I’m heading away for a couple of weeks with a road bike next month and need a box or bag for the bike.

The past few times I’ve been away I’ve hired a box but as i’m planning on doing a few more trips it would probably have worked out better long term to have bought a box/bag.

I’m undecided between the Evoc bag and the Bike Box Alan. Obviously the Evoc is lighter so a bit better for carrying extra bits in there with the bike but I’d guess that the box will offer more protection for the bike. Either one will be stored in the garage roof so storage isn’t an issue with either.

Anyone used both and got a preference one way or another for them?

Yes, I’ve used both more than once.  If you’re predominantly using it for transporting a road bike, my preference would be Alan bike box, as they’re super tough and crush resistant, so no worries if your bike has a carbon frame.  They’re also relatively easy to tow along through airports etc. (The Evocs can occasionally get a bit more wibbly wobbly if they’re really loaded up with heavy mtb and kit – and the last thing you need is your helmet popping out in the airport terminal!:))

The main downside I’ve found with the Alan boxes is that the ones I’ve used didnt accommodate my MTB very well, but in fairness it is a large size full sus 29er.  With that bike, it was tyres of rims, fork and derailleur off bike.  I think a smaller 650b MTB would be prob be much easier.

The Evocs are much more MTB friendly.  The main downside I’ve found is their susceptibility to crushing.  I once travelled with my ‘garage queen’ SC carbon full sus in an Evoc, and everything was going well until I saw the baggage trolley going out to the plane – my bike bag at the bottom of an enormous pile of about 60 bags!  The plastic reinforcing rods in the bag broke under the weight, but luckily the bike survived with just a minor scratch (luckily I’d taken the brake rotors off the wheels) This put me off using Evocs for carbon framed bikes.

Hope this helps.

I have a Bonza bike box which is pretty much like a Alan box, as above a they are a tight fit fit especially with boost and larger cassettes but do offer much better protection.
I can fit my small frame 29er hardtail in just, without removing the forks and we got a medium FS 29er in one with the forks off, i doubt a large 29er frame would fit, just too long and wide.
The Evoc bags are ok but even they can be tight now with boost frames/forks and I would be worried about multiple bags/boxes on top of it.

my bike bag at the bottom of an enormous pile of about 60 bags! The plastic reinforcing rods in the bag broke under the weight, but luckily the bike survived with just a minor scratch (luckily I’d taken the brake rotors off the wheels) This put me off using Evocs for carbon framed bikes.

At that point the base/wheel traingle should be kicking in to protect the frame, the solid base place does a lot in the evoc