bikemig 

I've shipped bikes and recieved them so I have a pretty good idea for how to to this. That said there are people here who are pros at this and know a heck of a lot more than I do. I have a few bikes I'll need to move and so I was hoping I could get some ideas from the collective on where to pick up packing supplies, what sort of packing supplies to people like to use, and any favorite tips/ideas for packing bikes well.

I've always used the material I get from bike shops (cartons and packing material) but I can't always count on that. It's tough to beat a bike shop box though for the price but I tend to like using more packing material than comes with new boxes.

Tips and ideas are welcome.

bargainguy

I've stopped using cardboard boxes. Instead, I have three Colorado Cyclist clamshell boxes made of corrugated plastic.

If I need to ship a bike, I'll ship it in the CC box along with prepaid return tags to ship the box back to me empty (typically around $40 for the empty return trip).

If I need to buy a bike, I'll send the empty CC box to the seller with prepaid return tags (including bike weight) and have them pack in the box for return shipping.

While this may seem like a lot of work, what it does is ensure the bikes arrive whole. I've shipped many bikes this way without incident.

jdawginsc 

Noodles from Lowes. Usually about 6 ft for 2.00 or so, though Mad Honk said he uses the dollar store for pool noodles. I have not found any in dollar trees thus far, though. He also has a plywood contraption shape that keeps the BB safe. I do not use zip ties, because I hate the darn things. Duct tape in strips is my go to. And pool noodles around the bottom bracket, and dropouts seem to help.

Incidentally, I just packed a few wheels with slightly smaller noodles on a trip to pastorbobnlnh so I am interested to see how protective they might be. I am trying to figure out a better way to protect axles and hubs though.

I am a novice though and simply used ideas from packages of the past.

Dylansbob 

My main concern when packing is that the bike can't move. If the box is the right size, you remove the front wheel (and probably the front brake) so that you can turn the fork backwards. This keeps the fork curve protected as well as shortening up the wheelbase. All the frame tubes get wrapped with bubble wrap or something to protect it (worst case scenario, split padded envelopes). Once everything is protected, I try to get the left crankarm forward at a 90 degreet angle. Then you can slide the front wheel onto that crankarm and ziptie it 2 or 3 places firmly, but not super duper tight (you can untrue the wheel if it's too tight) Now the handlebars can also woven either horizontally over the toptube and ziptied down or verticaly through the front wheel and frame. Usually with a quill stem, I'll go over the top. If it's a removeable faceplate, then the bars are easier to weave.
At this point, I'll pickup the whole thing and lift it into the box. The seatpost comes out and a packing plug installed. Once wrapped up, the seatpost gets ziptied horizontally to the top of the rear wheel with the saddle pressed up against the back wall of the box. If the box is the right size, you should be able to pick up the box and swing it without feeling the bike move. Then you put the pedals, front qr, front brake (or I sometimes leave it on the cable and just bubblewrap it before ziptying it against the frame.) and any other accessories into a small box that you can slide in somewhere. I try to find boxes that match width closely so that they can provide additional compression protection in case the shipper puts the box on it's side.

I've probably missed something and it's always harder to write out what you're doing as opposed to doing it. I had done shipping for airborne/flyte during their non-huffy years and this was the technique they wanted used. It's served me well, between those 2 seasons and all of my online sales since I'm sure I've boxed hundreds of bikes.

Just remember, packing materials are cheap compared to shipping damages.

Schreck83 

Pipe insulation is made for 1", 3/4 and 1/2" copper pipes. 5 foot lengths and unlike pool noodles, available 12 months/year.
A piece of 1" rigid foam the width of the box and 12" long to place under the fork. Boxes get tossed,dropped and see lots of jiggling.

iab

No to make a 10-page thread, so I won't mention he who should not be mentioned, I like the Rivendell videos on boxing a frame and a bike. You can get ideas from both videos.

wrk101

Miamijim posted a good tutorial.

#1 Count on cutting and folding a bike shop box to get the postage rate down. Bike shop boxes tend to be too large. Cutting the height of the box is job one, as girth doubles width and height measurements. Cutting the width is to be avoided, as it makes for a really big job.

#2 Bike should not slide forward or back. I bought a bike from a forum member here, box was about 8 inches too long, and front wheel was not fully secured. As a result, the (formerly) pristine paint took a beating....... These bikes are only original once. And a bike that has survived well for 35 years can be ruined by poor packing.

I tend to spend almost as much time on box cutting/folding as I do on wrapping bike.


I use pool noodles, rolled up cardboard, whatever is handy. I find pool noodles end of season, garage sales, or thrift stores. They are not a primary thing I am looking for, but I'll buy them when the price is right. The expense and time spent packing tends to come out of the seller's pocket, as does any damage on shipping. Realize all the insurance in the world will not cover you if the carrier says "it was packed poorly". "Packed poorly" becomes their fallback position, your job is to prove it was packed correctly....

Cougrrcj

This was how I packed at 25" frame bike for shipping to the PacNorWest. I didn't have the correct tool to remove the fork.. Pool noodles and Zip-ties. For both dropouts, I cut some PVC pipe to the correct length and used the wheel's skewers.



I cut down an E-bike double-wall box to the right size, and packed the voids with scrap styrofoam pieces...

Prowler 

I've not packed a bike for shipment but Cougrrcj suggests a great idea here: take good photos of the bike before it goes in the box and of the box before its given to the shipper. CYA documentation.

dedhed

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ease-help.html

​​​​​​https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ng-thread.html

​​​​​​https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-shipping.html

bikemig 

I appreciate that but fortunately people are willing to share info on a new thread as well.

Ex Pres 

Full bikes I go the foam wrap + wooden dowel dropout insert route as noted above, but for frame/fork only I've decided to go minimalist.

I did this after receiving several frames from major retailers this way. The frame and fork came secured to stiff cardboard pieces that keeps the frame centered in the box, but with absolutely no additional padding or packing materials.
This wouldn't work if there were additional items in the box that can get tossed around or rub against it. The frames arrive unscathed, as long as the shipper doesn't run over or run a lift arm through them.

dedhed

Just adding sources of information.

Guys like Randy, Bill, and Jim have shipped (and received) literally hundreds of bikes worldwide so have seen pretty much everything that can go wrong and how to avoid them.

iab

I don't know if I posted this before, but I made reusable boxes to ship a bike to an event and back home. Used it once prior to covid, hopefully I will use it again. Made from corrugated plastic, a brand is Coroplast, you can get 4'x8' sheets at the Depot.

First, wrap frame with insulation, lay in box.





I then put in bracing into the negative space.





Small parts - saddle, pedals, etc, get wrapped and placed into the negative space.





Since the first pictures, I labeled each piece of insulation. Probably unnecessary, but I had nothing better to do.





Made a separate box for the wheels and Bob's yer uncle.

santa fe 2926 

Been using cardboard tubes, cut to fit the inside of box, all around the frame, to keep box from being squeezed.
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