Bike Boxes and Bags for transporting bikes

Bike Boxes Bags

Types of containers for transporting your bike

This list of products covers the types of bags and boxes that you can use for transporting your bike and keeping it safe from damage, whether in a car, train, boat or aeroplane. These range from simple padded bags in which you can transport a partially dismantled bike in your car, to a rigid bike box which can be used to protect a bike during, for instance, air travel to events or on holiday.

We recommend that you take a careful look at a range of bike boxes and try to weigh up the pros and cons of each one, bearing in mind what you are going to use it for. Buying a good box or bag for several hundred pounds is quite an investment, so it's also important to think ahead to any future uses that you can anticipate.

Choosing a bike box or bag

Obviously, if you are just taking a bike in your car then a bag fulfils quite a simple need of keeping oil or dirt away from other things that you are taking with you, plus keeping everything to do with the bike in one place.

If you are planning to dismantle your bike and send it by boat or plane, then it is worth noting that there are some well designed, cleverly reinforced bike bags that do the same job as a bike box, with the added convenience that they will collapse when you get to your destination.

It is also worth noting that a rigid bike box might present you with storage problems so it's a good idea to check ahead with your accommodation to find out if they have space somewhere to store it until you go home again.

Also bear in mind that an airline will most likely include the weight of your bike in your allowance for luggage, so even if you have an ultra light 10 kg speed machine, you may end up with some extra baggage charges.

Prices for bike boxes and bags

You can buy a basic bike bag for around £150-£200, with the more advanced collapsible but reinforced designs costing around the £300-£400 mark.

Bike boxes cover the same sort of price range with the basic ones coming with less internal compartments, while the top specification models will cater for just about anything that you want to pack.

In the shops, you'll find a pretty comprehensive choice of bike boxes and bags from Scicon, Scott, Tifosi, Look, Evoc, EVA, Dakine and DHB.

Packing your bike ready for travel

First of all, make sure that all the tools you use for taking your bike apart to pack it, go with you on your journey ! Also it's worth going through a dry run a few weeks before your departure, just in case some of the nuts, bolts or fastenings are excessively tight.

You may also find that accessories on the bike are best packed separately, for instance SatNavs, carriers and pannier bags.

Also check whether your bike box comes with protective parts and reinforcements for areas that might be vulnerable to damage, such as the derailleurs. It's also worth having reinforcements across the dropouts, just in case there are any side impacts during transit that might bend them.