# Bike boxes - a few questions



## yohyat (Mar 5, 2009)

Looking to get a box to travel with and am considering a few. Need some feedback on what works for you guys. Planning a trip to whistler - DH bike and AM bike for backcountry rides - trying to figure my best options.

Bike pro DH oversize - possible the double one that carries two bikes?
- pro - can fit 2 bikes in it - steel frame, fork mount, derailleur cage
- con - 45lb box, 90lb in bikes - 135lb - all the airlines say max is 99lb?, they also don't recommend shipping -just for airlines?
- would be willing to ship ahead of time and insure - not sure how much 135 oversized box is round trip.

Trico Ironcase
- great for shipping - hard case, doesn't have fork mount or derailleur cage

Thule - 699
same as trico

So do most of you guys bring bike along on plane or ship ahead of time. Guess you could get travel insurance for the plane ride to cover bike if it gets lost - but then your trip is ruined!

is it reasonable to ship? 

thanks for your advice


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## ak pura vida (Dec 15, 2008)

can't help you out a lot but i have rented a hard sided "double" bike box from a lbs. no way in hell are you getting two DH bikes in there. plus it would be way over weight for the airlines. if you go over 100 lbs they make you ship it freight. whistler has become a yearly trip for me so i need to buy a good box myself b/c i will have paid for one shortly in the rental i've paid out. actually i think just a single bike box would fix my dh bike and they tend to me a little lighter and smaller.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

do yourself a favor and save some money. This is what I do...

get a large beach cruiser box.....take your cranks, front fork off, front tire and derailer off. Wrap bike With back wheel on it (tape front handlebars with brakes and shifter to frame with a towel in between... in a moving blanket...put in box. Put front tire to side of frame. Wrap fork in a towel and put that on a side. Fill the rest of box with armour and nit knacks to make the bike not jiggle.

Duct tape the box to reinforce it....mega duck tape handles so they don't rip. This is awesome and works

P.S. Send me 25 dollars for my Beck's Beer Fund because I just saved you 3 to 5oo bucks


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## name_dropper (Nov 27, 2010)

most people will tell you to rent a bike(s).
i also prefer to take my own rig with me, but 2 bikes is pushing it. it would just seem a big hassle unless you'll be there for an extended period of time. better to fly with one and rent another while you're out there.
i fly with a Serfas Bike Armor case (similar to Trico). got it off craiglist with very light use for $125, less than half the msrp. it has positive locking airline type fasteners, which i like a lot. i added an extra layer on each interior side of elevator/moving-blanket type of compression material to aid in cushioning. also made a fork bag out of the same material. 
it's kind of an art form when packing a big bike (Voltage FR for me). wrap everything in either rags or bubble wrap. use smaller bags/etc to compartmentalize all the parts you remove (pedals, disks, etc). i also leave a note for the inspectors and a photo of how everything goes back together, because they will go thru your shlt. there's a good video on youtube on the basics of packing a bike in a travel case. you WILL have to SMUSH everything down tight but it'll fit.
basically, over-prep everything and it should all end up in one piece. and pack your tools!

edit: i fly from Philly to Denver on Southwest and it's only $50/trip. when i fly to Costa Rica, Continental charges $100/trip, which still isnt bad considering there are no rentals in CR.


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## string (Jan 13, 2004)

I use a Trico Iron case and it works fairly well. For larger forks I do have to remove and place in the case. The downside is it is heavy. With a forty lb bike the shipping weight is around 70lbs. They are also expensive but will pay for its self over time. It costs between $110 & $140 each way to ship my Trico from Texas to Colorado or Utah using ground and a corporate account.

A buddy uses a cardboard bike box from a local shop. It takes less dissemblance of the bike, is lighter and thus cheaper to ship, but is also more prone to damage. 

Neither is great for airlines considering they can charge a bike fee (some do, some don't) + an over-sized item fee + an over weight fee. I ship UPS or Fedex depending on which is cheaper at the time.

Personally, I like the Trico after working the kinks out and getting a packing system over the years....remove fork, seat post, front brake lever from bar but not caliper, stem, remove rear derailleur (and drop out if not thru axle) and place still on cable inside rear triangle, remove rotors and protect, deflate tires)....takes about 30 min to hour to pack.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

string said:


> I
> 
> A buddy uses a cardboard bike box from a local shop. It takes less dissemblance of the bike, is lighter and thus cheaper to ship, but is also more prone to damage.
> 
> .


with cardboard box...wrap bike in moving blanket...it really works well


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## name_dropper (Nov 27, 2010)

for anyone flying w/ any regularity (even once or twice a year), a bike box just seems so much more logical. they can be had on craigslist all time. IMO, a $150 investment to protect something that costs 20-30x that $ is a no brainer.


