REVIEWING BIKE BOX ALAN | BIKE BOX | CYCLING REVIEW
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 ก.ค. 2024
- Welcome back to the channel.
In this video, we review our first experience of travelling with bike boxes - specifically Bike Box Alan. We use their hire service and borrow two premium bike boxes for our recent trip to Tenerife.
Slightly apprehensive that the bikes will be lost in transit, or arrive crushed to bits... we share our experience, including top tips when it comes to breaking down your bike ready for travel... a time lapse of putting the bike together, and we wrap up with some honest pro's and con's.
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Project BOOBS is still very much underway - mentioned in a previous video
(.)(.) Where I am cycling 8008.5KM over Winter to raise awareness of and raise money for Breast Cancer, following my own experience with breast lumps over the last few years.
Small boobs, big dreams, check 'em on the reg.
One More City London info here: onemorecity...
My instagram: / pelohun
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A little about me
Thanks for dropping by.
I’m your classic runner turned newbie cyclist.
For years I feared riding a bike - I was afraid of traffic, clipping in, couldn’t get my head around lycra, chamois cream and clambering up hills on a bike.
I didn’t believe that riding a bike would give me the same de-stress, mental download or sense of freedom that life as a long distance runner had given me before my knees ground to dust.
Fast forward to 2021 and picking up a second hand CAAD10 changed my life for the better. Not just physically and mentally. But also providing a sense of community and belonging - which is magic. The cycling community is just magic.
So I’m here. To hopefully inspire others to not fear the bike - the lycra, the clipping in. And come share the passion, freedom and indescribable joy that comes from being on the bike. I truly believe that the bike life is the best life and everyone should be able to enjoy it.
Come with me on some adventures.
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A few items featured in the video are incredibly kindly gifted by some amazing partners (feel so lucky, thank you).
Garmin Edge ( @garminemea )
Garmin Rally Power Pedals ( @GarminInt )
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Because we all love a bit of a bargain, some discount codes from some super lovely partners:
£25 off LAKA bike insurance: my.laka.co/WEJ30
Thanks so much for all the support, really appreciate any likes, comments and subscribes ❤
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I had that problem with the spinny wheels (5 ft 10) so just swapped them over front to back. Much better!
Thank you for this, I’m due to take my bike to the Algarve next week in the same bike box, very helpful showing a beginner packing it, I must admit I still feel a bit anxious about taking my bike, still considering hiring to reduce the stress of travelling, I’ve got until Thursday to make up my mind. Thanks again for your video.😊
We loved hiring bikes to try different types out. And totally hear you on the anxiety and stress (plus faff!) have you decided? Hope you have a great trip!
Hi Guys , I have owned a Bike Box Alan for 8 years now but never use it now too much hassle, I hire the Evoc Bike Bag Pro , I have a Trek Madone with wireless group set & all I need to do with the Evoc is remove wheels & pedals , no dismantling handlebars or seat post it is so easy to pack 10 minutes max , yes it’s a unit of a box but has a removable handle to manoeuvre & plenty of room for kit & shoes packed in wash bags
Oh that sounds incredible I’m gonna check that out.
@@Pelohun Me too!
Once I dialled in the best way to pack our bike boxes, including cycling kit, shoes and helmet, I took pictures and put on a file in my phone for future reference. Our weight limit with Jet2 is 32kg. For us , the massive cost saving against hiring bikes is huge. Good idea to put a strap though the front handle to pull the box along. But not an issue for me, only 5'10''.😢 Great content again guys.👍
32kg is whopper - love that. Thinking of all things I could cram in for that allowance 😂 without damaging the frame.
It did make a huge difference having our own bikes. Felt so much comfier straight out the gate! Thanks so much for watching.
@Pelohun The stuff that we pack in the boxes is mainly bike jerseys, socks bibs, etc., so we are are conscious of not causing frame damage. We also put nutrition in our bottles and contain them in the frame cages.
you can fit a gravel bike in one, but you can't fit the wheels in the recess. I just wrapped my wheels in bubble wrap and they were fine. Trying a ShoxBox this ywar (also rentable) as they look a bit better desgined (imho)
Ooh thanks so much will definitely check them out!
@@Pelohun it’s actually Shokbox…got the name wrong 🤪
Using your own bike always beats rentals. After using a rigid bike box, I went to a soft skin inflatable BiKind Helium. Great protection, easy to wheel and it packs down really small for easy storage. Great tip re the kit bags for discs 👍 Sadly, it looks like I'll have to buy more kit! 😂
It does! BUT, what I will say is when we both had our early bikes (as in second hand bargains we loved riding about on) hiring bikes meant being able to test ride a few brands. Which I absolutely loved. Help me get a feel for things as someone who was CLUELESS about bikes.
Haha, honestly the bags are a great hack. Essential you get more kit 😂
Good video on it it does help others im with you taking your own gear and bike, also put an airtag inside of the box.
