How to Box Up Your Bike for Shipping
Learn how to safely package your bike in a cardboard box.
- How to Remove Pedals
- How to Remove and Install Your Wheels
- How to Securely Fasten Zip Ties
- How to Re-assemble Your Bicycle
Today we’ll learn how to package your bike in a box for shipping.
What You’ll Need
For this job you’ll need a bike box. Your local bike shop should have one, but it’s a good idea to call ahead with the size of your bike. They should also have some extra fork and axle protectors. Most decent bike shops won’t charge for these materials.
You will also need: packing material such as cardboard, pipe insulation, bubble wrap etc., string or zip ties to fasten padding materials, 4, 5 and 6mm allen wrenches, a 15mm pedal wrench and a 15mm open end wrench if your bike has nutted axles. If you have a bike repair stand, it will make this job a lot easier, but is not necessary.
Tire Pressure
First you’ll want to deflate your tires. You don’t have to deflate them completely but just enough so they are soft. This prevents any damage that could occur with changes in air pressure associated with air travel.
Pedal Removal
Now remove your pedals. Loosen the right pedal by turning counter-clockwise. The left pedal is a reverse thread, so you’ll have to turn it clockwise to loosen it. See the tutorial titled “How to Replace Your Pedals” for more tips on removing and installing pedals.
Brakes
If you have caliper brakes, disconnect your front brake cable and remove the front wheel. For more tips on wheel removal see the tutorial titled “How to Remove and Install Your Wheels“.
Front Quick Release
If your wheels have quick release axles, remove the quick release skewer, and thread the end back on in order to keep it together. Press the axle protectors into each side of the front axle. Slide the fork protector up into the fork drop-outs.
Saddle Removal
Now loosen your seat post clamp and pull the seat and post up and out of the frame.
Protection
Using the cardboard or bubble wrap, wrap the entire bike frame, crank arms and ends of the rear axle. Use zip-ties, string or tape to hold these in place.
Stem Removal
If you have a threadless headset, loosen and remove the top cap of the stem, and then loosen each individual side bolt. Now you can slide the stem up and off the forks steerer tube. Be careful to hold the fork in place so the headset bearings stay in place. Tighten a zip tie around the steerer tube just above the headset, and then thread the top cap back in place and slightly tighten it just enough to keep it in place.
If you have an older quill type stem, loosen the top bolt about a centimeter and then give it a light tap with a hammer to loosen the quill. Now you can pull the stem up and out of the steerer tube.
Packing the Box
Rest the bike on the ground and tie the bike wheel onto the left side of the frame, making sure the axle is not touching any part of the frame. Also make sure your left crank arm is carefully tucked into the wheel spokes so that it does not touch the wheel rim.
Rotate the forks 180 degrees so they are facing backwards. Carefully tuck the handlebars into the right side of the frame. You may need to twist them to ensure the package maintains as low of a profile as possible. Fasten them in place with string or zip ties. Use cardboard or padding as needed to ensure no part of the bars or stem are touching the frame or wheels.
Now lift the bike and slide it into the box.
Wrap your seat and seat post for protection and fasten them to the rear wheel so they don’t rattle around the box.
Now place your pedals, quick release, and any other spare parts in a bag or small box and slide it down just behind the fork.
If you have extra materials such as sleeping bags or clothing you can stuff these into the remaining spaces for extra protection.
Now you’re ready to close your box and secure it with packing tape on both the top and bottom. Make sure any holes in the box are also sealed.
Related Links
Recommended Tools
- Park Tool HXS-1.2 Hex Wrench Set
- Park Tool Wrench Combo Set
- Park Tool SK-3 Starter Mechanic Tool Kit
- Park Tool PK-3 Professional Tool Kit
- Park Tool PCS-9 Repair Stand
- Park Tool PCS-4 Repair Stand
Categories
Discuss this topic in the Bicycle Repairs and Mechanics Forum
Spokes: To Interlace or Not to Interlace?
Latest post 3 hours agohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fX5mAOzJVU...
Read moreColnago restoration
Latest post 4 hours agoHi everyone. A bit repetitive from my intro in GF, but this is the correct section for this post. I’m new to vintage bikes, but I’ve been eyeing a vintage Colnago to restore for a long time. Finally found one and the timing was right to pull the trigger. I’m still trying to identify the exact year, but from my research it’s 1991-1993 Colnago Super PiU. Mostly original, I think, apart from ...
Read moreShimano Recall
Latest post 13 hours agoI'm sure there will be lots of discussion on the recall just announced. How will it be handled? Anyone have any insight to the recall?...