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## snojcb (Sep 28, 2007)

Read the fine print for airline policies. I just got back from Whistler and flew AirCanada (from East Coast USA). They have a very strict policy - no luggage, no matter what's inside it, can be heavier than 70 lbs. I used an old aluminum bike case to pack my bike. The case weighed 35 lbs and the bike weighs 41 lbs. I needed to throw in some spare tires, so I ended up taking off the fork, handlebar with brakes and shifter/derailleur still attached and put all that into my checked luggage.

The bike case came in at 69 lbs, my fork+handlbar/shifter/brakes+clothes bag was 50 lbs, and I still had 60 lbs of other armor, spare parts and tools I needed to take. So I took a third bag ($100 with a 70 lbs limit). Final cost *each way* was ~$155 just for luggage fees. 

I know some airlines allow bike cases up to 100 lbs. I had a TON of room in my case and would have preferred to put my body armor in there. However, I had a 70 lbs hard limit.

My last piece of advice is to pay attention to your rear axle width. My buddy has a Thule case. His new Jedi has 150mm rear hub. This makes the rear triangle wider than a 135mm and the rear wheel wider. Which means the bike doesn't pack as compactly. He had to take off his rear triangle and put that in his checked luggage in order to get the Thule case to close. However his FR bike with 135mm hub packs just fine in there.

The biggest case I found was the "2011 Pro Bike" case at Performance. I even considered making my own "Road Case"-style case to my own specs. I ended up using an old case that a buddy of mine didn't want any more. It was a bit heavy, but the price was right.

I would have considered something like ShipBikes.com, but I didn't want to deal with a possible delay in Customs by shipping my bike internationally.

Good luck!


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## yohyat (Mar 5, 2009)

*pro bike cases*

anyone have anyluck with them -putting a DH bike with a DC fork still attached in them?

Is anyone putting a DC fork bike in a box with the fork still attached?


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## name_dropper (Nov 27, 2010)

you could leave the triples on and just slide the fork tubes out, and take the bars off at the clamp, leaving the stem on as well. but no, you wont be getting any bike, SC or DC in a bike box with the fork on.


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## yohyat (Mar 5, 2009)

or i could take the spring out and compress the fork 8 inches. that might work.


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## name_dropper (Nov 27, 2010)

pretty sure you still would not be able to lay it flat enough to get everything else in and the box closed.


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## yohyat (Mar 5, 2009)

have you seen the bike pro stuff. they have a specific DH case. axel to steer top is 30 inches. gonna measure mine tonight.

Race Case


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## vaelin (Sep 3, 2009)

I've packed my Slayer in one of these:

Crateworks Bike Boxes and Accessories: Pro XL-C Plastic Bike Box


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## miqu (Jan 20, 2004)

I have done couple of trips by flying with this: B&W Bike Case (specs) thought mine is 2009 model, and is little different. I have also seen couple of similar boxes with different brand on it (2011 B&W bike case and 2011 Pro Bike case are the same).

Yes, the weight limits are always the main concern. If possible pick the airline company that has most biker friendly baggage weight limits.

I would never anymore trust card board boxes or soft bags for bike transportation after seeing how baggage (including bike bags and cases) have been handled at airports... Even some airline companies require that bikes should be carried in hard bicycle boxes, or possible damages will not be covered in anyway.

I made anti shock frame (+9lbs) of my own for B&W case to accept my DH bike with DC fork attached on it (without lowering the fork). I have always paid special price for my bike to allow 100lbs (50Kg) weight (heavy special baggage in terms of airline company). Two bikes in one case would be really challenging, but not impossible. B&W bike case is one of the largest available, and it weights 32lbs(14Kg) itself. If travelling with two bikes, I would use two separate cases (or bags...) for bikes.

I can't imagine myself riding a rental bike, that's just how it is in my case.
Even thought my bike isn't the lightest and taking it along costs some extra.

Hafjell, Norway









Malaga, Spain


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## mrbigisbudgood (Apr 4, 2011)

As an American living in Europe, I fly trans-atlantic often, and I fly with a bike often. I'm a gold member with SAS, so I do get some preferential treatment from the airline when it comes to charges, if they charge me at all.

I have this. I bought it in store at a huge discount because it was missing a wheel........but it somes with extra wheels, I accepted the price and moved on.

The internal frame is nice, getting the bike/frame ready to fly takes some time, yes. Once adjusted properly, it really gives me a feeling that the bike is safe. The box is a bit larger than most, but I bought it with the intention of being able to throw extra parts bought in the US to bring back to Sweden. Last time I traveled with my Nickel I had the bike, 4 sets of tires, a box of parts ordered from JensonUSA, camelback, riding clothes and a couple other random items in the box.

With the frame removed, I imagine you could creatively fit 2 bikes in this box. But again, it's friggin huge. It will not fit in some minivans.  For real.

The box has made 10 round trips, no damage, no failures, I'm happy with it.


