Mountain Bike Packing Instructions
Tools and Equipment
-
 15mm pedal spanner
- Allen keys
- Wood / spacers
- Duct tape
- Pipe insulation
- Loads of bubble wrap!
Step by step packing instructions
- Remove the wheels and pedals ( Remember the non-drive-side pedal has a reverse thread). Slip the pedals into a padded envelope or cover them in bubble-wrap.
- Airlines require you to deflate your tyres for the plane journey, although, contrary to popular belief, they do not explode if you forget!
- Use polystyrene to protect the disc rotors on your wheels. Insert spacers into the calipers to stop the pistons moving during the journey: you can use dedicated spacers although pieces of card work just as well but make sure they are completely free of oil.
- Insert plastic fork and frame spacers, these are to prevent bending; they are usually free from bike shops, alternatively cut a piece of wood to the correct length and duct tape it between the frame or fork legs.
-
 Remove the rear mech, cover it in bubble wrap and secure it ‘inside’ the frame (such that the rear of the frame protects it from all angles) with plenty of duct tape.
- Protect any exposed chain-rings with a big block of polystyrene.
- Tape a small block of wood underneath both lever blades such that they cannot be compressed.
- Remove the handlebars cover them in bubble-wrap and tape them to the top tube.
- Tape pipe insulation to the tubes of the frame and the seat tube.
-
 Cover the whole lot in any remaining bubble wrap and slip everything (making sure not to forget pedals, quick-release skewers etc.) into a bike bag or, for the environmentally friendly / cheap mountain biker, a cardboard box; these can be picked up free from bike shops although they require wrapping with a lot of tape to be secure.
- Fill as much of the remaining space with any kit keeping in mind there is a weight limit (see airline website for details).
Don't forget to view our mountain biking equipment guide. |