Read moreHow to refurbish a bicycle 101
Latest post 1 day agoI thought I would do a thread about how to do a quality refurbish on a bicycle that will be a good user trouble free for quite a while. The scope of this refurb will not contain content about dealing with battle scars it may have endured in its lifetime, primarily because the bicycle is merely an example of a solid platform to build from (vintage lugged frame circa 1990). Purchased for $15us ...
Read moreFlat Repair Tools
Latest post 2 days agoI came across two riders with flats on yesterday's ride. The usual response as I roll by and ask, "Do you need anything?" is, "No, I'm good," but today, someone was in need. The first guy, fit, full kit, nice Colnago, was good to go. Then, about seven miles later, on the opposite side of the road, a guy sitting on the side of the road with a wheel between his legs and with his wife, I presumed, st...
Read moreBroken Kids Bike need help.
Latest post 5 days agoHi everyone. The young one has been on his bike steering right with the handle bars, the person steering with the safety steering has forced the safety steering bar the opposite way and now the safety steering will not turn in any direction and everything from the outside appears fine. I’m not sure if it goes into anything inside the bike that may have broke. I’m just wondering if anyone has a...
Read moreTopping up my hydraulic brakes without bleeding them
Latest post 2 weeks agoI recently bought a mountain bike with hydraulic brakes. When the brake fluid gets low, more needs to be added. There are a number of tutorials on Youtube, and other places on the internet. They involve bleeding the brakes.. That is having brake fluid flow through the brakes lines, to remove the air. The process is a bit involved. I did it an easier way. I put the funnel in the brake lever, and ...
Read moreIs there any benefit in bleeding brakes, other than removing air from the lines?
Latest post 3 weeks agoWe bleed hydraulic brakes to remove air from the lines. With car and truck brakes, we only bleed them when they have air in the lines. Is there any benefit in bleeding bicycle brakes, other than removing air from the lines?...
Read moreCan't push thumbshifter past 4 of 9 cogs
Latest post 3 weeks agoHi folks. My 2004 or 2005? Specialized stumpjumper FSR elite? Comp? has been very neglected, but recently my situation and lifestyle have changed for the better, and I am trying to get it trail ready. I bought a chain cleaner kit, and I've degreased the rear cogs, and lubed the chain. All of the hardware mentioned is original and stock, and came with my bike. I was hoping the maintenance would sol...
Read moreDent on a new bicycle frame
Latest post 3 weeks agoTwo weeks ago I bought a new Trek Checkpoint ALR5 bicycle. Bike rides pretty well. It has aluminium frame. I bought it primaraly for bike packing trips as it has ton of mounting points. After riding it for 2 weeks and hitting some easy gravel roads I found two relatively small dents on bicycle's frame. I don't know when I got them. Maybe they are caused by flying rocks from the wheels. Maybe this ...
Read moreCan someone please give some advice to help find a new crankset?
Latest post 3 weeks agoI apologize in advance if I mix-up some lingo, I have almost no experience in fixing bicycle drivetrain. Previously I had Comet CKM-7159 as crankset (I managed to find this datasheet that seem to describe it pretty good - datasheet) Long story short, pedal track on the left crank got completely destroyed. Since it's two-piece crankset (or I just have not enough muscles to detach left crank from ...
Read moreWheel Flex?
Latest post 4 weeks agocoming at you guys with another newbie question. I noticed the other day while pedaling up hill that I was getting some wheel was rubbing my brakes. I only noticed it when I was really pedaling hard. My bike is a single speed so I have to really get on it when I go up hill. I noticed that my wheels do have a little side to side motion when I apply pressure with my hands. I'm wondering if the wheel...
Read moreSchwinn world tourist single speed conversion
Latest post 4 weeks agoI inherited an old Schwinn world tourist from my father who has since passed away. Decided to fix it up and make it a little more me. It was completely stock when I bought it. Pretty happy with how it turned out. Upgrades: Single speed conversion 44x17 Tektro 559 brakes with Kool stop pads and 750 levers. Swift Sand canyon 27x 1 3/8 tires Flat bars with vans grips Charge seat PXL_...
Read moreGrip shift gear on kids bike difficult to turn
Latest post 4 weeks agoI've read other threads and lots of info online, and I'm still stuck. My son is unable to shift the gears on his new 6-gear bike. We tried adjusting the derailer to release some tension and tinkered with adjustments here and there, and nothing seems to be working. Is there anything that we can do? I really want him to be able to shift his own gears. Going uphill today we had to stop several t...
Read moreHeadset striped, and not in the way you think
Latest post 4 weeks agoThe bolt that feeds into the headset is striped. I have the ability to put the Allen key into the head of the bolt and spin it but it won't come out. I believe the star nut and the bolt are striped from each other. Can anyone help? There is no hexnuts on the stem and the bolt just keeps spinning. I can feel as though there is pressure when I spin it but the bolt does not rise out of the headset w...
Read more