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## delirian (Jan 1, 2009)

yohyat said:


> or i could take the spring out and compress the fork 8 inches. that might work.


yes this does work.... i have seen it done many times when i have been in whistler,


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## delirian (Jan 1, 2009)

my mate paul, has a dakine bike case, it's quite heavy at arround 10kilo. i have seen him get 2 bikes into it, but it takes alot of faffing, he basically has to strip both bikes, removing rear triangles and everything, like i say alot of faffing but it can be done, 

my brother and i use the evoc bike bags, these things are awesome, very well designed well made and make traveling with bikes a real pleasure. 
my brother travels with 2 bikes when we go to whistler. like you he takes a park bike and an all mountain bike, though we put them in seperate bags, 
for us flying from the uk to vancouver with thomascook airlines, it's 60 pound return for one bike, as for weight limits this is a grey area, it depends on what type of jobs worth you get at the check in desk. basically manchester airport have a health and saftey limit for manual lifting of 32.5 kg, but thomascook airlines dont actually have a limit on bikes as long as you have paid the carriage fee, 
now i have had both good and bad experiances here, twice my bag has been allowed through no problems for being over weight and then on 3 other occaisions they have made me remove items from one bag and place inside another, so like i said it just depends on what kind of jobs worth is on the checkin desk at the time.


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## yohyat (Mar 5, 2009)

well i really wouldn't mind bringing two boxes if it turns out that I'm gonna want to bring 2 bikes. Seems like that's going to be the best way to get them around.

That Pro Bike box with the internal frame looks RAD! - keeping the fork attached and having it mount to an internal frame with a hard case is just what im looking for. 

Am I'm seeing that correctly? for a DH bike?


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## miqu (Jan 20, 2004)

Pro Bike box and B&W Bike case are most likely the safest way to transport bicycle. But because of the large size there's some problem how to get it fit to taxi, even most (european) minivan taxis. Me and my friends have always rented a van to get to the bike park from airport.

My V10 has axle-to-axle lenght of 125cm (49,2 inch) and the internal lenght of the Bike case is 128cm (50,4 inch), so there's only 3cm (1,2 inch) space for extra padding. The original internal frame does not accept that long bikes, but perhaps lowering the fork it will fit depending on bike. Thought turning the fork sideways attached to original internal frame it will make bike little longer and therefor it requires more space. Thats the reason why I remade the internal frame myself. I also didn't want to adjust my fork back and forth everytime I pack.


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## tiSS'er (Jan 6, 2004)

I went to Whistler in July and I have the Large Pro Bike case. This thing is unreal, but huge. My brother has the same case and packed everything except his laptop. We flew USAir and fee was $200 each way. His case weighed in at 117lbs. That was for the bike, tools, and all of his clothing, armor and helmet. My case was about 100lbs, and I carried on my clothing.

2011 Pro Bike Case - Bike Cargo Cases

The Pro bike case is HUGE, It measures 51x35x14. I put my Podium with the Boxxer WC mounted up in the case with no issues. Next year I will remove the fork for a more organized fit. We take a shuttle to Whistler from Vancouver to Whislter, but fitting the case can be very difficult.

The TriSports bike case is a coffin and you could fit 2 bikes in there, but there is no way the airline will take it as your weight is going to be 150lbs or more.

I get 72% discounts through FedEx and even heavily discounted cost to Canada puts my bike box at $300. Getting w bikes to Whislter = $$$$


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## Duece (Apr 18, 2010)

I travel with my V-10c in the thule box. It may not be the "perfect" fit, but the bike was safe. On my last trip, my friends that used the cardboard bike boxes didn't fair so well. The boxes got wet, ripped, and crunched. For the most part, there bikes were ok, but they had to find new boxes for the return trip.


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## slyfink (Apr 15, 2004)

I have a buddy who rented a Trico box. His Demo9 rear triangle still got crushed. Of course, he was able to convince Air Canada that they had to have really mistreated the case for that to happen, so they paid for a new rear triangle.

I've had better luck with reinforced cardboard boxes. I bought pipe insulation that I put on my bikes main tubes. I also put foam camping mattresses on each side of the box, and use Gorilla Tape on this _inside_ of the box to reinforce the handles. I also cut a wood block to put in between the dropouts to avoid the rear triangle being crushed.

On the other hand, I've had a friend receive his bike in a plastic bag caus' the cardboard box had been completely destroyed in transit.

Point is, nothing is airline proof. My theory is that the sturdier the case, the more it will be treated roughly. My approach is pad and reinforce the !sht out of everything on the inside, but let it look super fragile from the outside...

The other thing to consider is what do you do with your case once you're on location. My buddies and I usually do an annual road trip somewhere, and often that involves driving around on location. (example: flying to Denver to head to Moab). If there's 4 or 5 of you, you can get that many people and bikes into one minivan if you can pack and fold your boxes, but there's no way that will work with hard cases.

It seems that bike bags are a good alternative, I haven't head of many stories of things going awry with those.


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