Many of us choose to take up cycling as part of our commute, as a fitness routine or even just for fun. But the time may come when you want to send your trusty bike somewhere – whether you’re selling it in favour of something newer or more suitable or going on holiday. Whatever the reason, you’ll need to make sure your bike arrives in the condition it was sent
We chatted to Steve Peacock, business partner at bike shop Cycle Gear, to find out his top tips for sending a bike so that it reaches its destination safely. Having been with Cycle Gear for 30 years, Steve has had plenty of experience packaging up bikes, particularly over the last 10 years since his shop started selling online and posting bikes by courier.
According to Steve, a little care prevents a lot of damage: ‘Most damage comes from the front wheel axle rubbing against the paintwork, but people often remove parts and then put them back loose in the box, leaving them to rattle around and damage the bike.’
If you need to send a bike by courier, check out Steve’s packing instructions below to make sure your bike arrives in one piece
How to pack a bike - in twelve simple steps
STEP 1
Acquire a cardboard bike box – you can get one of these from eBay or a specialist bike shop. You could even make your own box from some new sheets of heavy-duty cardboard and cross-weave tape. You’ll also need a few other bits and pieces.
STEP 2
Remove the pedals and wrap them with bubble wrap. If you’re bike has gears, put it into first gear with the cranks in a horizontal position – which will help to protect the gears.
STEP 3
Remove the seat and post, and bubble wrap them both.
STEP 4
Remove the front wheel of the bike
STEP 5
Cover the ends of the rear wheel axle with bubble wrap to prevent damage in transit.
STEP 6
Cover the frame with foam protectors
STEP 7
Loosen and turn the handlebars, or remove from the bike completely if they prevent the bike fitting in the box. Cable tie them to the top tube of the bike, ensuring there are no kinks in the gear or brake cables in order to prevent damage.
STEP 8
If you can, cable tie the front wheel to rest of the bike to stop it from moving around – or at least separate it from the bike with strong cardboard. A loose wheel will damage paintwork.
STEP 9
Ensure nothing is packed loose or unprotected as this could also damage the paintwork. Fill any unprotected areas with polystyrene chips or bubble wrap.
STEP 10
Use an H seal when taping up the box – this applies to both the top and bottom of the box.
STEP 11
If the box doesn’t already have them, cut handholds to help whoever is transporting the box – this will reduce the risk of it getting damaged in transit.
STEP 12
You should also include a ‘return to sender’ address on the box in case something is wrong with either the box or the recipient address, and it needs to be sent back.
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