Alzonder

I've got a box already.
Now I need to put the bike in.
Does anyone know hoe to do it the best?
It's a road bike.
Thank you, fellas.

San Rensho 

Take off the seat, pedals handlebars and front wheel (may have to take off rear wheel, if so, put bike in box upside down to protect derailer, chainwheels). I would wrap all the tubes with newspaper. Hang the bars from the top tube. Crumple up newspaper and stuff the entire box so things don't move around. If you like the bike, get it insured.

Avalanche325

You should block the fork and rear dropouts. That means, after you remove the wheels you need to put something, like a block of wood, in the dropouts so the rear triangle does not get crushed. Do the same to the fork to be extra safe.

roadfix

Exactly. Visit the trash bin of your LBS and look for some plastic/wood dropout and axle end protectors. You don't want them poking through the carton during transit.
And use lots of large zip ties to secure ALL pieces together so you're basically able to pick up your 'compacted' bike as one single item. You don't want anything loose in the carton.

Alzonder

Wow, great.
Thank you.

jazzy_cyclist

Check this recent thread.

sch

No loose bits or parts. Attach everything, somehow, to the frame. Put smaller objects in a really tough box or cloth bag and attach to the frame. If the shipper can figure out a way to punch a hole in the box they will, and if anything falls out it will be gone forever or broken. Bubble wrap is best padding. Peanuts wont do much for a bike as the bike will just vibrate them out of the way and they are a tremendous PITA on unpacking. Nothing should rattle in the box, as little of the bike as possible should touch the shipping carton. If anything looks like it could puncture the box it will (fork ends, shifters, handlebar tips, seatpost, cranks), fix it so this won't happen. Send tools if you expect to reassemble the bike at the other end. Deflate the tires if air shipped.
Steve

Mentor58

I just got a bike shipped to me last week, it had been packed by a bike shop, and they did a great job. Here were the key points.

1. Every tube wrapped with at least a double layer of bubble wrap, and taped securely.

2. Extra bubble wrap built up around the Rear Derailer as protection.

3. Front wheel had axle protectors, and was wrapped in BW, then ziptied to frame

4. Crank arms wrapped and ziptied into position, pedals off, wrapped in BW, bagged in box

5. Blocker mounted in front fork

6. Handlebar off, wrapped and hung from frame, zip tied.

7. Lots of crumpled newspaper packed to fill the free spaces.

I could take the bike out of the box as a unit, not a mark on it. Took me about 30 minutes to get it put together, 15 of that was unwrapping the thing. Very pleased.

Hope this helps,

Steve W.

EricDJ

Here is how Airborne/Flyte sends out their bikes. Mine came perfect.

You can get a free box at the LBS. Ask them also if there is the fork spacer laying around too. Its a plastic piece that goes on the forks there the hub goes. Keeps it spaced properly for shipping and keeps the forks from going through the box.

rmfnla

Go to your LBS and ask to look at a new bike as it comes out of the box.

Make yours look as close to that as you can.

Portis

[QUOTE=The Fixer]Exactly. Visit the trash bin of your LBS and look for some plastic/wood dropout and axle end protectors. You don't want them poking through the carton during transit.
QUOTE]

Which they almost 100 % for sure will do if you don't.

jacksbike

Just want to add to also securely wrap the handlebar stem with bubble wrap , etc, so it does not scratch the top tube when you attach the handelbar assembly over it for shipping. Plastic round shipping do-dads for the fron wheel axle also. Damage occurs when: The fork does not have a plastic or wooden block between the blades and gets bent or breaks through the bottom of the box// The rear derailleur needs to be shifted up to the largest rear freewheel so that it is at its farthest position away from the side of the box// top of seat post tube has a block in it. Put extra cardboard on the sides of the bike.Pad and put in sealed plastic bags all small parts and pedals. Before you seal up the box put 2 pieces of rope through the holes in the sides of the box, so that the box can be carried easily. All other threads posted are well suggested.

jacksbike

Just want to add to also securely wrap the handlebar stem with bubble wrap , etc, so it does not scratch the top tube when you attach the handelbar assembly over it for shipping. Plastic round shipping do-dads for the fron wheel axle also. Damage occurs when: The fork does not have a plastic or wooden block between the blades and gets bent or breaks through the bottom of the box// The rear derailleur needs to be shifted up to the largest rear freewheel so that it is at its farthest position away from the side of the box// top of seat post tube has a block in it. Put extra cardboard on the sides of the bike.Pad and put in sealed plastic bags all small parts and pedals. Before you seal up the box put 2 pieces of rope through the holes in the sides of the box, so that the box can be carried easily. All other threads posted are well suggested.

mechBgon

If it's a really nice bike, then buy a pack of assorted-diameter foam pipe insulation at the hardware store to armor the frame and forks with. The other tips are great too, and putting a triple-bottom in the bike box with some extra cardboard is a good idea.