framebuilders' frame boxes

[vqdriver]

i've commissioned and received 2 custom framesets now from 2 different builders. both had some level of dropout protection and finish wrapping, but one had more purposefull padding on the inside as well as separation of small parts in a legit bike box.
the other one had more of the ebay standard of filler (ie newspaper)

i wish i had taken pictures of them, but by at the time, i guess i was more excited to get the frame out. and tbh, it doesn't even occur to me to photograph packaging unless there's damage to the box.

i'm very curious to see how other framebuilders do this, particularly if they put effort into customizing something that is ostensibly disposable. i think i've seen pics of some wooden contraption for this purpose (vanilla??)

post em up

[alexstar]

I've had 3 customs shipped to me.

1. Gaulzetti Corsa, shipped to me in a very nice Trek box, foam protectors on the tubes, frame strapped down by nylon straps, end cap protectors for the wheels, foam blocks strategically placed throughout.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6032/6278916800_e25aa4db6e_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ayR6dd)Gaulzetti Corsa (https://flic.kr/p/ayR6dd) by Alex Cortez (https://www.flickr.com/photos/soradical/), on Flickr

https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6105/6278915324_727855602f_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ayR5LL)Gaulzetti Corsa (https://flic.kr/p/ayR5LL) by Alex Cortez (https://www.flickr.com/photos/soradical/), on Flickr

https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6223/6278913750_4fbe86b51b_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ayR5iC)Gaulzetti Corsa (https://flic.kr/p/ayR5iC) by Alex Cortez (https://www.flickr.com/photos/soradical/), on Flickr

2. Signal Cycles touring bike. I went with a custom wooden crate for this since it had fenders and racks and everything, and I didn't feel like mucking about trying to reassemble it. Basically just pull it out of the crate, attach pedals, and ride.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2870/12606566615_87169ba4f1_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/kcZX3P)Signal Crate (https://flic.kr/p/kcZX3P) by Alex Cortez (https://www.flickr.com/photos/soradical/), on Flickr

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2824/12606968364_4e809b260d_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/kd31tw)Signal Touring Bike (https://flic.kr/p/kd31tw) by Alex Cortez (https://www.flickr.com/photos/soradical/), on Flickr

3. Kirk JKS X, frameset only. This was shipped to me in a pretty standard cardboard box. I don't recall how it was packed but it arrived to me in perfect condition.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5606/15101485883_b5b18680b8_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/p1t4Cg)IMG_20141008_111709 (https://flic.kr/p/p1t4Cg) by Alex Cortez (https://www.flickr.com/photos/soradical/), on Flickr

https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3937/15100916444_1ca3c01042_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/p1q9mm)IMG_20141008_120614 (https://flic.kr/p/p1q9mm) by Alex Cortez (https://www.flickr.com/photos/soradical/), on Flickr

[mvrider]

See how Vanilla does it: custom box, minimal padding, zip ties to inner cardboard.

https://get.google.com/albumarchive/112227674531901972961/album/AF1QipP0Il-tGUigZY05uCumffvNu4_IHOmdWYyM5Xc?authKey=CNa1l5OV2 evi5gE

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=149705

[pdmtong]

See how Vanilla does it: custom box, minimal padding, zip ties to inner cardboard.
https://get.google.com/albumarchive/112227674531901972961/album/AF1QipP0Il-tGUigZY05uCumffvNu4_IHOmdWYyM5Xc?authKey=CNa1l5OV2 evi5gE
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=149705

My Vanilla was shipped similarly
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=101347

The new ones come with a "shipping system". yes, you see the picture. but take the time to watch the short video.
http://www.thevanillaworkshop.com/opendisbox

[ANAO]

My Vanilla was shipped similarly
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=101347

The new ones come with a "shipping system"
http://www.thevanillaworkshop.com/opendisbox
That is seriously impressive.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[brockd15]

Yeah, that Vanilla system is pretty spiffy. I want one.

[pbarry]

Very cool. One more way to make the marque exclusive, not a bad thing. The cockpit block is ingenious, and the flip up BB support for assembly and repair, wow. :hello:

[vqdriver]

that crate is as nuts as the vanilla sled is elegant
no crushed boxes with that thing




https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2870/12606566615_87169ba4f1_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/kcZX3P)Signal Crate (https://flic.kr/p/kcZX3P) by Alex Cortez (https://www.flickr.com/photos/soradical/), on Flickr

[Peter P.]

Here are photos of my Soulcraft Royale frame, as it was in the box. It was very simple but I looked at it and concluded a lot of thought went into protecting the frame and fork. The dropouts were blocked and nothing could flop around. The fork was in the rectangular box resting on top of the frame.

[regularguy412]

Here are a few shots of my serotta fondo ti as it came out of the box.

Mike in AR

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170516/6088c1884ab4c513d5abe7d3ba823bb1.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170516/1423e0fa467b629a4443b46cd8da82fd.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170516/7f8b8a725b4adee5bdb90eb6f0339974.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170516/6de06da3f7aa1b9a57b7339a24eb5413.jpg


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[pdmtong]

The Moots frame/fork box is similar to the soulcraft. the frame is essentially suspended by the headtube and the rear drop outs within the box itself.

Pic of the vanilla "system" posted in prior post. but take the time to watch the short video...

