It's incredibly exciting to pack your bike into one of the best bike bags and boxes, ready for one of the best cycling holiday destinations, but you’ll need to get your bike there safely first. If you’re flying, you almost certainly need a dedicated bike bag to transport your bike. For Trains, ferries, coaches, and buses, the rules depend on the operator, but they are generally more flexible.
The best bike bags and boxes are designed to protect your bike during its journey. When travelling with a steel or aluminium bike, you can generally afford to use a soft bag, thanks to the bike's overall durability being a little higher. These are typically cheaper and are far easier to store when they’re not in use. However, if you’re transporting a carbon-framed bike or one of the best road bikes, you might prefer a rigid box. These offer greater protection than softer bags but are far more expensive. They’re also cumbersome and will likely require storage in a garage or shed.
This is why we rate the Scicon AeroComfort 3.0 as the best bike bag overall. It's quite literally the best of both worlds. Soft on the outside, which means it can be packed down for storage, but with a sturdy metal structure to protect your bike and make packing your bike a breeze.
The AeroComfort's soft exterior houses a metal structure to which you fasten your frame so it's held securely. There is very little disassembly required and as the bag is pretty light there is plenty of potential to pack extra kit inside and still be within your airline's limits.
As the Evoc Bike Bag is soft, it's light and easy to store when not in use. There is plenty of padding provided to protect your bike when it's in the bag, and the large side opening makes it simple to put the bike in place.
One of the heavier boxes available, the VeloVault2 provides very reassuring protection for your bike. Its quality construction and overall sturdiness will ensure that your lightweight carbon frame should emerge unscathed, but there might not be much weight allowance left once this gets on the scales.
Thule's RoundTrip Pro XT bike bag uses an internal frame that can also double as a workstand whilst on holiday, which is very handy. It's more of a reinforced bag than a hard case though and as such is quite pricey.
Another light option, the Orucase B2 even includes rucksack-style straps which are handy if you have packed very light. There is a fair bit of disassembly required though and it can feel a bit lopsided when wheeling it around.
Effectively a massive carrier bag for your bike, the Scicon Pocket Bike Bag is a soft and very basic bike bag ideal for putting your bike in the car or on a train. It packs down into itself and only weighs 500g/1.1oz.
Question marks over protection of the rear derailleur
-
Bulky so doesn’t fit into cars well
The AeroComfort 3.0 from Scicon is a firm favourite among the Cycling Weekly tech team. We've flown test bikes all over the world, and we like to use this carry case because it makes travelling by bike easy, hassle-free and incredibly quick. It takes just 15 minutes to pack the bike away, and even less time to put it back together.
How so? The outside is a soft, fabric bag, but inside you'll find a metal structure. You simply remove the wheels, loop your chain over a specially designed T-bar and use your quick releases to stand the bike on the metal frame, so it's immovable inside and thus a lot more secure. It couldn't be easier.
There's no need to remove anything aside from the wheels; the handlebars stay straight and don't need twisting. This does make the front end quite bulky, but we found that the protection is good, with a thick soft fabric, designated pockets for wheels, helmets and shoes, and most importantly, the rear derailleur is kept off the ground.
Soft case doesn't offer the protection of a hard box
Whilst hard cases give the ultimate reassurance that your bike is well protected, they also take up a lot of room when out of use, and they're heavy, limiting your ability to pack kit alongside your bike and stay within airline limits.
Enter soft cases, and this Evoc bike bag is an excellent option. Yes, it offers less protection, but we've used it to transport press bikes on plenty of occasions with no issues. The wheels slot into external compartments, which we had some concerns about, but with over 10 flights completed using the bag and not so much as a scratch, we were worrying for nothing.
This Evoc Bike bag excels in terms of ease of use, too. The side opening makes getting the bike in a cinch, and the handy Velcro makes getting the parts in the right place a piece of cake. The newer model reviewed here now has a reinforced front zip, meaning it should last longer.
We really liked the VeloVault2 bike box when we had it in for testing. It's big and robust, which is what many cyclists need to achieve peace of mind when flying with a bike.
However, weighing in at 12.5kg means it should sneak under most airline weight controls. The company has sweated the small stuff, too: the clasps are quality, it's easy to close, and it rolls well.
