Review: Bike Box COMPANY vs Bike Box ALAN

tom23123
Posts: 3
Hi all,
I’ve been in the market for a bike box and have recently tried the Bike Box Alan Premium and Bike Box Company Probox models so thought I’d share what I found.
I rented an Alan Box , and later I bought an almost new Bike Box Company Probox off eBay , for my trips to Europe on RyanAir.
For both boxes I had to remove the wheels, bar/stem and pedals. The seat post/ seat and rear derailleur had to be removed on the Bike Box Company Probox , but not on the Bike Boc Alan. Packing didn’t take long at all and in with the bike went shoes, helmet, track pump, a few spares and all my kit which added an extra 10 kg. Even though the Alan box is heavier it still came in well under the 30kg limit.
The Probox I understand costs: £299 (Although I only paid £190 on ebay)
The Bike Box Alan is much more expensive at £415. (But it does have a 10 year guarantee)
I liked the price of the Probox, that’s why I bought it. But having used a Bike Box Alan, you can soon tell the difference when you handle the box; it feels less solid with plastic walls that must be half the thickness of the Bike Box Alan. One of the rivets that secures an internal strap on The Bike Box Company Probox has started to puncture through the shell. It’s only small now but isn’t promising.
The Bike Box Company PROBOX has a zip with a coded lock for added security that airport customs can open if necessary, which is a nice touch. Although as hefty as the zip is, I can’t help but think it won’t stand the test of time. Sometimes when closing the box the zip teeth didn’t line up. Again, it’s a minor thing but it doesn’t instil confidence.
These things said, the Bike Box Company Probox is £116 cheaper than the Bike Box Alan box.
The Bike Box Alan box does feel much stronger and when wheeling it along feels more stable and smooth. Another thing I like about the Bike Box Alan box is the large number of cushioned Velcro straps, taking the guess work out packing, ensuring that none of your gear clatters together in transit.
The steel anti crush pole in the Bike box Alan box is a good idea, you could literally stand on the box without fear of anything getting damaged.
While the Bike box Company Pro box has some nice features, I have still sold it. Believing my bike will be much safer in a Bike Box Alan. (Just need to find a Bike box Alan on eBay hopefully), or bite the bullet and buy new.
Anyway, if anyone has any questions feel free and I’ll do my best to answer. It’s a lot of money to spend but I hope this helps some of you.
Tom
I’ve been in the market for a bike box and have recently tried the Bike Box Alan Premium and Bike Box Company Probox models so thought I’d share what I found.
I rented an Alan Box , and later I bought an almost new Bike Box Company Probox off eBay , for my trips to Europe on RyanAir.
For both boxes I had to remove the wheels, bar/stem and pedals. The seat post/ seat and rear derailleur had to be removed on the Bike Box Company Probox , but not on the Bike Boc Alan. Packing didn’t take long at all and in with the bike went shoes, helmet, track pump, a few spares and all my kit which added an extra 10 kg. Even though the Alan box is heavier it still came in well under the 30kg limit.
The Probox I understand costs: £299 (Although I only paid £190 on ebay)
The Bike Box Alan is much more expensive at £415. (But it does have a 10 year guarantee)
I liked the price of the Probox, that’s why I bought it. But having used a Bike Box Alan, you can soon tell the difference when you handle the box; it feels less solid with plastic walls that must be half the thickness of the Bike Box Alan. One of the rivets that secures an internal strap on The Bike Box Company Probox has started to puncture through the shell. It’s only small now but isn’t promising.
The Bike Box Company PROBOX has a zip with a coded lock for added security that airport customs can open if necessary, which is a nice touch. Although as hefty as the zip is, I can’t help but think it won’t stand the test of time. Sometimes when closing the box the zip teeth didn’t line up. Again, it’s a minor thing but it doesn’t instil confidence.
These things said, the Bike Box Company Probox is £116 cheaper than the Bike Box Alan box.
The Bike Box Alan box does feel much stronger and when wheeling it along feels more stable and smooth. Another thing I like about the Bike Box Alan box is the large number of cushioned Velcro straps, taking the guess work out packing, ensuring that none of your gear clatters together in transit.
The steel anti crush pole in the Bike box Alan box is a good idea, you could literally stand on the box without fear of anything getting damaged.
While the Bike box Company Pro box has some nice features, I have still sold it. Believing my bike will be much safer in a Bike Box Alan. (Just need to find a Bike box Alan on eBay hopefully), or bite the bullet and buy new.
Anyway, if anyone has any questions feel free and I’ll do my best to answer. It’s a lot of money to spend but I hope this helps some of you.
Tom
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Comments
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How have you got on with airlines charges etc? Expensive? Gear been ok?0
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I usually fly with RyanAir as they're always the cheapest for my flights (UK to France and Canaries)
Its £50 each way which has gone up a lot from £30 each way like it was a few years ago. That said, you get 30kg so everything goes in the bike box and I never need a case (which would be £25 each way anyway).
As for my gear, I've never had any problems at all with anything getting damaged. I used card board boxes before but I'd spend the flight worrying about my bike. With both of these boxes, but especially with the Alan box, I just cant see how anything could happen to your bike, the box is rock solid.0 -
i use a bba box too, my frame is very large so i think it's one of the few boxes that'll fit the bike
it's done several flights now, aside from me pulling one of the internal straps off the pop-rivet (easy to fix) by being a bit too enthusiatic it's done a good job, there're a few scuffs/deep scratches on the outside, but that's all
with monarch it's about 18-19 quid each way to take the box, no hassles
check-in security varies by airport, so allow some extra time, i've never had delays in uk, but the first time i flew back from lanzarote i had to wait ages - once you check-in, the check-in person has to leave their desk, take you to security and let them put the box through the x-ray machine before you can take it to the oversize luggage desk - so best to be at the front of the queue, not sure if this is all airlines or specific to monarchmy bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny0 -
How many boxes on the market take integrated seat posts? I know that I can get my bike in a BBA but not sure about the others.0