Author Topic: Starting the Northern Tier in Bar Harbor, Maine - Bike Shipment Questions  (Read 7187 times)

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Offline shannonpaul

Hello Adventure Cyclists -

My wife, two teenage daughters, and I will be starting our Bucket List cross-US bike tour in June of this year.  Our current plan is to ride coast-to-coast on the Norther Tier route (with some modifications to see family).  We plan to ride East-to-West, starting in Bar Harbor in early June.

Can anyone provide suggestions/experiences on getting themselves and their bikes to Bar Harbor?  I can get my family and our luggage to Bar Harbor easy enough, but am more concerned about the bikes.  I am considering shipping the bikes to the Bar Harbor Bike Shop, if they will receive them for us.  Would like to hear if any other bicycle tourists have done something similar and if they have any recommendations about getting themselves and their gear to Bar Harbor.

Thanks!

Shannon
"You gotta let it riiiide!"  - Cosmo Kramer

Offline John Nelson

Re: Starting the Northern Tier in Bar Harbor, Maine - Bike Shipment Questions
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2014, 04:21:27 pm »
You can fly to Bangor and take a one-hour $40 shuttle into Bar Harbor. Or, you can fly into Portland and take a bus to Ellsworth, but then take the shuttle in. You can ship your bike to the Bar Harbor Bike Shop. I'm sure they will be willing to receive them, and they are a first class bike shop. You can likely also ship them to whatever hotel you will be spending your first night in Bar Harbor.

By way of disclaimer, I didn't do any of the above, but I did exactly the reverse in the summer of 2012. I rode the NT west to east, had Bar Harbor Bike Shop ship my bike home, took the shuttle to Bangor, and flew home via Philadelphia.

Since you have four of you, you may find some more economical way. E.g., it might be cheaper to fly to Boston with your bikes, and then rent a one-way van to drive to Bar Harbor. Flights in and out of Bangor can be a bit pricey.
« Last Edit: February 04, 2014, 04:23:36 pm by John Nelson »

Offline DU

Re: Starting the Northern Tier in Bar Harbor, Maine - Bike Shipment Questions
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2014, 11:15:42 am »
I shipped my bike and gear Fedex to the Villager Motel and had just one pannier as carry-on luggage. I flew into Bar Harbor from Iowa by way of Boston.  The Cape Air flight into Bar Harbor from Boston was on a 9 passenger plane, a new experience for me and very enjoyable. This worked well for me but like John said with four people you may want to get creative to hold the cost down.

Offline shannonpaul

Re: Starting the Northern Tier in Bar Harbor, Maine - Bike Shipment Questions
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2014, 11:41:35 am »
Thanks guys.  Good thoughts.  I hadn't considered shipping to a Motel.  Apparently you had a positive experience and no troubles with this. (?)

Having a party of four, with our two road bikes, one tandem and a BOB trailer, the logistics are a bit more complicated.  Again, I'm not concerned with getting ourselves to Bar Harbor.  It's the bikes & trailer I'm concerned with.  I don't want to overwhelm the bike shop or the Motel with ~4 large boxes arriving a few days before we do...

I think my next step is to simply call the Bar Harbor Bike Shop and/or the Villager Motel to see how/if they could accommodate us.

Thanks again,

Shannon

"You gotta let it riiiide!"  - Cosmo Kramer

indyfabz

  • Guest
Re: Starting the Northern Tier in Bar Harbor, Maine - Bike Shipment Questions
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2014, 01:32:39 pm »
I think my next step is to simply call the Bar Harbor Bike Shop and/or the Villager Motel to see how/if they could accommodate us.

Thanks again,

Shannon

If you pay the shop to assemble and tune the bikes I am sure they will be quite happy to receive them with sufficient advance notice. I shipped two touring bikes and a disassmbled BOB to a shop in Missoula with no issues.

Offline DU

Re: Starting the Northern Tier in Bar Harbor, Maine - Bike Shipment Questions
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2014, 05:26:20 pm »
I've never had a problem with shipping my bike to a motel. I ask if it is ok before making a reservation and call them the day before the bike is due to arrive to remind them that it is coming.  I usually ship it so that it will arrive the day before I do, just in case.  At the Villager Motel in Bar Harbor the bike and box of gear were in my room waiting for me.