“15.5 kg empty? You’ll be paying overweight fees every time!”
We hear this quite often. Nobody wants an unexpected bill at check-in, but the empty box’s weight alone won’t tell you whether you’ll pay excess baggage charges. You also need to know what the bike weighs and what your airline allows.
An aluminium bike box can look substantial. Yet the weight difference between a Buxumbox and a plastic case that accommodates an integrated cockpit is often smaller than people expect. Take these published weights:
| Bike box | Approximate empty weight |
|---|---|
| Bike Box Alan Road Aero Easyfit | 13.3 kg |
| Bike Box Alan Triathlon Aero Easyfit | 13.5 kg |
| Bike Box Alan Triathlon Easyfit Maxx | 13.8 kg |
| Buxumbox Ventoux Standard | 15 kg |
| Buxumbox Ventoux Wide | 15.5 kg |
Figures are manufacturers’ published specifications.
The Ventoux Wide is 2 kg heavier than the Triathlon Aero Easyfit. The Ventoux Standard is only 1.7 kg heavier than the Road Aero Easyfit. We’ve focused on hard cases rather than soft bike bags, because a rigid protective enclosure is central to how we believe a valuable bike should travel.
These boxes have different dimensions and packing arrangements, so they won’t all suit the same bikes. They do, however, provide a useful comparison between hard cases that allow compatible bikes to travel with the cockpit attached.
A compact case requiring handlebar removal serves a different purpose from a larger case that accommodates an assembled cockpit. The weight comparison should account for that. Our own range reflects those choices. The Tourmalet starts at 12.5 kg and requires removal of the handlebars, wheels, pedals and seatpost. Bike Box Alan’s Premium Plus is approximately 12 kg. Between those two, the difference is half a kilogram.
The Ventoux keeps the cockpit attached, provided the fork and bars can rotate 101 degrees to the right. For bikes with restricted steering or cockpits that need to remain pointing forwards, the Aubisque provides that space and weighs 16.2-18 kg, depending on size.
The bike going into the box also matters. Here’s what three high-end road bikes weigh, and what each adds up to with a 15.5 kg Ventoux Wide:
| Bike | Published bike weight | Bike and Ventoux Wide |
|---|---|---|
| Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 SRAM RED AXS, size 56 | 6.62 kg | 22.12 kg |
| Canyon Aeroad CFR Di2, size M | 7.04 kg | 22.54 kg |
| Trek Madone SLR 9 Gen 8, size ML | 7.05 kg | 22.55 kg |
Manufacturer figures for the builds and sizes listed.
With bikes like these, a 23 kg allowance can be achievable. You’ll need to account for everything you pack and weigh the loaded box, but starting with a 15.5 kg case doesn’t automatically put you over the limit. Nor is 23 kg a universal bicycle baggage limit. Ryanair allows 30 kg for bicycles, while easyJet allows 32 kg under its large sports equipment category. Both charge for bicycle carriage within those allowances. Their packing rules and restrictions on contents also apply.
Take the Tarmac above. With the Ventoux Wide, the published weights total 22.12 kg. With a 13.5 kg plastic case, they total 20.12 kg. On a flight with a 30 kg bicycle allowance, both leave several kilograms to spare before adding accessories. The aluminium box’s additional 2 kg hasn’t created an overweight charge.
Those two kilograms can matter if you’re close to your allowance, of course. But if both fully packed options are within it, they make no difference to the overweight bill. It’s also worth being clear about what you’re paying for at check-in. A bicycle carriage fee and an overweight fee are different charges. Paying to take your bike on a flight doesn’t mean the box was too heavy.
The box itself has a job to do, and its weight comes with practical benefits:
- A rigid aluminium structure. Panels and a supporting framework form a protective enclosure around the bike. The regular shape also makes the box straightforward to transport and store.
- Dedicated axle mounting. Adjustable fittings secure the bike at its front and rear dropouts.
- Protection for the wheels. Padded wheel bags and an anti-crush bar form part of the packing system.
- Less cockpit disassembly on compatible bikes. The Ventoux and Aubisque offer different ways to keep the cockpit attached, reducing the work at either end of the journey.
We also build our boxes to be maintained. Replacement parts are available, including castors and axle fittings, and damaged aluminium panels can be repaired or replaced with factory support. A worn component or damaged panel needn’t mean buying another box.
For someone travelling regularly, that matters. So does the time spent packing before a flight and rebuilding the bike afterwards. Those are benefits you use on every trip, and they belong in the buying decision alongside weight and price. Before choosing a box, check that it fits your bike and look up the bicycle allowance for the flights you take. Compare cases that meet your packing and travel requirements.
A lightweight road bike in an aluminium case can sit comfortably within an airline’s bicycle allowance. Where that’s the case, choosing a lighter box may save a couple of kilograms without saving anything at check-in. What you get for those kilograms is worth considering. Find the right Buxumbox for your bike.
Header image by Jon Mattews on Unsplash.