[AngryScientist]

OK, i'm wildly impressed by the Vanilla system. very well engineered. that's really something else.

that bike in the vid is really sweet too.

i kinda want one.

[David Kirk]

When I was working at Serotta someone sent a Fat City bike back to us and it was packed like nothing I'd ever seen......the frameset was completely suspended in the center of the box with rubber bands......hundreds of rubber bands.

Wish I had a photo of that.

dave

[.RJ]

OK, i'm wildly impressed by the Vanilla system. very well engineered. that's really something else.


It is, but dont they charge $300 (ish) to pack and ship? Seems excessive after what you pay for the frame and options.

[Bob Ross]

I've had two -- one from Carl Strong, one from Richard Sachs -- and both were packed like nothing I'd ever seen before. Not ultra high tech, just lots of bubble wrap and foam padding in a cardboard bike box with an excessively high degree of I-Give-A-Sh*t. It honestly took me close to two hours to remove the bike from all the packing material.

[pdmtong]

It is, but dont they charge $300 (ish) to pack and ship? Seems excessive after what you pay for the frame and options.
It's $275 which is a rounding error when you just went ten large plus for a full-on SV.

I love the idea that it is a bomb-proof way to protect the 1/2 Prius equivalent you just bought.

I hate the idea that it is so cool you won't recycle/toss it but probably never use again. So now it sits in your storage area forever. Taking up space.

I've had two -- one from Carl Strong, one from Richard Sachs -- and both were packed like nothing I'd ever seen before. Not ultra high tech, just lots of bubble wrap and foam padding in a cardboard bike box with an excessively high degree of I-Give-A-Sh*t. It honestly took me close to two hours to remove the bike from all the packing material.
this is the same experience when one buys a frame from Ryun.

[sales guy]

This is the way every single frame and fork leaves me.
It does have padding around the dropouts on the rear. Not in the picture tho.

I put this in a bubble bag and then a plastic bag. It gets put in a heavy duty box and suspended in there to avoid it moving.

I am nutty about this kind of stuff. I don't want anything to happen to someones frame.

I just sent some things back to Britain from the NAHBS SLC show. They couldn't believe how they were packed. Jim the owner said it took him almost an hour to unpack them.

[SlowPokePete]

First class pack job of when my Ahearne was shipped to its original owner...

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z142/SlowPokePete/19348836213_41aeff3948_o_zpsfefnjlr2.jpg (http://s191.photobucket.com/user/SlowPokePete/media/19348836213_41aeff3948_o_zpsfefnjlr2.jpg.html)

SPP

[.RJ]

It's $275 which is a rounding error when you just went ten large plus for a full-on SV.


Yep, and given that you just spent $10k on a bike, you'd think that would be part of the service. But I dont tend to buy those bikes so not the target market.

[AngryScientist]

packing!

just skip that step. i take the curbside pickup option.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iNawHJYZCEA/VDrcYy8JmII/AAAAAAAABzo/EopUz_-Qu50/s900/P1080359.JPG

[soulspinner]

I've had two -- one from Carl Strong, one from Richard Sachs -- and both were packed like nothing I'd ever seen before. Not ultra high tech, just lots of bubble wrap and foam padding in a cardboard bike box with an excessively high degree of I-Give-A-Sh*t. It honestly took me close to two hours to remove the bike from all the packing material.

Same here with a Strong. , no chance of damage:hello:

[8352]

These wooden boxes probably cost a fortune more to ship, right?

[makoti]

packing!

just skip that step. i take the curbside pickup option.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iNawHJYZCEA/VDrcYy8JmII/AAAAAAAABzo/EopUz_-Qu50/s900/P1080359.JPG

Yep! That's what I did with both my Hollands frames. Into the back of the car & drove it home. The best way.

[pdmtong]

Yep, and given that you just spent $10k on a bike, you'd think that would be part of the service. But I dont tend to buy those bikes so not the target market.



If they roll the cost of build and pack and ship into the frame price now that price point goes up and looks more uncompetitive.

So now you see the prices for those items as a la Carte yet "required". Very transparent

A friend of mine bought a $150k Porsche and they would not give her floor mats. It's like that I guess

Sacha is not going to give away labor or materials. So therefore you see the charge

[alexstar]

These wooden boxes probably cost a fortune more to ship, right?

IIRC mine was around $300 shipped LTL truck freight. Worth it to me for the peace of mind and ease of assembly (that is, no assembly).

[vqdriver]

was thinking the same thing. i suppose you can pay to freight anything in a crate. question becomes cost/benefit with something as space inefficient/lightweight as a bicycle. at 300, or 275 for the vanilla, buyer decides the value relative the cost of the bike itself.

either way, i'd feel very safe with it in transit.

[Bob Ross]

IIRC mine was around $300 shipped LTL truck freight. Worth it to me for the peace of mind and ease of assembly (that is, no assembly).
question becomes cost/benefit with something as space inefficient/lightweight as a bicycle. at 300, or 275 for the vanilla, buyer decides the value relative the cost of the bike itself.

otoh, I recently had my LBS box up my old Cannondale so that I could ship it via BikeFlights.com down to my parents' house (where old bikes go to retire).

$35 to the LBS (and they probably did 95% as good a packing job as Sachs/Strong) + $65 to BikeFlights.

If I'd put that 11-year-old Cannondale in a wooden crate & shipped it via a freight trucking service the shipping costs would have far exceeded the value of the bike!