How to pack your bike box

Remove the pedals

Use a pedal spanner or 8mm Allen key. The left (non-drive side) pedal has a reverse thread — it undoes clockwise. Get this wrong and you risk rounding the axle.

Mark your saddle height, then lower the seatpost

Wrap a strip of electrical tape around the seatpost at the correct height before dropping it. Then loosen the clamp and lower the post as far as it will go, or remove it entirely.

Rotate the handlebars 90°

Loosen the stem clamp bolts and rotate the bars so they sit parallel to the frame. Wrap bar ends so nothing scratches the frame or inside of the case.

Protect the rear derailleur

Shift into the smallest sprocket to reduce tension. Then either remove the derailleur and zip-tie it to the frame, or use a hanger guard.

Remove the front wheel

Release the quick release or thru-axle and remove the front wheel. Place it in the dedicated wheel recess. Rest the chain on the bottom bracket shell.

Deflate tyres slightly (flying only)

Drop tyre pressure to around 60–70 psi for air travel. Cabin pressure changes can cause over-inflated tyres to bulge — particularly tubeless setups at road pressures.

Pad the frame and place the bike in the box

Wrap bare metal tubes in foam or bubble wrap. Place the bike in the case drive side up. Ensure nothing presses against the derailleur.

Align the anti-crush pole

The BikeBoxAlan has a built-in anti-crush pole that spans the interior and prevents the lid being crushed inward under the weight of other luggage. Make sure the pole is correctly seated in both end brackets and runs above the bike — not resting on the frame.

Fill gaps and close the lid

Pack soft kit — helmet, shoes, race kit — around the bike to cushion and fill space. The lid should close without forcing.

Line up the clasps — tongue and groove connection

The BikeBoxAlan lid uses a tongue and groove seal that runs around the entire case. Before pressing the lid closed, make sure the groove on the base is aligned with the tongue on the lid all the way around — run your hand along the seam to check it's seated evenly before engaging the clasps. If the clasps feel stiff or uneven, the lid is likely misaligned — don't force them. Open it, recheck the alignment, and try again.

Photograph your position first

Before touching anything, take photos of your TT bar setup from multiple angles — front, side, and overhead. Getting your position back at 6am before a race without a reference is a nightmare.

Remove the pedals

Left pedal (non-drive side) undoes clockwise — the opposite of everything else. Wrap both pedals in bubble wrap.

Remove the TT base bar and extensions

Most TT bars unbolt easily — remove the base bar and extensions separately and pack them flat. Removing the bars reduces the risk of them taking an impact and makes positioning the bike much easier.

Mark saddle height and lower the seatpost

Wrap electrical tape around the seatpost at your race height before dropping it. TT riders are particularly sensitive to position changes — this step is non-negotiable.

Protect the rear derailleur

Shift into the smallest sprocket. Remove the derailleur and zip-tie it to the frame, or use a hanger guard. TT bikes often have electronic groupsets — handle the junction box/battery carefully.

Remove both wheels

TT bikes often use disc rear wheels — remove both wheels and place them in the wheel recesses. Rest the chain on the bottom bracket shell.

Packing a solid disc rear wheel

Solid disc wheels are expensive and surprisingly easy to damage in transit. Remove the disc wheel and wrap the entire rim in foam pipe lagging or thick bubble wrap before placing in the case. Never let it sit against anything hard.

Tubeless disc wheel tyres

If your disc wheel runs a tubeless tyre, deflate more than standard for air travel — drop to 40–50 psi. Check the sealant is topped up before travelling as temperature changes in the hold can affect it.

Deflate tyres (flying only)

Drop to 60–70 psi for air travel (40–50 psi for tubeless disc wheels). Tubeless tyres at race pressures are particularly prone to bulging in the hold.

Align the anti-crush pole

With a TT bike the frame geometry can make the anti-crush pole trickier to position — take the extra moment to confirm it clears the frame before closing.

Pad thoroughly and place in the Easyfit

Wrap the frame, fork, and any exposed carbon in foam or bubble wrap. Pack wetsuits and race kit around the frame. Secure with the internal straps.

Line up the clasps — tongue and groove connection

The BikeBoxAlan lid uses a tongue and groove seal that runs around the entire case. Before pressing the lid closed, make sure the groove on the base is aligned with the tongue on the lid all the way around — run your hand along the seam to check it's seated evenly before engaging the clasps. If the clasps feel stiff or uneven, the lid is likely misaligned — don't force them. Open it, recheck the alignment, and try again.

