Are you an owner of a bike, a racing bicycle, or something the same? Have you decided to relocate it with yourself? If yes, then you should start preparations for the packing of the same. Safely packing the vehicle is important for its complete safety of it during transportation. It involves lots of fragile parts that requires additional care making the job more difficult to do. If you are interested in some amazing tips or to hire movers to do the job then visit movingfeedback.com. If you have decided to do it by yourself and are collecting the required tools to do it effectively then here are some amazing tips for you to do it with ease and effectively.
Collect the right packing materials
If you have the original packing materials and box available then using the original things is just the best and easiest way for shipment. But if you don’t have these then get ready to spend some amount on it. Collect derailleur guards, fork guards, and protection tubes for the safety of the fragile items attached to them. You can get these from any local bike shop. Apart from these, general packing items such as foam tube, packing tape, a sturdy box, zip ties, bubble wrap are required to perform the job.
For the assembling and dissembling process, you will require additional tools such as a set of a wrench set, a pair of pliers, and so on.
Dissembling process
Before packing, you should disassemble it as much as you can. Clean the bicycle thoroughly so that there is no rag, dust, or dirt present on it. Then you should collect the right tools to start the dissembling process. Start with removing the smaller pieces and accessories such as water bottle holders, panniers, front and back racks, pedals, and so on. Then you should pack these items separately by wrapping them in bubble wraps which don’t only helps in protecting the piece itself but also keep them away from each other so during transportation they can’t touch each other therefore no result of scratching or minor wear and tear. You should store all the nut bolts and such items in a plastic bag and in the same box in which you are transporting your bike. You should remove all the de-attachable and removable parts as much as it is possible.
Find the right size of the box
It is essential to pick the right box size. You can also get it for free or at a very less cost from the nearby bike shops. As vehicles are delivered there into boxes. This means that there will be leftover cardboard boxes present at these shops and they are of no use to them. But when you are getting the one, you should pay attention to its condition and should determine that whether they can pass the quality test or not. Though minor tears are okay and if there are holes present then they can be patched up. But don’t consider all holes as damage because there are some intentionally cut holes on these boxes that help movers to lift it.
Empty the tank
Before packing and transportation, emptying the tank is essential. As you know fuel is highly inflammable therefore it can be very dangerous if you don’t empty the tank and just load it directly. This can cause a big accident so you should never forget about this step.
Pack fragile items safely
You know that paying attention when packing a bike is crucially important but there are some fragile items that require more attention. Fragile items such as the mirror and the indicator lights are important to pack with great efficiency. These items are prone to damage to a great extent therefore double wrap them in bubble wrap. This helps them to stay safe.
Learn how to pack
Shift the bike chain into the small chainring and then wrap it carefully using bubble wrap. The rear derailleur of any bike is such a very fragile part so protect it against any kind of accidental hits. You should double or triple wrap it and can pack in a separate box with lots of padding.
Pack the bike frame with complete protection
Now you should position the foam tubes around the frame so that there is no any leftover metal part of the frame which is not covered with foam tube. Then you should use wrapping paper to secure it with zip ties and packing tape. This wrapping paper helps protect the metal surfaces of the bike from any kind of scratches. Padding is necessary so that the frame does not get any space to move within the box when in transmission.
Secure handlebars
These are needed to be protected well. Flat ones are easier to pack than the dropped ones which require extra attention. Also, when packing and wrapping, don’t twist the cables.
Place it into the box
Keep the front fork at backward when placing cycle into it. Now carefully slide the front wheel in on the left side and if you don’t do this then the present chainrings on the right side can damage the wheel so place it on the left side. Before packing, you should lower the sheet it takes less space and can also be padded enough and you can easily close the box. There should be no leftover space remaining in the box for the movement of it.
Wrapping it all up!!!
Now with the help of this step-by-step guide, you can ship your cycle by yourself. Remember that the process of dissembling and packing will require enough time therefore you should start the process earlier. Don’t do it in a hurry because it can end up with damage to the items. The above guide will help you a lot so that you can ship it like professionals do. Though if you don’t have much time then getting the help of professionals is just an ideal method to do it.