Recommendation Needed: Box For Shipping Frame?

[Bauch]

I need to ship a frame and I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on boxes that work well for shipping frame/fork safely and securely. I recycled the box that the frame came in when shipped to me.

Thanks in advance.

[rice rocket]

Go to your LBS and pull one out of the trash or ask them for one. :)

Also, get the spacers that fit within the dropouts so things don't get bent.

And use a lot of pipe insulation/foam around the tubes.

[eddief]

so if you get a full bike box to ship a frame, cut it down to frame size.

[jvp]

I have used a regular full bike box from the LBS, then taken a kitchen knife to it to reduce the size. Cut it through at about the 1/4rth mark, slide the sections together, and duct tape it up. Secure the dropouts and insulate the tubes w/ pipe foam, pack w/ newspaper and ship it off.

[ultraman6970]

+1 in what jp is saying. Thats the way to go, there are frame boxes also that come already with the right size.

Depending on how small u want to go you can take the fork out and tie it really well to the seat stays, or put it back wards. So it takes less room.

If somebody needs to send a bike overseas the way to do it is in 2 boxes, one box the frame fork and what ever it fits in there, second box the wheels and the rest of the parts. Use a lot of TV set box foam because is really high density stuff and be creative.

Regarding the spacers... arent neded if you have blocks of Styrofoam moving around, just stick the rear end and the fork in one block each and thats it, specially if the block is just as wide as the box. If you do it this way the frame will be right in the middle, cut like 3 more blocks also, carve one with the tt shape and cut it as wide as the box also, and one for the front tube or maybe the fork, ine this way the box will have 4 Styrofoam blocks that will keep the box intact and the frame in the middle, as for the parts, usually all fits like in two little boxes that need to be sticked at the bottom, done.

Good luck :D

ps: if overseas the best way is in two boxes due to size restrictions.

[Walter]

The Trek Madone boxes are very good.

[SEABREEZE]

Go to any of your LBS , there always building up bikes, and discarding of the box it came, I think you should find one there at no charge to you

As eddief said, just cut it down to accomadate frame..

[jlwdm]

The Trek Madone boxes are very good.

Agree on the Trek Madone Box. When I moved to TX and my bike needed to be shipped by the LBS in AZ I said I would have my wife bring in my travel case. They said don't do it and sent the Serotta in the Madone Box. I kept it.

For shipping a frame the LBS in Seattle pulled a frame out of a box and gave it too me.

Jeff

[Jeff N.]

The Trek Madone boxes are very good.
Absolutely. TREK boxes are the best I've seen. Shipped many using them, not a problem one. Jeff N.

[dave thompson]

A bike box from the LBS is great. For a frame/fork only it should be cut down to the smallest size that will contain the contents. First go to FedEx to calculate the rates: https://www.fedex.com/ratefinder/home?cc=US&language=en&locId=express input the necessary info including the dimensions of the box, then try reducing the length dimension 1" at a time. That way you will find where the rate break is and then you can see if you can make the box that small.

Then, again from the LBS, get some dropout braces, two different sizes, one for the front, the other for the rear. Use These without fail!

Then, cover every tube with foam pipe insulation, double thick on the bottom bracket, head tube and across the top of the seat tube. Zip ties or clear shipping tape to hold the foam onto the tubes.

Now comes the hard part. Because of the shape of the bike box, you should presume that it's going to be laid flat and other boxes will be put on top of it. And you should presume that the box will not be handled like a carton of eggs regardless whether it is marked FRAGILE or not. Therefore your job is now twofold; 1st is to prevent the frame from moving around inside of the box. Best is styrofoam repurposed from stereo/appliance/furniture/shipping containers put underneath and on top of the frame so that when the box is taped shut, nothing moves. 2nd, to prevent the box from being crushed when laying flat with stuff on top, a stiffener, or two, or three should be inserted in the center and other strategic locations, before the box is sealed. I use the cardboard tubes from fabric rolls usually available free from fabric stores, cut with a hacksaw to the correct length and use a hot glue gun to keep them where I want them to stay to prevent the box from collapsing. I also use hot glue to seal the top flaps shut before I tape it. DO NOT USE duct tape, it is not good for packing sealing large boxes that are subject to stress. A roll of good 2" wide clear shipping tape is cheap insurance.

Ive shipped dozens of frames this way and have had zero problems. I always pack a bike or frame like I would like to receive it. Skimp on the packing job is an invitation for grief.

[scrub]

I've used a kids MTB bike box from the LBS to ship a frame, worked awesome too.

[jeo99]

Have you done this before? Now that is detail. Can you repeat that in Spanish, Japanese and French?

;) ;)

[znfdl]

When using a bike box, I have always used two boxes, one inside of the other.

I also bubble wrap the frame incojunction with a lot of packing tape.

Lastly, I would cut a closet rod dowel down to size for the dropouts. To secure the dowel in place, I would use quarter sized washers and wood screws.

Using this method, I have never had a frame damaged. many times the outer box would be damanged, but the interior box would be fine.

[biker72]

Not only can you pick up a box from your LBS, they also throw away packing material. Foam tubes, bubble pack,...etc.

[cmg]

when you cut down the box for the frame cut a strip of cardboard the width of the final box to use as a spacer. Should be about 8-9 inches wide.Tape the strip around the frame and tape the fork in between a folded sestion. tape fork to the bottom side of the down tube. Wrap an additional section around the the derailluer hanger.This should keep the frame from moving around. reinforce the corners of the box.