Fastway will ship a full-size bike box door to door from Canberra to Melbourne overnight for about $20AUD. We do it all the time. Have the seller contact me off-line, I will give him all the details. If needs be, he can use my account if he wants.
P. Lynn Miller Sydney, Australia http://www.chaintransitauthority.com
/Ben Kamenjas wrote:/
> /Ahhh ... So you're the buyer of that very cool Jim Bundy track frame
> recently auctioned. My selfish and very childish reaction is to say
> "no way Jose, cannot do" and suggest your best option is to have me
> taking on the custodianship instead. But that wouldn't be very good CR
> list etiquette ;)
>
> I can understand the seller's reluctance, and he was pretty clear in
> his auction notes. Cutting down boxes and fitting within the Oz post
> size limits (max 105cm in length, and max 140cm total girth - 2 sides
> + top + bottom) isn't very easy and takes a bit of time to do. For
> travel within Oz the same rules apply but due to the sizing it's
> always a case of nudge, nudge, wink, wink and going to a post office
> that isn't so pedantic about exact measurements ... some people don't
> have that option and it seems that this seller has tried and failed
> and now is reticent to try again. Forget couriers unless you well
> heeled, and UPS and Fedex down here are also pretty expensive. We
> don't have extensive and cheap freight and bulk mail options like you
> cats in the states - you cats got it made. To my mind the next
> alternative for your situation is called Bus Freight and is like some
> subsidiary of the greyhound bus network.
> http://www.greyhoundfreight.com.au/
> domestic shipping only - busses don't cross the pacific !!!! They
> have a fixed rate "bike box" service and literally any standard size
> bike box will accepted regardless of weight. Sounds a little scary as
> most people ship their bikes by taking off the front wheel, handlebars
> and pedals, lowering the saddle and just stuffing it in in, with the
> ethos of ... "it's just a bike" but this won't concern you as yours is
> just a frame and fork and there is plenty room for protecting it
> ::just in case::. It can be dropped off and delivered to any Greyhound
> bus depot for pick up or for a smaller additional fee can then be
> courier delivered to most any urban home or work address. At worst you
> may have to spring for a token amount for the cost of a bike box, some
> packing material and a bit of gas coin as well as the bus freight
> charge. I'd say tops at $50aud ... probably a lot less. Your friend in
> Melbourne will probably have to repack it for flying, otherwise a
> hefty oversize luggage fee will apply ... then there's the possibility
> of excess baggage fees, and them unfairly maligned baggage handlers
> who are fresh out on parole and addicted to crystal meth and mezcal,
> both taken at the same time. Ouch, you'd think the USDA and CIA could
> ensure a good supply of cocaine ... oops, sorry wrong forum 8-)
>
> Scenario deux ... you could pay my gas money (about $35aud) to pick
> the frame up in person and drive back to Sydney. Then take it in
> person to the most excellent man who made the frame and say "Jim, some
> bloody yank bought this old frame of yours, we gotta do our best to
> make sure that any half said myth, folklore and ass vocalization
> doesn't end up with it as it's history. Let's set the facts straight
> !" ... to which Jim will reply "Sure, how about a beer before we
> start". We can see if he may have any details or recollection of the
> frame, period he made it or customer it was made for ... and perhaps
> see if he has any original decal stock that would suit (for a
> reasonable price as Jim's now retired ;) ) if a restoration may be
> required further down the path. Doesn't get better than straight from
> the horses mouth (sorry Jim). In fact there is an excellent paint
> restoration facility here in Sydney who know Jim very well as they
> have both done (and still do) much work together. Their quality is
> great and the customers are unanimous in their praise for the quality
> of the work ... not cheap but nothing good is and the exchange rate is
> in your favour which ends up making it a sweet deal. Goes without
> saying that the guys at Pearl Paint are pretty good at restoring
> Aussie frames correctly, perhaps more correctly than similar services
> in the states and you can be riding within a month of purchasing it
> ... seems some of youse like to wait 6 months, sicko's !!!.
> Irrespective, I can send it Air Mail to you in SF, CA for about
> $100aud and it takes about 1 week. I'm not making any coin on this
> offer, but sacrificing a fair bit of time to ensure that it's handled
> and packed properly and this frame made by a friend of mine is passed
> onto you with as much history and detail as I can glean. I outed this
> offer to the list whilst the auction was running and have made contact
> with the seller about the possibility of me picking it up on behalf of
> a foreign buyer .... just don't expect me to play any mama's and
> papa's or grateful dead in the car on the way down to pick it up. Just
> Kraftwerk and Nina Hagen as I shift the Getrag box into 5th and sail
> down the highway in my E28 like it's an autobahn, pretending the
> advisory km/h signs are actually mp/h. Heck .. im gonna throw in new
> Beru leads, Bosch rotor and cap, fresh oil and filters, and bolt on
> some recently acquired 15" rims just for the journey (that's right,
> 15" is bling on my income, buddy). Actually probably not the rims ...
> unless some kind soul can source me four 72.5 - 74mm hubcentric
> spacers from Tire Rack (alloy not plastic) and mail them widgets ova'
> here pronto (anybody?). Of course my nom de guerre in said driving
> mode is Herr Horst Schitz from Stuttgart ..... no drugs, just fresh
> adrenal fluid from Budapest (pineal glands are cheap there). OK Ok,
> maybe a few blotters in case of emergency, and a bit of ether. Gonzo
> mode indeed - except, both my very good Samoan mates aren't
> attorney's, but they do know a lot of them. Heck i'll even taken a
> camera and document the journey, some of youse yanks don't get just
> how crazy us Aussies are ('cept the texans of course) :-P
>
> Sorry I get carried away at the thought of a road trip, you see,
> nothing makes me appreciate this big brown land of ours more than
> ripping past it at high velocity in a very 80's german car. There I go
> again ... sorry. Scott, here are options and the frame you have bought
> looks to be a fine example from a builder who was and is very well
> regarded by many here in Sydney. He built my first frame !!! If you
> need a hand i'd be glad to help and there's a few on the CR list
> stateside who can vouch for my my ability to pack/ship frames well
> (not only because nobody else has offered to do so, right guys?).
> It's not about the money (besides chicks and drugs come way before that).
>
> Of course, my childish side will sneak in again and advise you to
> forget about it ;)
>
> ciao,
>
> Ben "wannabe Gonzo" Kamenjas
> Sydney, Oz
>
> p.s. not that I would condone such violent acts but is there a paypal
> account that I could contribute to so that both Bob Freeman and
> Michael Allison can be funded to attend Le Cirque. I love you guys
> !!!! We really need a East Coast Vs. West Coast hip hop style stoush.
> It'd be great, improves the breed, get in there swing a few, then we
> all regale about it afterwards. It's good to fight, it's natural . I
> mean just look at US history - you cats live for it. Nothing like an
> honest scrap to clear the air and bring us all closer together. Maybe
> as a double bout we can have Phillippe Starck and Rant Peddlesome
> take on all comers WWF style who disagree with the style or their fork
> crown or head lug extensions. Ahhh ... the smell of campy grease,
> Weigle's framesaver, Clement tires and fresh blood. Brilliant !!!!!!!
> It might be a little scary for the girls on the list like Jan and
> Hilary but I swear numbers on the CR list would soar and then, maybe
> then the right honorable Dale can stand atop a podium and proudly
> proclaim "The first rule about Bike Club is ..... ".
>
> Jeez, im an idiot .... it's no secret that the CR list is perhaps the
> only one that would have me ;)
>
> p.p.s (or p.s.s. ?) Im serious about the hubcentric rings !!!!!
> //
> /