Also id recommend looking at a Scicon bike bag that you got bike mounting on a rack. The bike box allan for the case and how simple the case is to hire is expensive considering a bike bag isnt that much more.
Yes we’ve just ordered air tags, such a good shout. Worth looking at the bike bags by the sounds - thanks so much.
I don't think I could be bothered with the faff, and worry that the bike will arrive broken or not at all. I like the idea of hiring something nicer than my bike 😊 Great video.
We’ve loved it for road testing other bikes! So much fun! And so much less stress, totally hear you on the faff side.
Bring spare derailleur hangar
Everyome i know who has teavelled with bikes recently has had them weighed and check in staff were absolutely strict on the weight limits
If you are travelling to a major event like the etape there will be a gazillion BB Alans coming off the carousel so its worth personalising your box a bit
That’s a great shout with the personalisation - definitely need to think about that!
@@Pelohun I did the Etape last year & the special luggage carousel at Geneva Airport was like a BB Alan convention - hundreds of them coming off together
They've pretty much got the market cornered, and having used ones many times, they are easy to pack and offer great protection but boy are they flippin expensive for some blow moulded plastic !
Aren’t they! I’ve seen some great bags knocking about but I don’t know that I trust them. The Al is sturdy, will give it that!
@@Pelohun I'd also suggest using zip ties for securing the box closed, a mate had customs break into his and in doing so they wrecked one of the catches !
Looks like a good investment to protect the love of your life 😊
Hire is sensible if storage is an issue
Hire is such a helpful option! It did work out quite reasonable, but a lot of faff which I’m sure will get easier in time!
Thanks for the review can you confirm how you managed to get the integrated handlebars in the box. Were they positioned the way the manufacturer suggests or did Issac position them another way due to the lack of brake hose length. Already have the box but time for a bike upgrade and concerned I won’t be able to use the box with new bike. Thanks in advance.
That part was a bit of a faff. As it’s a small frame, there was a bit more space in the box (and oriented in a different position) than if it was a 56/58. The first time we packed it, we ended up taking the stem off the bars, but on the second attempt we managed to squeeze it in. The frame was resting on top of one of the drops in one part which is not ideal, but got through the flight without any damage.
@@Pelohun That’s great at least I know it can be done thanks for the reply 👌
After a few trips with my Evoc Road Bike Bag Pro I was really interested and almost pulled the trigger on the BikeBoxAlan Triathlon bag. I thought I would have to go with the Triathlon box due to the integrated cockpit but it looks like you were able to put your SL7 in without issue? I didn't order a Triathlon box due to my gravel bike (integrated cockpit) bars are too wide so I would need a box for road bike, box for gravel bike and a box for mountain bike... which is a lot of money tied up just to fly a bike some where! I have an AirTag hidden on all 3 bikes (not well hidden but you know.. "hidden") so I always had a vague idea of where my bike was.
I watched an old video of beard on a bike (I think) where they used the triathlon case. If I remember correctly the only thing they had to remove was the wheels..
How do you find the Evoc bag? So I don’t have an integrated cockpit on the SL7, but there was no issue fitting it in!
We’ve just ordered AirTags for Mallorca 312 as think a great shout. Can’t wait to see them floating over the ocean 😂
@@Pelohun you will have more anxiety with the air tags! Seeing the last update and your bike is still at check in counter and you’re sitting on the plane… then magically it updates and relief sets in. You’ll be glued wondering why it hasn’t moved 😂
Evoc makes a great bag, with semi rigid supports. It just looks like it’s been through airline employee hell after a few flights and you wonder if a hard case would provide more longevity.
Haha 😁🤣😅😁😄 Burst out laughing when Adam said "You could do all this but there would be a lot more swearing"! (10:50)
Hahaha we know it’s true 😂
I’ve been looking at the triathlon one for my road bike as I think you don’t have to break your bike down quite as much.. has anyone used one of those versions of the Bikebox Alan?
I've just bought one, it seems easy to use, wheels off and that's it. Costly, but I personally wouldn't trust a soft sided bag style one.
@@daveh9407 excellent.. what bike have you bought it for?
I have the triathlon box. It is excellent. I use it for my Pinarello Dogma and all I have to do is remove the pedals and wheels- it takes about 10 minutes to pack the box.
@@NJLinSpain that’s what I thought.. definitely the one to go for then
@@stephenmitchell9230 cannondale supersix, the new one with integrated cockpit…
Is issac an engineer? I appreciate the attention to detail. This video will be linked on the QR code next time haha.
Did he bring spare derailleur hangers as well?
Haha he’s not! But he loves the bike details too. 😂
He did, but I think just the one.
I was looking forward to watching this and then I saw the guy with his bike upside down, end of video 🙄
😂😂😂😂 he said don’t judge!
@@Pelohun I judged 😂
Bleeding Hell, that's a lot of faffing around 😂
Really was - process did get quicker!