Bike Boxes,,which ones the best?

taffyscouser
taffyscouser Posts: 190
edited January 2008 in Workshop
Going to Italy twice this year and need to transport bike on plane each time. Looking for a rigid bike box. Any experience out there?

Best buys, seconhand values. performance etc appreciated.

Comments

  • belgium
    belgium Posts: 19
    sci-con is the holly grail of bike boxes but with a big price tag,roof box also sell a good box which has the advantage of only having to take your wheels off,there are many others on the market and as with anything opinions will differ
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    I was going to recommend Sci-Con cos they do look the more robust. However there are people who swear by good old cardboard done up properly for plane travel.

    Wouldn't know cos I haven't travelled on a plane with me bike but I think I would get a custom made alu offering or something completely bombproof!!!!! lol
  • malcolm_the_badger
    malcolm_the_badger Posts: 12
    Agree that Sci con are best.I've had one for 5/6 years its been used twice a year and no problems.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    The Scicon one has one design flaw; the wheels can get punched through the bottom if the case is dropped onto them. It is also a pain to transport as there is no proper handle to carry it by.

    The Elite Vaison looks superb but it weighs 16 kilos when it's empty. Add a bike and a few bits and pieces like shoes, a helmet some clothes and you're close to the 30 kilo limit that most airlines have for luggage.

    There is a guy in Cornwall who makes boxes that look good but I can't recall his web address and my home computer is in storage at the moment whilst I move house.

    I've got a VK bike box which is okay but it's pretty basic. I use a Planet X bike bag to carry it which makes it a bit more manageable when it comes to carrying it around airports.
  • andrewgturnbull
    andrewgturnbull Posts: 3,861
    Hi there.

    My club bought a few boxes to loan out to club members for travelling abroad. Each box probably does 6 or 7 trips a year to international races, majorca, club la santa etc.

    We did try the Scicon boxes, as the come very highly recommended and do a very good job of protecting the bike inside. They don't however stand up as well to long term baggage handler abuse.

    No, the daddy is the Trico Iron Case - which I think is even more expensive... A very solid box with 3 layers of foam padding inside and pretty good wheels for tootling around airports. They are also a little larger than the Scicon boxes which makes it easier to fit bigger bikes inside.

    Cheers, Andy
    http://www.andyturnbull.co.uk
    http://www.stirlingtri.co.uk
  • andrewgturnbull
    andrewgturnbull Posts: 3,861
    A couple of links for you

    Review of the Iron Case:
    http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/default.a ... ry&id=2345

    Bike box packing for dummys (or triathletes - same thing):
    http://www.stirlingtri.co.uk/Cycling/Pa ... fault.aspx
    http://www.andyturnbull.co.uk
    http://www.stirlingtri.co.uk
  • taffyscouser
    taffyscouser Posts: 190
    Looks like I will be trawling for an Iron Case or a Sci-On then. Have heard of a BTW or BW box but cannot find much info on them.

    Thanks for all the info here.
    It now looks like four trips aboroad this year with two to Riccione and two to the Alps so it is going to get a lot of use whatever turns up trumps.

    Is the one on the BIKE BOX Alan site a Sci-ON?
  • stefr
    stefr Posts: 5
    B&W boxes can be found here: http://www.roofbox.co.uk/. I've used one for a while and, although a little unwieldy, it does the job really well due to the inner steel cage. Expensive but effective and with room for other stuff inside.
  • taffyscouser
    taffyscouser Posts: 190
    Thanks for al lthe info. Will have a quick look on e bay before jumping in.

    There may even be some on the classifieds section. :?:

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