When it comes to the world of bicycle travels, the importance of finding the perfect bike box cannot be overstated. Whether you're a seasoned rider with a passion for exploring new trails or a novice cyclist looking to protect your prized two-wheeled possession during your travels, understanding what a bike box is and how to choose the right one is essential. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into what is a bike box, shedding light on its purpose and the various factors you should consider to ensure you make the ideal choice for your specific needs.
What is a bike box
Bike boxes offer a great solution for transporting your bike. Bike boxes provide a safe, protective and ergonomic way to pack up your bike, requiring you to break it down into pieces so it fits into the reasonably sized container. These boxes provide protection for the delicate parts of your bike, like the pedals, the gears and the frame. They also often come with wheels or handles to make it easier to walk through the airport.
Choosing the right bike box for you
When choosing what bike bag you’ll need, it’s important to consider three things; the size of your bike, where you’ll be transporting it, and the weight of the bag with the bike in it.
Bike box size and style options
Of utmost importance is ensuring that your bike will fit in the bag. Keep in mind that you’ll be removing the wheels of your bike and likely the handlebars as well, which means you’ll need to take some alternative measurements of your bike and compare them to the capacity of the bag. This is usually measured in linear size (or length), which is the length + width + height. This can also be done in Liters, which is a common measurement for bag sizes. It may be helpful to practice taking the bike apart and measuring the height, width and length of the bike in it’s disassembled form to ensure it will fit in the bag.
Please note in the picture below - the bag the man is holding will most likely not be able to fit his bike unless it's frame is foldable.
We also need to take note of the style of bag to make sure that it’s frame shape will fit properly in the bag. Poor fitment can result in damage to your bike, even if packed appropriately. Certain bike bags are meant to accommodate only road bikes, meaning that they have a slimmer profile and are made to match the geometry of the road bike frame. Mountain Bike bags will have a larger more square orientation, as they accommodate the much different geometry of a mountain bike. Some bags are made to handle both, which is closest to the hybrid bike orientation. Knowing what style bike you have and what style of bike the bag is intended for is an easy way to confirm fitment and sizing.
Your bike's destination
Next, we need to consider where / how you’ll be transporting your bike and the weight. Hard shelled bike travel bags are constructed from molded plastic, aluminum, or another rigid material. Hard shelled cases offer the most protection and are great for traveling by plane or train where someone else is going to be moving your luggage around. This comes at the expense of weight though and you will need to keep in mind the combined weight of the bag and your bike, especially when considering airline luggage restrictions. Most hard bags range from 8.2kg to 18.5kg. Given their rigid construction there is no ability to reduce the size of the case for storage purposes
Soft shelled bike travel bags combine the benefits of the other types to offer good protection without significant weight. These bags generally have a rigid base with wheels and a tough nylon top section supported by battens or a frame. Bags in this category weigh between 4.9kg and 11.8kg. When you get to your destination or return home, you can reduce the size of these cases to make storage easier. This could be a good option if you are not worried about your bike getting damaged or if you are traveling by car where you’re the one moving and storing the bag. They are also a good way to avoid the weight limit fees on most airlines.
Buy or rent a bike box to get the protection you need
In conclusion, selecting the right bike box is the key to safeguarding your bicycle and ensuring you can explore new horizons with peace of mind. Consider your travel needs, budget, and the level of protection required for your bike, and you'll be well on your way to choosing the perfect bike box that suits you. Remember, a quality bike box is not just an investment in protecting your bicycle, but also in ensuring many more memorable rides to come.
And don't forget - if you don't expect to be traveling extensively with your bike we'd recommend renting a bike box instead from the GeerGarage community instead. Happy cycling!