with your gearing, your saddle and your set-up. No relying on a hire shop's stock and no airline surcharges to pay. And if you'd rather talk it over in person, we're the official GLS agency in Puerto de Mazarrón: you'll find us at Av. Dr. Meca 107, local 2, or on +34 910 80 62 29, Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 13:30 and 16:30 to 19:00, with personal service in Spanish and English.

Your next adventure on wheels begins long before the first pedal stroke: it begins the day you decide to travel with your own bike, hassle-free. Work out your fixed price in 30 seconds and leave the logistics to us.