packing a bike

Here is an old bike that I want to pack, old road bike with 700C wheel set and threaded type headset with quil bolt.
First strip all accessories out of the bike (cyclometer, lighting, bell, fender, bottle cage etc)


We will need multitools with allen key, hex wrench to remove pedals (mine is 15mm), tape and used newspapers.
My old bike has hi-ten steel frame and the paint is not so nice anymore, so I don’t mind if it takes more scratches…
If you have nicer bike with nice paint etc,
then you will need some insulation foams to protect the frame.


First remove the wheel and DEFLATE the tire.
To remove the rear wheel, put the derailleur on the smallest cog position.
If your bike is MTB or equipped with fat tire,
then the brake caliper need to be opened first.


Put the bike upside down, take the pedal out using hex wrench.
With bike in upside down position as in the picture,
we need to push the key down to release the right side pedal.
Remember that left side pedal has left hand thread.


Remove the RD (rear derailleur) too,
to avoid protruding part on the bottom side of the bicycle.


Wrap the RD with used newspaper,
and secure it in between bike’s rear triangle.
To avoid losing the RD nut,
put the RD nut back in its place once the RD has removed.


My bike has quil system,
so by loosen the main nuts I can remove the handlebar and the stem completely.
Bolts that securing bar ends, brakes and shifter need to loosen too,
so they can be rotate and reposition easily later.


Put the handlebar on the bike’s top tube and secure with tape,
if you have a nice paint on the bike frame,
then you need to protect the frame first with insulator foam.
Mine is old beaten bike,
so I just tape those parts together without extra protection.


After attaching handlebar,
attach the wheels to the front triangle,
do it so with the cassette on the inner part.

With this configuration, the dimension is 120x80x35cm,
rear rack and saddle could be removed to save more space.
The fork gap (and also rear triangle) could be protected
by inserting a long nut or wooden spacer.
Use only thick carton to box the bike,
put piece of plywood on the bottom of the carton box to protect chain ring.
We can put our tools in the carton box too,
at minimum we will need pump, multitools, hex wrench,
and some parts like tube patch kit etc.
The nicer your bike is, the more protections you are going to need.

IMPORTANT for carbon/aluminum bike,
the cassette needs to be wrapped with foam/rags/used papers
so it would not chipping the frame.
ALSO for bike with disc brake,
we will need extra protection for the disc too !