jonwvara 

My friend Steve headed off for Chicago yesterday afternoon, with a Raleigh Gran Sport that he and I had built up on the rear-mounted rack of his car (see earlier thread "So what if the frame is bent?"). There was no room in his vehicle to put it inside, so--imagining what the clean new build would look like after 1,000 miles of sand, road salt, and meltwater--I had done my best to talk him into waiting until spring. But he would not be dissuaded. Fortunately, another friend, Mark Bromley, came up with idea of taking off the wheels--which would fit inside the packed car--and carefully wrapping all of the frame tubes, stays, handlebars, cranks, pedals, etc., in Saran wrap, so it looked like Egyptian mummy.

That, I thought, was genius of a high order. I have mentioned his full name because I think this deserves to be known as the Bromley Transport Wrap. I will be crushed it it turns out that this is a trick already know to everyone here but me.

Bald Paul

Personally, I would just put the wheels inside and give the frame a wash and wax beforehand. Rinse it off on arrival. I mean, the frame is bent, so why worry so much about it?

jonwvara 

If it had been the bent Schwinn gas-pipe frame, I wouldn't have worried about it, either. But this was a different bike--a nice 1976 Raleigh Gran Sport. Indifferent paint, but a well-aligned 531 frame clean components and well-fitted components, some of them NOS. It deserved better than a 16-hours bath in salty slush.

clubman 

Remove wheels and plastic food wrap the heck out of the frame. Should take 5 minutes. You could even remount the wheels.

SurferRosa

Interesting idea to use the car rack as a bike stand.

nlerner

Go Greyhound.

CroMo Mike 

Lease a minivan.

Camilo

I'd work harder at getting the bike inside the car. Without wheels, they don't take up much space.

SurferRosa

Agreed. With a secure tie-down and an attention to detail, Aunt Edna can go on the roof.

jonwvara 

Aaaughh! A misplaced modifier! This is painful for a former editor. I am filled with shame and self-loathing.

due ruote 

I suppose it would work, but I am trying to be more mindful about single use plastics, so I would be looking for a different solution.

SurferRosa

I found or was gifted a big roll of shrink wrap that would've done the trick. The only time I've used it is in packing a sold bike frame. The addition is a little something extra for a satisfied buyer to see when he opens it up to reveal his new bike. It probably doesn't offer much more added protection to a well packed bike in a box, but does require far more of his time unwrapping it all, which promotes the same happy hormones as those of a child on Christmas morning. And I'm all about the good feels. And what else am I going to use it for?