How to Pack a bike in box

[biggs682]

just thought i would post this up as i have just been asked on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ " how well do you pack your bikes up for transit to avoid damage ? "

so if its ok with the mods i have done the following album with 6 picks in showing how i pack a bike
http://www.cyclechat.net/useralbums/biggs682-pack-a-bike.420/view , i use pipe insulating foam tubes and cable ties and a box sourced from a Local Bike Shop and then strap the box shut use nylon strapping .

Hope this helps anybody thats interested

if you want to give it a like even better

 

[ColinJ]

Get one of those plastic spacers to put into the fork dropouts just in case the forks get squeezed.

If you remove the rear wheel as well, put a spacer in the rear dropouts too, for the same reason. Oh, and in that case - also unbolt the rear derailleur and cover it in bubblewrap. A rider turned up at one training camp I was on with a bent derailleur hanger on his bike where the back end had been knocked by baggage handlers. He straightened it but it broke off on the very first ride, about 20 miles from the hotel!

 

[MontyVeda]

best bet is just cycle to your destination

 

[biggs682]

Get one of those plastic spacers to put into the fork dropouts just in case the forks get squeezed.

If you remove the rear wheel as well, put a spacer in the rear dropouts too, for the same reason. Oh, and in that case - also unbolt the rear derailleur and cover it in bubblewrap. A rider turned up at one training camp I was on with a bent derailleur hanger on his bike where the back end had been knocked by baggage handlers. He straightened it but it broke off on the very first ride, about 20 miles from the hotel!

colin i totally forgot to mention those plastic spacers , i took a rr derailleur off once to ship a bike and the new owner moaned he could'nt re fit it , once i went to see bike i noticed they had only managed to cross thread the securing bolt !

so must admit i tend to leave as much fitted as poss and just wrap those parts in bubblewrap like you say

 

[biggs682]

This is how one bike arrived with me recently just covered in cling film !!

 

[ufkacbln]

TOTALLY OT

Friends of ours came home unexpectedly to catch 17 year old daughter "in flagrant delicto"

Didn't make a fuss, let them get dressed and offered tea

Then came to the serious chat about contraception

The reply was "I am not stupid, Mum, we used Clingfilm"

 

[Ajax Bay]

I find 5m of pipe lagging (my tubes are steel so 22mm lagging was OK but most will want 28mm) about right, and a 5m x 60cm roll of bubble wrap, and rolls of tape (electrical and packing).
Last time I ordered this stuff off Amazon and got it sent directly (by agreement) to a bike shop at my destination who accepted it the package and they had put aside a box for me. Try to get the longer version of the box where you can leave the rear wheel in place. They may have spacers from a new bike they've unpacked but rolled piece of stiff cardboard taped in position in the fork and (if necessary) rear dropouts does the business otherwise. Plus one to remove RD, bubble wrap well and tape safely 'tween seatstay and chainstay. [Edit: @jay clock has elaborated below that the cable (and chain) stay in situ clamped onto/through the RD - which makes it quick and easy to reassemble.]

I've always allowed an hour (ie before eg flight check in time) - though I'm sure it can be done much faster with practice (and less beer).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H2TZ3wvZKY

 

[biggs682]

@Ajax Bay must admit it can be a very time consuming job

i prefer to leave the rear wheel in situ to give the frame some support

the hardest part is getting the right size box and frame combo

 

[Ajax Bay]

it can be a very time consuming job

I don't grudge an hour after ten days' fantastic riding.
Right size box: tell the bike shop which is kindly helping out what size frame you have.

 

[RoubaixCube]

This is how one bike arrived with me recently just covered in cling film !!

View attachment 123659

I laughed pretty hard when i saw this.

I used to work for the postal service a few years back and Im no stranger to seeing things arriving to my depot that looked like its been put through some sort of industrial meat grinder. Didnt happen very often, but occasionally there are mishaps when it comes to the handling of peoples goods.

Either the bike was bought second hand and thats how the previous owner wrapped it before sending it out or the packaging was almost completely destroyed while in transit so the courier company wrapped it up and stuck a new address sticker on it just to make sure it got to its destination.

 

[jay clock]

+1 for removing the rear mech. You can leave the cables in place though. Just strap the mech to the chainstay

 

[biggs682]

bit of a bump on this after getting asked the other day re packing bikes for transit