[Closed] Bike Box for travelling abroad

Notwithstanding the possibility of baggage handler damage, by the time you've bought or hired a box then paid to fly the bike, you might as well save yourself the hassle and hire a bike at destination. We have just booked two Trek Emonda SL6 Pros for a week in Mallorca, I can't wait.

Check out the Crateworks plasticised box - [url= http://www.crateworks.com ]http://www.crateworks.com[/url]

Really well thought out, tough as old boots and reasonably light too. Been using / borrowing one regularly for the last five years or so and can't fault it. You can semi-dismantle it and fold it flat for storage too, though it's a bit of a faff.

To pack the bike, you simply pop off the bars and seatpost and it's held upside down inside the box using Velcro-fastened straps. Wheels sit on top of it, but cushioned and separated.

Before I used to use a combination of a soft bag with a cardboard box inside, but the Crateworks solution is way better.

Edit: I get why people hire bikes and it makes some sense, but I'm always happiest on my own bike.

We've traveled a few times now to training camps with friends and after seeing bikes come a cropper with baggage handlers I would only use a hard case box now.

Can be a big investment depending on how often you fly but a friend of ours used the Polaris Pod pro hire service last month with no issues at all.
[url= http://www.polaris-bikewear.co.uk/Polaris-Bike-Pod-Pro-Rental-p/pol01-5989-p.htm ]Bike Pod Rental [/url]

Think they even have a day free offer at the moment maybe 🙂

Hope that helps

Not been able to fault the Evoc in 3 years of heavy use

Just came across "bike box alan" from rotherham.

mikewsmith could you send me a link please?

Do NOT USE bike box Alan. They are the Dave Hinde of the bike box world.
(I tried to hire one for a Morziene trip, their incompetence meant I had to hire over there :?)

@monkeysfeet heard similar stories!

EVOCs are great for MTBs but personally I would travel with a hard case for road bikes just offers second to none protection.

Cardboard box from the LBS in a cheapy bike bag was fine for me. Only thing I missed were some wheels on it but it was manageable even with lots of public transport both ends

Have hired from BikeBoxAlan twice now with no real problems. 2nd time around the box had seen better days and was quite hard to get closed properly, but worked fine. The only thing I don't like is that once you've booked it, they ask you to ring them a few days before collection to make sure everything is ok - I've booked it, I'm expecting to get what I've booked, not start hunting around for something else 2 days before I fly!
That said, a fair few of my clubmates have hired from them too with no issue. (I'm interested as to what the horror stories are....)

Used [url= http://www.bikeboxhireedinburgh.co.uk/ ]http://www.bikeboxhireedinburgh.co.uk/[/url]
Couldn't fault them.

@Ben, booked box with them for an MTB trip to the Alps, box was a day late so called to ask where it was, " we will get back to you" never did. Next day (flying out that afternoon) called again. Sorry it's been sent to an address in Birmingham (I was in North Wales), couldn't source a cardboard box in time so had to fly out and hire in Morziene. They then called me after the trip to ask where the box was!!!
Mate tried to hire with them but they sent a box with faulty locks so it couldn't be secured. He just left it and managed to get a box from his LBS.
Wan##rs.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/evoc/bags/bike-bags

We can recommend the Polaris Axiel pod, ours was half price in the sale but still a well put together bag and a 29er Enduro and kit easily fits in. There is a video that shows how it packs and one of the mags did a review on it.

[url] https://www.polaris-bikewear.co.uk/Axial-Pod-Bike-Case-p/pol01-5781-p.htm [/url]

A mate of mine took a XL Giant Roadie out to Mallorca in March.
He used a Bikeboxalan with no problems. We flew from EMA, 2 bikes fell off the transporter from terminal to plane, 1 being mine (same box type) and again handlers watched bike (bag) drop off conveyor on return flight. I definitely wouldn't use a bag or cardboard box seeing the lack of care by handlers.

@ASC The worst one we have seen is one in a cardboard box that had obviously gotten wet out on the tarmac. By the time it made it onto the conveyor there were only bits of the bike and wet cardboard on the conveyor! 😯

Too protective of mine to take that risk

I saw the same happen in Geneva airport in 2007. The only thing that came up the conveyor was a wet cardboard mess, a bike frame with forks and a bit later two damaged wheels. When we left the guy was still trying to sort something out. The airport staff said it was his fault and having nothing to do with him.

Thule looks good??

Check the weight of some of them, if you allowance drops from 32 to 23kg (standard economy weight) it gets tighter

shredlyjoe82 - Member

@ASC The worst one we have seen is one in a cardboard box that had obviously gotten wet out on the tarmac. By the time it made it onto the conveyor there were only bits of the bike and wet cardboard on the conveyor!

Easily dealt with though, just wrap it (it's a good idea regardless of rain, it helps it slide and stops it getting scraped up so easily).

I use a cheap bike bag with a cardboard box in, which is kind of best of both worlds- the bag gives it wheels and handles and weatherproofing, the box does all the protecting and gives it structure. But if I was doing it again I wouldn't even buy the bag, I'd get a good tough box- Halfords Apollo boxes are ace, they have to restrain 50lbs of pig iron as it gets transported around the world by the lowest bidder- a roll of heavy pallet wrap, and a 6-pack of parcel tape and just go mad.

Side tip- regardless of what you buy, those big air bubbles (not bubble wrap, the ones that are like empty crisp packets) are fantastic for filling out the bag and adding protection. They're very tough, they weigh nothing, they bounce way better than bubble wrap and they're really easy to pack around the bike. Save 'em up.

+1 for the crateworx box bwd mentioned. Manages the light, strong tough juggling act really well.

I have spent years travelling with my XL road bike in a cardboard box, well padded with pipe lagging. Never had a problem.

Bought a Thule semi-rigid bike bag and on first use my front wheel got damaged. I still use it in preference to going back to the cardboard box because it cost lots of money and I need to convince myself it wasn't wasted.

factor in getting to/from airports / travelling around - usually ok if on your own if not need to make sure book a big enough vehicle