How does Doug Landau get his racing bike safely to events around the world
Using a hard shipping box, Doug Landau and other top triathletes are able to ship their bicycles over land and sea.
While these boxes cost several hundred dollars and look impregnable, there have been instances where either pieces were not placed in the box by mechanics at the race venue, or shipping companies have dropped weightlifting sets on top of the box, crushing carbon wheels and frames.
Luckily for lawyer Landau, he always insures the contents, and in one situation, FedEx ended up buying him an expensive racing bike.
In that instance, as the “preferred provider” after the National Championship race, FedEx took possession of Landau’s Kestral racing bike and unique Nimble Carbon Fiber Wheels to ship home from the MidWest venue. Landau took out additional insurance and was given a receipt for the contents .
Wanting to race New Jersey the next week, Landau was anxious when his bicycle did not arrive by Thursday following the National Championships. When lawyer Landau contacted FedEx Ground, he was told a bicycle was lost. Undeterred, Landau located the bike at one of the company’s facilities in Brooklyn, New York! Landau went to New York City, went to where his bike was being kept, and saw that there was a York Barbell weightlifting set sitting on top of his shipping case. Landau’s lightweight Nimble Wheels and Kestrel frame were both crushed.
Long story short: FedEx ended up buying a very expensive P3 Cervelo Carbon bike for Landau to race in thereafter.
For the race in New Jersey, however, Landau borrowed a girl’s bike that was being re-sold at a local bike shop, and raced a biathlon with the “For Sale” sign on it ! Talk about “Exposure !”
While he made the podium in that Garden State race, he also was quite the sight, advertising as he raced.
Bottom line, use a high-quality shipping box whenever sending your expensive racing bike across country or abroad, and pay for adequate insurance to replace it if it is lost, broken or crushed.