Ah yes, welcome to the sticker shock that many of us have already had. It sucks, but it's life. The airlines can charge anything they want for bikes, and there aren't enough of us to influence them.
I hope you haven't already booked a non-refundable ticket.
The best you can do it to check the price (the total price, not just the ticket price) of every airline that serves your route. Some are better than others. Be warned, however, that getting a clear answer on the price of transporting a bike (for various sizes and weights) is often difficult on many airlines.
You can also investigate shipping companies. This is usually more economical on domestic shipping, but usually more expensive on international shipping.
And yes, it may indeed be cheaper to buy a bike once you get here and try to sell it at the end (or donate it to charity). And no, it's not madness to consider ditching the bike--such silliness is sometimes forced upon us. But bringing your own bike, even if it cost more than to buy and discard, may be better because it ensures availability and fit. You might contact some dealers in SF to see if they can have the appropriate bike in your size waiting for you. Then you might contact a shop in Yorktown to see what they might give you for it (probably not much, but something is better than nothing). You might also contact Elsa at Grace Episcopal Church in Yorktown to see if she can arrange a donation.
