Pork Belly Update--Last Chance for Bike Shipping

Bikeflights is the bike shipping company that will receive your order, send you a box (if you order one), and provide your shipping labels. Bikeflights' services will include a pickup of your packaged bike from your house or a local bike shop, $1,000 in Premium Protection (additional coverage available), plus improved tracking and priority movement through the UPS system.

Pork Belly Ventures and our crew will provide the bike-shipping ground game in Iowa. We'll receive your shipped bike, truck it to our location in Onawa, keep it secure until you claim it on July 18th, provide the option of pre-assembly, and store the bike-shipping container until week's end. In Dubuque on Saturday, July 25th, we accept bikes for return shipping and reverse the process! We have a proven ground game before and after RAGBRAI, and we can even handle bike-shipping for those who can only ride part of the week or need one-way shipping.

Bikeflights is accepting bookings for one-way and round-trip shipments within the contiguous U.S. through Wednesday, June 24th. This is a hard date. Don't wait too long, please.

Regardless of when you order your shipping labels, Bikeflights will express mail your stage 1 (to RAGBRAI) labels on June 29th to the pick-up location you enter on your order. These special labels have RFID tracking. These should arrive before the July 4th holiday, but if, for some reason, your labels are not received by July 6th, email support@bikeflights.com and info@pkbelly.com to request an emailed regular shipping label. Your stage 2 labels (from RAGBRAI) will be sent directly to Pork Belly, so no need to keep track of them! Please note, this has changed a little from our first instructions. You can learn more about RFID labels here.

If your order a Bikeflights Bike Box, Bikeflights will process your order within 1-2 business days and send a Bikeflights Bike Box Large (BBL) directly to you via their ground shipping service (typical transit time of 1-5 business days for most locations). Then, they’ll email your shipping label for getting your bike to RAGBRAI by Tuesday, June 30th. They’ll also schedule a pickup on Tuesday, July 7th for your packed bike from the shipping address you input upon ordering. Please have your bike packed, labeled, and ready for pickup on this date. Be sure to coordinate with your local shop about this July 7th date if they are packing it and shipping it out for you.

After receiving your stage 1 label and before Tuesday, the 7th of July, you'll pack your bike into your box or case, affix your label, and have your bike ready and out for pick-up on Tuesday, July 7th by UPS. (If you intend to have your bike packed by and shipped from your local bike shop, use the bike shop address when ordering your shipping.) Prior to shipping, be sure to completely remove all previous shipping labels, barcodes and warning stickers. Here’s how to attach your label to your box or your case. 

NOTE: Pick-up is included for all orders. The pick-up date is pre-arranged as Tuesday, July 7th. If you use your home address, the pick-up will be at your home. If you use your bike shop's address, pick-up will be at the shop. 

If you are shipping from a bike shop, make sure the shop knows that you are getting your bike picked up on Tuesday, July 7th, so they can have it packed, labeled and ready to go. It’s always a good idea to call and remind them prior to the pick-up. Bikeflights will be monitoring to make sure pick-ups are successful and will follow up as needed.

If you're ordering pre-RAGBRAI assembly, your bike will need to be received in time to assemble it, so the bike must be picked up on Tuesday, July 7th.

In Onawa on July 18th, you will find us in the Pork Belly Ventures campground at the Onawa Country Club (1825 235th St, Onawa). All RAGBRAI riders may claim their shipped bike from us there. If you aren't arriving in Onawa with a PBV Shuttle, you will be able to get dropped off or ride an Onawa shuttle to our location and pedal back to your campground. We will provide you with a map later on.

In Dubuque on July 25th, you will find us at the Pork Belly Ventures staging area along the river, directly north of the long term parking lot and south of the dip site. You can drop off your bike or pack your bike for shipping there.

Later on, we will provide you with maps of the start town and end town, with our specific locations and addresses.

If you're shipping a bike, we will provide storage of bike-shipping containers during the week of RAGBRAI at no additional charge, whether or not you are with Pork Belly Ventures for the week of RAGBRAI. Remember, please, that we cannot give you access to your shipping container during the week. In Dubuque, all of the containers will be unloaded for you to claim.

For international riders and those who are shipping from Alaska or Hawaii, please contact Bikeflights directly as soon as possible at support@bikeflights.com for special arrangements to get your bike to RAGBRAI.

Before RAGBRAI

Pre-assembly is an option for any RAGBRAI rider who ships a bike to us. Choosing this option means you will arrive in Onawa and find your bike fully assembled. The cost is $85, selectable at the Bikeflights site.

Any RAGBRAI rider may use the mechanical assistance available on site in Orange City. If you did not sign up for pre-assembly when ordering your shipping label, the rates of that Iowa bike shop will apply for all work/assembly on the day.