The golden rule: always use caliper spacers

Every time a wheel is removed, fit a caliper spacer (or a folded piece of cardboard) between the brake pads. If the lever gets accidentally squeezed with no rotor present, the pistons close and you'll need to bleed the brakes at a race venue.

Remove the pedals

Left pedal undoes clockwise. Wrap both in bubble wrap.

Mark saddle height and lower seatpost

Tape the post at your height, then loosen the clamp and lower or remove the seatpost.

Rotate or remove handlebars

Rotate bars 90° after loosening the stem. Avoid squeezing the brake levers while doing this — with thru-axle bikes it's easy to accidentally activate the lever.

Protect the rear derailleur

Shift to smallest sprocket. Remove or guard the derailleur. Electronic groupsets (Shimano Di2, SRAM AXS) are particularly vulnerable — handle the junction box/battery carefully.

Remove front wheel and fit caliper spacer immediately

As soon as the front wheel is out, fit your caliper spacer before anything else — before you even put the wheel down. Make this a habit. Do the same for the rear wheel if removing it.

Protect the rotors

Disc rotors are thin and can be bent by a surprisingly light impact. Either remove them or wrap them individually in bubble wrap. Never pack a rotor pressing against anything hard.

Align the anti-crush pole

Check the pole is correctly seated in both end brackets and clears the frame entirely before closing the lid.

Deflate tyres (flying only), pad frame, close lid

Drop to 60–70 psi for air travel. Wrap the frame thoroughly. Pack soft kit around the bike. The lid should close without forcing.

Line up the clasps — tongue and groove connection

The BikeBoxAlan lid uses a tongue and groove seal that runs around the entire case. Before pressing the lid closed, make sure the groove on the base is aligned with the tongue on the lid all the way around — run your hand along the seam to check it's seated evenly before engaging the clasps. If the clasps feel stiff or uneven, the lid is likely misaligned — don't force them. Open it, recheck the alignment, and try again.

Carbon is strong — but not in every direction

Carbon fibre is incredibly stiff along the direction of the fibres, but vulnerable to point pressure and impacts at angles it wasn't designed for. Your job is to prevent small point loads from edges, straps, or other items pressing directly against bare carbon tubes.

Remove the pedals

Left pedal undoes clockwise. With carbon cranks, take care not to over-torque when reinstalling.

Mark saddle height and lower seatpost

Tape the post at your height before dropping. If you have a carbon seatpost, note your torque setting — carbon posts can crack under excessive clamping torque when reinstalling.

Rotate or remove handlebars carefully

Carbon bars and stems are particularly sensitive. Loosen the stem carefully — don't force anything. If you have an integrated cockpit that can't be removed, extra padding around it is essential.

Protect the rear derailleur

Shift to smallest sprocket. Remove or guard the derailleur. Carbon frame dropouts and hangers can be fragile — handle the derailleur removal carefully.

Remove front wheel

Release quick release or thru-axle. Place in the wheel recess. With carbon wheels, wrap rims in foam or old inner tubes — carbon rims can chip if they contact the case directly.

Wrap every tube — thoroughly

Use foam pipe lagging or bubble wrap on every bare tube: top tube, down tube, both chainstays, fork legs, and seat tube. Nothing metal or hard should be touching bare carbon inside the case.

Check nothing is pressing on the frame when you close the lid

Before closing, press gently on the lid in different spots — if you feel resistance, something hard is pressing against the frame. Reposition until the lid closes freely.

Align the anti-crush pole carefully

The anti-crush pole is especially important for carbon frames. Confirm the pole is seated in both end brackets and clears the frame entirely. With carbon, even a small concentrated load under the weight of stacked baggage could cause damage.

Deflate tyres (flying only), fill gaps, close lid

Drop to 60–70 psi for air travel. Pack soft kit around the frame to fill space and absorb vibration. The lid should close without force. If it's a struggle, remove something rather than forcing it shut.

Line up the clasps — tongue and groove connection

The BikeBoxAlan lid uses a tongue and groove seal that runs around the entire case. Before pressing the lid closed, make sure the groove on the base is aligned with the tongue on the lid all the way around — run your hand along the seam to check it's seated evenly before engaging the clasps. If the clasps feel stiff or uneven, the lid is likely misaligned — don't force them. Open it, recheck the alignment, and try again.