vintagerando

I have read up on packing a bike for shipping; there are a lot of videos and tutorials out there. But I am not sure on how to pack frame and fork when there is no headset. The videos and photos appear to show the fork inserted and packaged. But I am afraid the fork will rattle in the headtube. Should the fork be wrapped separately and put at the bottom of the box?
Has anyone shipped a frame and fork with no headset? How did you do it?
Thanks.

merziac

Wrapped properly, separately and securely zip tied to the well protected frame. Then insulated in a box big enough to provide a buffer but not move around inside it.

Salamandrine 

Yes, the fork would rattle around. Don't do that. Wrap it separately, and zip tie it to the frame. Do NOT put it in the bottom of the box. Make sure there is plenty of padding between them. Frame should also be well padded and wrapped.

The main thing is there should be no loose parts that can bounce around and bang into each other, because they will. If it rattles it will break.

And stick some blocks of wood or whatever in the dropouts.

PS, you could put the fork in the bottom of the box if it was in its own small box, and the box was secured so that it could not possibly move.

gugie 

+1

Just make it looks like this:

Small parts can be boxed so they don't rattle around and taped or zip tied inside the front or rear triangle. In the case above, there's a custom rack inside all of that white foam wrapping. The dropouts are separated by a piece of 2x4 cut to the width of the spacing - in this case 130mm. A fender washer and deck screw hold it in place in the dropouts, with an extra screw and washer through the derailleur hanger. To be safe, make sure that no part of the frame is exposed.

At this point the box is there to protect the pipe insulation I used.

I started shipping frames this way after I purchased three frames from a forum member that were packed this way, all three in one fairly small box. Not a dent or scratch from the shipping, and the outer box was a bit chewed up.

randyjawa 

This is How I Pack Bicycles For Shipping.

Cut a bike box down to snugly fit the bike inside, ensure it is a snug fit to prevent movement inside the box. Also, everything in the box should be secured together, so that nothing can rattle or bounce around inside the box.

vintagerando

malcala622

I used 1 inch insulation noodles on the fork and zip zip tied it along the downtube. Letting the fork dropouts sit on the BB shell...top tube works also.

gugie 

A few ways to do it, but my method is to straddle the down tube with the fork blades. If you're using pipe insulation or noodles, it'll be a real snug fit. Tie wrap the fork blades to the chainstays and the steerer to the down tube.

repechage

packing a frame and fork without headset- the larger the frame the more tempting to minimize the box size to reduce shipping costs, one has to think that through, any hard point touching an inside surface of the box is vulnerable. scrap plywood is of great strength and weight is not really an issue, the package will be well below its "volume" weight.

I use tapered dowels from a chandlery to protect the head tube. designed to plug broken through hull fittings that can sink the boat. Overkill? yes, but I have received a frame damaged and just don't want to be THAT guy to others. Got a wasted headset? put those cups to use.

block the rear triangle, some chipboard washers and a few screws into the block protects the ends, remove the dropout screws, bag them.

bunch of ways to orient the fork and pipe insulation and zip ties (uncut, easier to disengage upon receipt) basically suspend the head tube in the main triangle, tie to the seat tube and a seat stay.

fietsbob

At LBS new bikes come with fork blocks , they usually go into the landfill..
used once..

less common are the rear ones..

Wileyone 

Lots of "Pool Noodles".

wrk101

The larger the frame and the further the distance, the more important box size minimization becomes.

Spaghetti Legs