Cheap Bike Transport

Question: I'm a starter of road cycling. I want to bring my bike along with me to Singapore by air 2 weeks later. but I don't have a hard traveling case for it. Can I get some suggestions on how to avoid the bike damage during the flight?
Thank you very much.

Hi Fiona,

If you don't have a bike box or bag then go to a bike shop and ask for an old cardboard box that new bikes are delivered from the manufacturers. Then you need to go to a plumbing supplies shop and buy foam pipe lagging to protect the frame tubes. Then get your hands on bubble wrap to put round everything before you put it in the box.

First loosen the handle bars and twist them round or take the stem off, with the bars still attached and place them in the middle of the frame, take the rear mechanism off, the chain set and the saddle and seat pin.

Put the pipe lagging foam round the tubes then wrap in all in the bubble wrap. Put the wheels either side of the frame and put it all in the bike box and seal it all up with strong tape. Remember to let the air out of the tires as most airlines now request it.

The most important thing to look for when boxing up your bike is for any part that sticks out, even in the box, if it is dropped onto the chain set or a gear derailleur then it will be damaged, remove anything that can be damaged and put as much bubble wrap around all parts of the bike.

It is also a good idea to put something between the front and rear fork ends, this will stop them being squashed together, use a piece of wood or better, ask the bike shop, when you go for the cardboard box, for the plastic fork spacers that the bike come with, the shop will have lots of them and probably throw them away in the rubbish when they are building up bikes.

So, big cardboard bike box, bubble wrap, fork spacers and foam pipe lagging and away you go, the box will probably only last one or two trips but the other padding should last a lot longer.

Related reviews on bike transport cases:

Sci-Con Aerotech Hard Bike Case

Elite Vaison Hard Bike Case

What To Look For In A Bike Transport Bag