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BikeBox is taking the cycling world by storm. Making flying with a bike easier than ever. The BikeBox is a lightweight, durable and collapsible container which safely stores bicycles for air transport.
BikeBox is a lightweight but durable, recyclable, Polypropylene case designed for protecting bicycles during air travel. Photo by BikeBox.
The advantage that BikeBox holds over traditional hard-shell bicycle carriers is that they are lighter and cheaper. While compared to the cardboard boxes, which bicycles ship from the manufacturers to bicycle shops in, they are durable and collapsible. Constructed from recyclable Polypropylene, which is strong and waterproof, they provide protection from the typical knocks and bumps which any package endures from luggage check-in to collection when flying.
“My husband Mark and myself are very involved in adventure racing” founder Christine Collins explained on the origin for the BikeBox idea. “Adventure Racing involves a number of Adventure Sports – one of them being mountain biking. As most races take place in remote areas, in different places around the world, we used to travel a lot with our bicycles. Anybody who travelled with a bike before would know that it is a schlepp. Admittedly a First World schlepp; but a schlepp nonetheless.”
BikeBox provides protection against the typical bumps and scrapes endured during air travel. Photo by BikeBox.
“Challenges that we needed to overcome during our travels included first and foremost the safety of our bikes. We tried the cheap and light option of a cardboard box, but those ended up getting wet and disintegrated to the detriment of our bikes. Thereafter we travelled with expensive bike bags and hard-shell cases. But then we faced the challenge of weight allowances dictated by the airlines. When we couldn’t reach those weight limits, we had to pay massive fees for our luggage being overweight” Collins elaborated.
BikeBox’s BikeGuards provide additional protection for the fragile components on a bicycle. Photo by BikeBox.
“The next challenge is the box or case itself. Upon arrival we had often hired a small vehicle or been picked up by friends in their normal sized car. We found you can always dismantle a couple of bikes to fit them into the car – but then what about the box? They take up so much space. All these challenges made me rethink the way we packed bikes for travel and I started designing a foldable BikeBox.”
The BikeBoxes are available in two sizes, for road and mountain bikes, with the larger measuring 140 x 80 x 30cm and folding up to 83 x 77 x 7cm. The smaller, designed for road bicycles, measures 120 x 78 x 25cm when assembled and 76 x 67 x 7 when collapsed for storage. The larger BikeBox weighs 6kg when empty, while the smaller version is a full kilogram lighter.
Boasting a lightweight construction BikeBox makes it easier to stay within airlines’ luggage weight limits. Photo by BikeBox.
To ensure the safely of bicycles during transport the BikeBox feature BikeGuards. These protective inners fold around the fragile components; such as the rear derailleur, crank, disc brakes, cassette and fork. It also includes a foldable “Box-in-the-Box” which provides a convenient storage space for bicycle accessories, so they do not rattle around damaging the bike during transport. Additionally, to ensure the BikeBox is easy to manoeuvre through airports it boasts coaster wheels. These are attached via Velcro strips and can be removed when the BikeBox is checked-in or stored.
Since the initial protypes in 2018 and the official launch in March 2019 BikeBox has received rave reviews. In September the company was awarded the EuroBike StartUp Award while simultaneously adventure racers put BikeBox to the test during Expedition Africa Rodrigues. On the back of the industry recognition and proof of effectiveness, in the harshest of conditions, there has been tremendous interest in BikeBox as the best solution to utilise when flying with a bicycle.
The compact, 140 x 80 x 30cm (for the larger mountain bike specific BikeBox), size is not only within the size limits of all major airlines but is also small enough to fit in the boot of hatch-back. Photo by BikeBox.
To find out more about BikeBox please visit www.bikebox.company. While to see BikeBoxes in use like the Facebook page, BikeBox.Company, or follow them on Twitter, @BikeboxCompany, and Instagram, @bikebox.company.