so long story short, lost my job, split up with the GF, got a job in NZ for the next 6 months leaving on the 24th (yes the visa is sorted) taking a brand new Orange 5, so i need a bike box to take it in.

i like the look of the Evoc box at £299 but the reviews are really 50/50 mixed, mainly regarding quality.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/evoc-bike-travel-bag-280l/rp-prod64766

looked at some Scicon boxes, and they look too road specific regarding the fit.

there’s also this from planet x, but only external pics.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BAPOLEVABP/polaris-eva-bike-pod

does anyone have something that they have used alot and are really happy with?

and please don’t go on about getting a cardboard box from a shop though, i’m not a cheapskate, and i want to know the bike will be ok as far as possible, hence buying something decent, i’ll also be stopping in the US on the way back so ease of transportation with wheels on the case etc is a must.

thanks

Having moved around the world with bikes myself, I am going to suggest just what you didn’t want to hear.

Not for any cheapskate reasons, but for purely practical reasons, use a cardboard box:

1) it is lighter

2) baggage handlers will use greater care with a cardboard box (bit of a generalization, but mostly true).

3) you won’t need to find somewhere to store it at the other end (don’t underestimate how much room they take up, particularly if there is some uncertainty about where exactly you might stay).

4) as you rightly point out, there aren’t many boxes suitable for an mtb. I had the B&W bike case, which was good, but huge!

5) you can fit lots of other stuff in the spare corners, using the weight saved wisely.

6) some of the larger boxes exceed airline size regulations and you risk excess charges due to size (and possibly weight)

7) and, yes it is considerably cheaper.

If you insist on buying one, Bike Box Alan is generally regarded as the best allrounder. But, based on the personal experience you are asking for, I wouldn’t buy a hard case again, and definitely wouldn’t consider risking a soft case.

Mine looks like this:

It weighs a LOT; you may find that you can’t get a Five in under the airline’s weight limit (if you’re lucky, it won’t fit onto their scales !)

They are robust, or at least very protective – my 1st one was broken in transit (I honestly think they drove a truck over one corner) but the bike inside was fine. (TBH, I wouldn’t have taken a replacement if they’d offered cash instead)

They are massive. Among other things, this means that the US border agency WILL open up the case to check the contents, as they can’t get it into their x-ray machine. They aren’t great at repacking and once or twice mine has come through poorly reclosed (one of the latches has been broken off the second one as a result of this).

well storing the box isn’t an issue, i fly into Auckland and it’ll be staying in a friends garage then i’ll be down in Wellington, the Evoc case folds pretty small aswel

i get what you’re saying about the cardboard box but i’ll be doing a lot of flying in the next year, it makes more sense to have something available at hand that i can trust (ish) as opposed to the hassle of finding a box each time before i fly and then having to get packing material aswel. i’d rather just do it properly.

i know the 5 fits in the evoc case, frankly that one seems good, it’s the quality issues that put me off.

@scaredypants,

that looks quite substantial, is velogear the brand?

Bikebox Alan – excellent customer service. They will be able to advise on size/fitting.

Expensive but you get what you pay for.

(I rented one, I don’t own one – but if I was in the market for one I wouldn’t look anywhere else).

Check out Crateworks, very happy, its tough and durable and in itself, offers some structure against crushing…

Home

evocs are high quality and Ive used one for @ 25 trips and never had an issue. Its still as good as the day I bought it, bit grubby but 🙂 Its also the fastest to pack and uppack and great for moving around with its wheels.

Evoc here too. Best bike bag I’ve had. Bundle of trips now and still box fresh.

The Evoc one I have is alright. Certainly not worth the ~£300 they cost.

The wheels make it easier to move around when not on a trolley, but as soon as one was available I ended up chucking it on one with my other bags anyway, as it’s easier.

Doing it again, I’d just use a decent box, with another cut up inside to strengthen it, and shrink wrap it.

johnnyboy, that’s not a pic of mine – I think the strap is a separate item, certainly mine didn’t come with one

Mine is branded Edinbugh Bike Co-op but the 1st one was a different brand; I guess there’s a big factory churning them all out somewhere

i have just found this which looks interesting, BikND travel case, lots of money but looks pretty good and the bladder things would stop the bike from moving inside the bag at all.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/biknd-helium-bicycle-travel-case-2014/?utm_source=google&utm_term=biknd%20helium&utm_campaign=RTC_biknd&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=sqqfszMah_dc%7Cpcrid%7C44921441594%7Cpkw%7Cbiknd%20helium%7Cpmt%7Cp%7C&dest=1&curr=GBP

Bikebox Alan – excellent customer service. They will be able to advise on size/fitting.

Expensive but you get what you pay for.

(I rented one, I don’t own one – but if I was in the market for one I wouldn’t look anywhere else).

I had the exact opposite experience with them. Very very bad customer service and couldn’t be bothered to sort the problems out. This was before an Alps trip a couple of years ago, so not sure if they have changed. I wouldn’t recommend them.

John, I’ve got an Elite Vaison bike box that’s been used once that I’m selling. I live in Farnborough Hampshire, so not too far away. It’s tough, secure, big, lockable clasps with keys, has wheels, and loads of padding. I think new, they’re around £300. I’m looking for around £180.

