10 tips for packing a bike box: Make your ride a good flyer

by Tara Norton

If you are planning to bundle up your bike for a big cycling vacation, make sure you check out the following tips so your machine travels well.

1. Go hard, or soft

Choose either a hard or a soft case (both work). Some people feel more comfortable with the bulletproof protection of the hard cases, while others prefer to use a soft case because they believe these cases are handled with more care by baggage handlers. Regardless, you’ve spent a lot of money on your bike, so protect your investment. Don’t simply purchase a big bag or use a large cardboard box to save money; buy or rent a good container. Consider one with four wheels instead of two for easy handling at the airport.

2. Don’t start dismantling your bike at the last minute.

It always takes a little bit longer than you think.

3. Wear gloves

Put on latex or rubber gloves before dismantling your bike to keep your hands clean. Put a couple pairs of extra gloves in your bike bag for assembly once you reach your destination and for dismantling your bike again for the trip home.

4. Put away the pedals

Remove pedals before taking the wheels off the bike. Remember to “back off.” Both pedals are removed by turning the wrench toward the back of the bike. (The standard rule of “righty tighty” and “lefty loosey” does not apply to pedals). Invest in a pedal wrench or pedal Allen key that has a long lever, which makes it much easier to remove the pedals. Apply a small amount of grease to your pedal threads when reinstalling to ensure they are easy to remove again the next time around.

5. Remove the rear derailleur

Wrap the rear derailleur in a small towel for protection.

6. Add something soft

Place a towel or soft clothing between the frame and rotated handlebars to make sure there are no hard surfaces touching one another. This setup will prevent your frame from getting scratched or damaged.

7. Get skewered

Don’t forget to put travel skewers in the front and rear dropouts to protect the fork and rear stays.

8. Pass on the gas

Don’t travel with CO2 cartridges. They are considered hazardous materials and are banned from flights.

9. Deflate

Remove some air from your tires.

10. Add some more

Take advantage of some extra space in your bike bag and pack items that won’t damage your bike, such as your helmet, shoes, clothing and nutrition.