VeloVault2 bike box has a new carrying handle, longer wheelbase, improved strut design, and it is roof box ready. Oh, and it's now bright blue... other colours are available if that's not to your liking.
More expensive than other options we've tested and liked
-
Does have weak spots
The Thule RoundTrip Pro XT falls into the not-quite-a-bike-bag category. It's a softshell but has some structural implants that should keep your bike safe through the worst of it.
However, the bag does have some weak areas, and for the price you pay, this doesn't induce confidence. But maybe we're being picky. This is a solid purchase, undoubtedly, and we always add extra bubble wrap around our frames, whatever we're packing them into.
The base, which holds the bike static in the case, can have three legs added, transforming it into a workstand for when you get to your destination, which is a rather 'nice to have' too.
At 15lbs, it's one of the lightest bags on the market
+
Compact in size and storable
+
The backpack strap is pretty unique
+
Cute "Therapy Equipment" tag
Reasons to avoid
-
You have to be comfortable taking your bike apart to pack your bike
-
A little lopsided when packed, making it prone to tipping
-
You're going to want to purchase the frame protection kit also
We've taken the B2 bike case on several domestic and international flights and were left impressed. It sports many welcome features, including backpack straps and a rollable chassis. Combined with its compact, space-saving size, it makes for a sleek, highly portable and trustworthy bag that we think is a great option if space is limited or you'll be travelling on several modes of transport during your trip.
I did find that it's not the easiest to pack, and it requires some disassembling of your bike, so you'll need to be confident in putting your bike back together once you've arrived. It's also far from cheap, but in our opinion, it's likely a worthy investment given the ease of portability and the possibility to save on extra fees due to its smaller size.
Max wheelbase: 1.2m/3.9ft with fork 90 degrees to the bike
Reasons to buy
+
Super Light
+
Packs in on itself
+
Ideal for bikepacking and lightweight touring
+
Very affordable
Reasons to avoid
-
Not the easiest to carry
-
Little to no internal or external protection
For a while now, I have been searching for a bike bag I can use to hop across the channel with. With the Tour spending the best part of a week in the northern territories, I am keen to take my bike and try to avoid the traffic by using the excellent rail services on the continent. While Eurostar offers a limited number of full-size bike spaces, not all the French SNCF services allow this and require you to pack your bike in a bag. This makes travelling a little complicated.
After a pretty deep dive through many forums of people who have actually made these journeys, it seems that as long as the dimensions are correct, they don't mind what kind of bag it is. The overwhelming response from those threads was the Scicon Pocket Bike Bag. It's so small and light that you can carry it in a seat pack or handlebar bag, and it only adds 500g/1.1lbs to your overall setup.
The downside is that it offers very little protection, either from external factors or internally between the wheels and frame, etc. So, it seems wise to travel with some old rags or cloths and spare straps to secure it all in transit.
Honourable mention - Best folding bike bag
Folding bikes make for great travel companions
(Image credit: Brompton Bikes)
You might wonder why you need a bag for the best folding bikes. Well, quite simply, they aren't always that light. Sure, Brompton makes some that weigh well under 10kg/22 lbs, but they can also cost well over £ 2500/$3000. So, it certainly helps to be able to carry it on your shoulder and, of course, keep it protected while you travel. In the UK, not all trains have storage by your seat, so a bag helps hide your bike away, too.
Bikes are just great tools for exploring new places, full stop. So, wouldn't it be great if you could just take your bike with you, and thats where folding bikes are really rather handy. Most of them can be carried in checked luggage at no extra cost or weight, and some can even be taken as hand luggage. Just like travelling with a full-size bike, you will want to protect it, especially in the hold.
Brompton actually makes two excellent options for their bikes. They make a bag similar to the Scicon Pocket Bike Bag, but designed for Brompton-sized bikes. This is essentially a premium carrier bag, ideal for transporting your bike in the car or carrying it to the office, and can be stored on your bike. They also offer a more sturdy suitcase-style for those looking to travel further afield with their folding bikes or even on a plane.