Of course, you may assemble your shipped bike yourself. There is one significant advantage for riders who are spending the week with PBV. We offer free mechanical assistance from our experts in camp if you don't elect to have your bike pre-assembled before your arrival ($85). From Saturday morning until about 6:00 p.m., our mechanics will be set up to assist those on our support. Again, this service is only for those riders with PBV Weeklong support.

After RAGBRAI

For those who booked it in advance, hand-off in Dubuque is an option for any RAGBRAI rider who will return-ship from Iowa. To simply hand off your bike and label to our crew for packaging and shipping, the cost is $110.

If you can pack up your bike yourself, we will stage a UPS trailer in Dubuque, and we'll help you load it.

Please be prepared to hand your bike over to us (packaged or not, depending on which option you chose) for return shipping service in Dubuque by 5:00 PM on Saturday, July 25th. Bikes shipped from RAGBRAI will be delivered within a week or so of the end of RAGBRAI.

Before & After Package Deal

If you would like assembly before plus packaging after RAGBRAI - you will save $10 by booking both at the time of purchase for $185.

This Year, Bikeflights has three RAGBRAI Bike Shipping Package options depending on your needs for Round-Trip or One-Way Shipping and whether or not you will be using your own box/case or need to purchase a Bikeflights Box.

No matter which Package option you choose, you will need to select:

• Bike or E-Bike (no price difference)
• Insurance Protection amount ($1,000 coverage included, additional coverage amounts up to $15,000 available - We recommend you purchase Premium Protection in an amount to fully cover the market value of your bike.)
• Assembly and Packing Services (None, or additional charges for Assembly only, Packing only, or Assembly & Packing deal)

Package A:

Round-Trip Shipping

With Your Own Box or Case

Starting at $529.96

Package B:

Round-Trip Shipping

With a Box from Bikeflights

Starting at $679.80

Package C:

One-Way Shipping

With Your Own Box or Case

Starting at $264.98

For international riders, those who are shipping from Alaska or Hawaii, or those with a tandem, please contact Bikeflights directly at support@bikeflights.com for special arrangements to get your bike to RAGBRAI.

If you have a usual way of shipping your bike and other parcels and would prefer not to use Bikeflights, you can use that preferred method of shipping, and utilize Pork Belly for the ground game. With notice, we can still receive, transport, pre-assemble, and make your bike available to claim in Onawa, transport your case/box for the week, return ship/package at the end of the ride. Please contact Pete for pricing and specifics, at 402-681-2613 or info@pkbelly.com.

Your Detail Form

Please Complete ASAP

We will use the information on your Detail Form to create our shuttle rosters, plan for bike trailer space, order meals with dietary preferences, and more. If you don't have your Detail Form completed, you may not get your preferred shuttle departure time (Omaha to Onawa shuttles) and will not be entitled to meals with dietary preferences, if applicable.

Optional Meals

Due by July 5th

If you're with us for Week-Long or Partial-Week Services, please log in to add and pay for optional meals on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday if you would like. Orders are due by July 5th, and if you want Vegetarian or Gluten-Free options, you must complete your Detail Form reflecting this by July 5th as well.

Long-Term Parking in Dubuque

Price Increases on July 10 & July 18

Dubuque has a tiered pricing system for their Long-Term Parking. There has already been one price increase, with additional scheduled for July 10 and July 18. Best to reserve that now if you know you need it!

Massage Appointments

Reserve Early for First Choices

Ashley has been taking appointments for some time now - so some of the prime spots might be taken already. The sooner you reserve, the better your chance of getting your preferred time. Email massage@pkbelly.com for more information (must be joining PBV for Week-Long or Partial-Week Services).

Account Balances

Please Pay ASAP

Payments were due by May 15th, so if you have an outstanding balance, please take care of that online or make arrangements with us if paying by check at this late date. Accounts with zero payment or only the 10% deposit are being removed.

Cancellation Protection Deadlines

The deadline to receive a 90% refund if canceling without Cancellation Protection was June 15th.

The deadline to receive a 90% refund if you chose our Cancellation Protection when you signed up is July 15th at 10 PM.

Please don't go into your account and begin making changes - just email us at info@pkbelly.com with any changes or cancellations you need, and your mailing address if you chose the Cancellation Protection and were paid in full.

We'll be in touch when we have more news to share, friends! Remember, all RAGBRAI-specific info will be shared through our RAGBRAI 2026 list from here on out (if you're receiving this, you're on the list!). As always, let us know if you have any questions as we dive into the details planning for your Week in the Corn!

Cheers, from all of us here at Pork Belly Ventures!