How to ship your bike, frame or wheels to Veloaded

Shipping a bike to a shop sounds complicated, but most of the risk comes from two things: sending it without telling the shop, and packing it badly. This guide covers both. It's written for riders anywhere who want work done at Veloaded Cyclery, our one shop in Santa Ana, Orange County, whether that's an Essential Service, electronic-shifting setup, wheel work or a full custom build.

Step 1: contact us before you ship anything

Call (714) 760-4908 or email [email protected] before you ship, so we can open a service ticket. That one step matters more than anything else in this guide. With a ticket open, we know who the box belongs to, what you want done and how you want it returned. Without one, a box is just a box.

When you call or email, tell us:

• What you're sending: complete bike, frame and fork, or wheels only.
• The make, model and groupset, including whether it's Shimano Di2, SRAM AXS, Campagnolo or mechanical.
• What you want done, and any symptoms: noises, poor shifting, a soft brake lever, a wheel that rubs.
• For a build: the full parts list, including anything you're supplying, so we can check compatibility before parts arrive.
• How you want it back: picked up in Santa Ana, or shipped. Ask us about return shipping details at this point.

Step 2: choose what to send

Wheels only are the easiest thing to ship and suit truing, spoke repair, tubeless setup and hub or bearing work. Frame and fork suit bottom bracket and headset work or the start of a custom build. A complete bike suits a Veloaded Essential Service, brake bleeds, Di2 / AXS / Campy Setup and anything where we need the whole system to diagnose a problem.

Step 3: pack it well

These are general good practices for shipping any bike. Your carrier or the shop you got the box from may have its own requirements, so check those too.

• Use a proper bike box or bike travel case. Local shops often have spare boxes from new bikes.
• Remove pedals, and usually the front wheel, bars or seatpost as needed to fit the box. Mark your saddle height with tape first.
• Protect the rear derailleur. Remove it from the hanger and wrap it, or protect it well, since it's the part most often damaged in transit.
• Fit spacers in the fork and rear dropouts once the wheels are out, so the frame can't be crushed.
• Put spacers between the brake pads on disc brakes, and don't squeeze the lever with the wheel out.
• Pad the frame tubes with foam or pipe insulation, and pack small parts and thru-axles in a labeled bag.
• Electronic groupsets: ask us whether to leave the battery in or remove it, and follow your carrier's battery rules.
• Put your name and service ticket details inside the box, as well as on the label.

Step 4: send it and tell us

Ship it to Veloaded Cyclery, 3420 W MacArthur Blvd Suite B, Santa Ana, CA 92704, and send us the tracking details so we know when to expect it. Ask your carrier about insurance options for the shipment.

Step 5: work, then return

When it arrives, we check it in against your ticket. If we find anything beyond what you asked for, we contact you before doing it. Once the work and final safety check are done, you can collect it in person or have it shipped back as agreed.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Shipping before contacting us, so nobody knows the box is coming or what it's for.
• Leaving the rear derailleur on the bike without protection.
• Forgetting thru-axles, the seatpost wedge, spacers or other small frame parts.
• Over-tightening or under-tightening bolts when reassembling for return.
• Not agreeing return shipping before the box is sent.

Shipping wheels on their own

Wheels are the simplest shipment. Remove the quick-release skewers or thru-axles, take off the cassette or protect it so it can't damage the other wheel, and put a rotor cover or cardboard over disc rotors. Fit a spacer or an old axle end cap so the hubs aren't crushed. Deflate tires partly, but leave tubeless tires seated. Tell us whether you want the sealant refreshed, the tires changed, or the wheels trued and tension-checked.

Who ships to us

Mostly riders from outside Orange County: Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside County and San Bernardino County, plus riders farther away planning a custom build. A professional bike fit is the one thing that can't be shipped: Ed needs you on the bike in person.

Questions riders ask

Veloaded Cyclery has one location, at 3420 W MacArthur Blvd Suite B, Santa Ana, CA 92704.