1st my experiences
Bike flies with me about once every 2 months, at least 4 flights in total.
Evoc every time never had a single issue.

Moving country, forget trying to stuff it in your hold luggage. Have it shipped properly with some extra, you can get a bike box shipped to NZ door to door for about £2-300 and fill it up to 32kg (transglobal express were who I used for 7 bikes a few years back – all air freight all there within 7 days door to door)
Take a standard cardboard bike box and pack it really well.

Currently on holiday in Oz, i have my orange clockwork (XL 29er) in my evoc bike bag along with all my kit and still under 27kgs. I have flown from london-dubai, dubai-sydney, sydney-brisbane plus several internal flights, taxi rides etc etc and no issues at all, highly recommend it.

+1 for Crateworks – the plastic version is kind of a like a cardboard bike box on steroids, but a lot more sophisticated with the bike held semi-suspended inside using Velcro straps. Also packs flat, with some effort, for storage. Really well thought out and effective ime.

We flew LHR-AKL with 2 x Cardboard boxes.

No. 1 Bike had a broken mech hanger, otherwise OK.

No 2. Bike had no frame spacer and was squashed flat beyond repair.

Enjoy life in welly, may give you a holler if I get a few days there in Jan. Will be in Rotorua for New Years.

ike box shipped to NZ door to door for about £2-300

that’s the rub, you can often take a bike as checked baggage/sports equipment for < GPB 75.

Mine were packed properly mech off, rotors off stripped frame etc. Packed well into cardboard boxes with lots of other stuff. The advantage of air freight is its not going through baggage handling and will probably be packed in an air freight container for the duration.

I’m bringing 45kg to and from the UK but that is due to being well on the frequent flyer programme. Emirates will do 32 ish looked at a few and never got a rate like that.

Definitely worth checking what the options are with the airlines for long haul flights. From what I remember it wasn’t generally as simple or flexible as say paying 60-70 quid like you would to stick it on a European flight. I think one airline we looked at wanted to charge US$60 per kilo for each leg!

I guess it depends on how much other stuff you’re taking and the baggage allowance, but economy is typically 23-25kgs.

Air NZ are usually pretty good with baggage. Emirates ditto, like mikewsmith I used to go backwards and forwards with bikes probably 4 times a year. Fwiw, i had a serfas hard case as i knew my bike would arrive intact. Also used an Evoc which worked well. Having adventure raced round the world using corflute boxes like that Crateworks the problem is they get shunted end on end – killed a carbon tallboy that way. I’d get an Evoc personally or similar as you can use that internally easily when you are in NZ. Although if you are in Welly then you have great biking on your doorstep, Rata Ridge ftw.

And Virgin do bikes free, we came back from NZ with 2 bikes, 4 bags, buggy, car seat and toddler all under the allowance.

How did you get the free bikes col? Did you go with ethiad code share?

Yep, Virgin are good, bike is free if under 23kg and I think a small nominal excess fee if over that.

Australia or Atlantic?

Atlantic

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/travel-information/baggage/sports-equipment.html

Yeah not available on the non us version, but better than transfer in the US.

Bit of a joke that you can fly around the world (virgin) with it for free but internally within Oz they charge you up to $100!

I pay about $30 for extra luggage, 55 for nz so not much. You can buy an extra 23 on the flight to the UK but no more. Oz I’d the cheapest place I’ve flown my bikes (well especially now Virgin give me 23kg free)

As I’ve learned these past few months…! I think technically you’re meant to buy an extra bag for $30 then they can potentially charge you an additional fee for oversize/excess at check in, depending on weight. That said in my experience so far they haven’t (fortunately)!

At check in suit, smile, flirt and drop the ff card

Mikewsmith flirting? That must be a terrifying experience for the poor check in girlies 🙂

Just try and keep the bike at 23/24kg and it’s usually OK.
Virgin Atlantic mike, although they have stopped the Vancouver flight which was quite good. We then did Virgin to LHR. I’m AirNZ Elite anyway so i can take about 5 million bags. Best tip i got from here was the Porters at Vasncouver, saved my life with a toddler and tons of gear. 20 bucks well spent.

Virgin gold, I get to meet the same check in as do boarding. Doesn’t seem to do me any harm….
Got chatted up by one of the hostess as she thought I was meant to be in business class. Amazing what a forum does. I’m also kit hora…..

Emirates will do 32 ish looked at a few and never got a rate like that.

Col/Mike – we flew

Air NZ – LHR – HK
Vigin (Atlantic!!!) HK – SYD
Air NZ – SYD – AKL

Air NZ was half price 2nd bag of sports equipment therefore GBP 37.50. Virgin was free bag of sports equipment 🙂 IIRC

Was that 3 bookings? Normally you get it all at the rate of the first one, Air NZ have been good for a lot of things, also worth noting that they are now partnered with Singapore and there is a direct Singapore-Kiwiland flight that should remove the pointless stop in Sydney.

Still not an issue for me, might squeeze and extra 3kg for the return if the points add up quick enough.

No, that was one booking. We booked flights as soon as our Visas arrived, flew 5 days later, so those flights were good considering.

The annoying thing was the the LHR-HK flight was actually bound for AKL and we had to get off it!

Correct, we only paid one fee for the bikes all the way through 🙂