Are All Bike Boxes Equal ?
If you are travelling with your bike, then you’re probably someone who considers your bike to be an important part of your life and indeed an extension of yourself. Whether you’re taking part in an overseas event or you plan to hit some mountain trails or iconic climbs. You need to ensure that your bike arrives safely, securely and in one piece. You need a bike box
One thing I know is that travelling with your bike unprotected is not a good option. I have come across many who claim that shrouding it in bubble wrap and a cardboard box is enough protection! Whether you are travelling by train or airline, the risk of damage increases and the damage can cost a significant amount to put right once you’re there. Therefore, to avoid the risk, you need to make sure that you protect your bike in the best possible way.
Look beyond the obvious
The most common things people look for in a bike case are how heavy and how much? A soft bag will generally weigh less than that of a hard case and tend to come in at a lower cost. However you could find that you pay the price later. Pricing varies with cases, ranging from £150-£800 but please keep in mind that all cases are not equal. Be aware buying cheaply can be a false economy because a bike case should be something you only buy once. So, ensure it represents real value for money.
The truth is that most insurance claims relating to damaged bikes in transit are attributed to soft bags. Simply put, they do not offer the same level of protection at all. Imagine arriving at your destination to unpack your bike to find it damaged. Although the soft bag v hard case debate will continue long after Brexit is settled. The reality is how much value do you put on your bike?
Keep it safe!
What should you consider when choosing a hard bike case?
Wheel Storage
Packing the wheels is a vital part of travelling with a bike. Many cases come with moulded wheel recesses as part of their structure which can restrict the size of the wheel that you can pack. In many older cases, for example, Bonza, this would make it difficult to travel with oversized tubeless tyres with liquid sealant. In fact, tyres would need to be removed to enable you to travel. With a Shokbox this isn’t a problem.
Versatility
Bike and associated technology have evolved, but unfortunately, most hard cases were designed around old technology. One consideration that nobody saw coming was rotor/disc brakes on road and TT bikes, many older bike boxes like Bikebox Alan can’t facilitate these which means they need to be removed adding more packing and assembly. What’s more, many of the older cases like Velovault are designed for QR skewers, however, many modern bikes now come with a through axel system making older cases redundant and often unusable. It’s a consideration that most overlook until it’s time to pack their bike, with Shokbox this wouldn’t be an issue.
Is it Trackable?
Missing luggage or misdirected luggage happens all too often and is extremely annoying when all you want to do is go and ride your bike. Even though you might have insurance in place (and everybody should) a missing bike would definitely put a downer on your holiday! Shokbox is available with GPS tracking, which means that you can track your bike wherever it might be. It can even pinpoint the exact location of your bike box in the airport
Added Protection
So you did all the research and decided on hard case, but will it protect your bike from knocks, drops and stacking? The Shokbox integrated Anti-crush System™ means no poles, rods or peripherals to attach making it easy to pack. Impact damping technology ensures that all stress from loading is diverted to the heavy-duty sidewalls.
Comments
Post a Comment