Bike packing instructions
Follow this 11 step process to properly pack your bicycle for shipping.
Video Tutorial Coming Soon!
Step 1 - Frame & Fork
Wrap each tube with dense foam padding and secure it into place to prevent scratches, dings, and dents.
Step 2 - Rear Derailleur & Hanger
Remove derailleur and hanger if possible & wrap in dense foam. Then secure to the inside of the frame. This will protect the rear derailleur and hanger from contacting the side of the box.
If unable to remove derailleur and hanger: Shift the rear derailleur to the easiest gear and install plastic derailleur guard.
Step 3 - Wheels
Remove wheels and protect axles and cassette from damaging the box or other contents.
a) Remove skewers & thru-axles.
b) Remove rotors to prevent bending.
c) Install plastic end caps over axle ends on either side of the hubs and cover cassette with dense padding or felt secured into place.
d) Pad wheels with foam or slide wheels into padded wheel bags.
Step 4 - Dropouts
Install spacers between frame and fork dropouts to protect ends from damaging the box and to prevent frame and fork compression. Spacer options include the following:
- Plastic spacers used by manufacturers. Secure in place with tape.
- Threaded axles with nuts.
- 1/2" diameter PVC pipe cut to length and secured into place with skewer or thru-axle.
- Old hubs.
Step 5 - Stem, handlebars, shift & brake levers
Remove stem and/or handlebars as necessary and prevent them from contacting the sides of the box. Wrap all parts in dense foam and secure into place. Position handlebars so that all shift and brake levers face inward, away from the sides of the box.
Step 6 - Disc Brakes
Install a pad spreader to maintain disc brake separation. For calipers that extend beyond the back dropout of a bike, also remove the caliper from the frame, pad it and secure it to inside of the frame.
Step 7 - Seat & Seatpost
Remove seatpost, pad with foam and secure to keep the seatpost from damaging the box or other contents.
Step 8 - Pedals
Remove pedals and place in small parts bag.
Reminder: Right pedal has a regular thread (counter-clockwise to loosen), the left pedal is reverse threaded (clockwise to loosen).
Step 9 - Accessories
Remove bottle cages, fenders, and racks to protect them from contacting the side of the box or other contents. Stow all small pieces and hardware together in a sealed small parts bag.
Step 10 - Shake test
Place bike and all contents into the box, close up the box and shake it. If you hear rattling or clinging, re-open the box and pad accordingly. You are ready to ship when shaking the box is silent.
Step 11 - Shipping label
a. Firmly affix two copies of the shipping label to opposite sides of box using self-adhesive pouches or packing tape. If using packing tape, cover all four edges of the label with the tape but not the barcode itself.
b. If shipping in a bike travel case, attach your labels using shipping luggage tags, and then zip tie the tags to your case.
c. Place a backup copy of the label inside the box or case in the event that external labels get damaged or removed.
d. Make sure there are no other tracking labels on the outside of the box or case.