And another frameset.....this one was in fair condition so it didnt make sense to wrap every inch of every tube in pipe insulation:

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...f/DSC03736.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...f/DSC03737.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...f/DSC03738.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...f/DSC03740.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...f/DSC03739.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...f/DSC03735.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...f/DSC03742.jpg

One of the keys to getting a big frame in a box the angle. You need to angle the frame to the BB and headtube are along the bottom of the box.....the DT needs to run along the bottom. Doing this lowers the height of the box because the seat lug now angles down sometimes it slighlty shortnes the box because the rear dropouts are moved up and maybe in a little. The pic below is my 'dry fit' and there's one galring problem, the fork steerer is resting against the bottom of the box. I repositioned the fork.

Bike boxes range in width from 7" to over 8", when I pack frames I look for as close to 7" boxes as I can. I dont think chopping a box into a parralellogram helps, you still have lenght plus girth in which case the sender (fedex/usps) will measure H X L X W and lose what I feel are important voids in the box which offer crush protection.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...7/IMG_0884.jpg

[MENTION=6981]miamijim[/MENTION] I take pictures as I pack the bike or any large item (frame) and email the photo's to the buyer as referrence for them and me.

Here's my latest technique. I've pretty much abandoned blocking the dropouts, in all honesty it's one of the tasks I dislike most. I'm now using remnants of the cut down box to make a full width triangulated insert for the rear triangle then I wrap another piece of cardboard around the outside of the triangle/dropouts. You'd have to run over the box with car to crush it.

The frameset pictures weighed approximately 14 pounds...They seem to average 11.5 to 14.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...psskagjt7j.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...psd04edgoa.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...psyjoodv5y.jpg

Been packing up bicycles for quite a while now. I am loath to use all of that plastic pipe warp. I find it to be costly and environmentally unfriendly. For my money, I just use heavy cardboard, wrapped around tubing or what ever, and tightly tie-wrapped into place. But that is just me and I have sent over 500 bicycles to almost every corner of the planet. This one went to Japan...

http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpe...ack_Fits_2.jpg

And this one came with me to Jamaica...

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...3&d=1421262442

The guy at the airport said that I did such a good job of packing, he would wave the $75.00 fee and charge me only $25.00 for a second piece of luggage.

One of these years I'll try your method. I too have shipped well over 500 bikes and follow the way they were boxed when I unloaded them during my shop days. As a guy who does this as hobby I cant afford to have one lazy USPS/FedEx/UPS worked mess up one of my bikes. The possible consequences are negative Ebay feedback. Cant have that!! Besides, all my packaging materials are priced into my items. It doesn't cost me anything.... But the actual cost of all my materials is less than $5.

This has been one of the most helpful threads of all time, like the new triangle technique for the rear drops. Thanks Jim!!!

$3871.28


FREE:

https://lfgss.microco.sm/api/v1/file...ec02a47052.jpg

The local LBS gives away bike boxes, but for frames/forks only I prefer flat screen HDTV boxes. Often no cutting and free foamy inserts.

I have not found these boxes to be wide enough...what size box do you use?

32-50" TV boxes, whatever I see at the curb. Usually they're about 8"-9" wide.

Another shipping tip for components, rather than use USPS PRIORITY FLAT RATE boxes, there are USPS PRIORITY REGIONAL A & B Boxes. If you're going less than 1/2 the distance across the USA, they can save you a substantial amount. You may need to order the boxes on line.

Nice job. Is that the boxed weight?

Yes. Boxed and confirmed on the FedEx scale.

A 60cm Vitus weighed 11.6. Steel frames are usualy in the 12.5-13.5 range.

For what it's worth, Rivendell just put out a 7+ minute video of their latest frame-packing technique. I like that they use a bit more earth friendly items and eschew the old, pricey, foam blocks but I'm not sure how that is a benefit, waste wise, over pool-noodles. Still, not a bad method I suppose.

My biggest question, does their bubble wrap have a mild adhesive on one side?

Yes, it does and it's not cheap. Bubble wrap, in the way they use it, offers no impact protect protection.

But with so much lateral protection from the cardboard and pool noodles, does that matter? I see the bubble wrap as nothing more as scratch insurance against the cardboard "skeleton" rubbing against the frame.

Later in the video they show how they cover this to cap off the top for protection.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=466139

No, not really. I understand lateral protection for the rear triangle but I don't understand it mid box. With the fork installed there's no way that box falls under some shipping L+G cut offs.

Really frustrating! All the photo bucket photos are gone!

Anyone know of another illustrated guide to packing & shipping?

TIA

Huh. The dadgummed photobucket changes have ruined the pictorial tutorial.