How we test
There is really only one way to test a bike bag or box, and that's to actually use it. That is exactly what the Cycling Weekly team does. Every year, we travel all over the world to various events and to ride our bikes. More often than not, we travel with our bikes in a bag or box.
It's one thing to test how a bike packs down into a bag at home a couple of times; what that doesn't tell you, and something you only get from being on the go, is what it's like to maneuver through a busy airport terminal, how heavy it is to lift on and off trains, and what happens when the wheels get jammed with gum. We hope to offer these insights in our reviews of the best bike bags and boxes.
It is also impossible to test how protected a bike is without physically having it handled by a baggage handler at an airport. So, while that means we infrequently test bike bags and boxes, when we do, they are really put to the test, especially if we have to fly EasyJet.
You can read more about How We Test in our full guide.
How to pack a bike bag or box
(Image credit: Future)
Packing the bike into the bag or box sometimes takes much more effort than expected. The process may differ slightly depending on the specific box or bag, but the general process goes something like this:
Remove the pedals
Partially deflate tires and remove the wheels
Remove the seatpost and or saddle
Remove the handlebar from the stem, or remove the handlebar and stem together from the steerer
Undo the rear derailleur, but leave the chain intact
Secure the frame and components in the box via the manufacturer-approved method
Finally, don't forget to pack the tools required to rebuild the bike!
In some cases, it might be useful, especially if you are particularly worried about damage, to remove other items from your bike to ensure it fits properly in your bag. This may include computer mounts, power metres, tri bars, or extensions. Also, remember to almost certainly remove any batteries and place them in your carry-on.
How to choose a bike bag or box
Bag or Box: which is better?
You might think this is an easy question: it's surely a box, right? However, that's probably before you’ve taken weight into consideration.
A lighter weight bike bag influences two things: how comfortable it is to carry and lug about but also how much of your baggage allowance it eats into - and how much the baggage supplement might be.
The trade off is in the level of protection: a hard flight case like box is going to take the knocks better than a soft bag. That said, soft bike bags will usually protect your bike from the worst of it and they also tend to be cheaper than bike boxes.
There is an in between option. The best bike bags tend to have some more structural inserts inside but retain more of a bag's lightweight nature. Other bike bags can have nifty, in-built storage techniques. For example, some have built-in dropouts that allow you to stand your frame upright and hold it tight.
Do I need to add extra padding to my bike bag?
Regardless of how tough your bag or box might be, you’ll definitely want to pad the important parts inside it. We’d recommend bubble wrap and foam piping. If you’re lucky, your local bike shop might have excess from all the bikes they get sent in. Don't forget to put it around the frame in places where other items in the box might rub against it.
Riding in the mountains
Frequently asked questions about bike bags and boxes
Can I leave my Di2 or AXS batteries on my bike?
If you are travelling by land or sea, we see no harm in this. However, if you are travelling by air, it's worth checking with the airline, but their general guidance would be to remove them and put them in your carry-on. At the very least, you know you will have them when you reach your destination.
Will I have to pay extra for a bike bag or box?
This very much depends on the service provider and how they account for bike bags and boxes. For most airlines now, there will almost certainly be additional charges, and you will need to have sorted that before you reach the airport. For some EU train services, you will have to book ahead and won't be able to travel if you haven't, as spaces are limited. However, these generally incur much smaller charges.
For Amtrak and Via users, it is worth checking the route you wish to travel, as the rules seem much more relaxed, and services more regularly include baggage carriages.
Will my travel insurance cover my bike if its damaged?
Generally, yes, as most cover all luggage; however, the value is down to individual policy, and not all will cover excess baggage. We recommend looking at the best bicycle insurance, as these are much better tailored to dealing with these scenarios and will handle any claims made more effectively.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Like many, Matt began his bicycle industry journey on the spanners at his local bike shop. After spending his youth mountain biking, he was inspired to embrace gravel during his tenure with Evans Cycles' in-house brands, Pinnacle and Hoy Bikes. Recognising the evolving industry, Matt eagerly seized the chance to become an E-bike designer, winning several awards with the E-bike brand Cairn Cycles.
These days, Matt is likely to have a toddler sitting shotgun or off the beaten track somewhere on the South Downs.
