Choosing a bike box for a modern road, gravel, TT or tri bike often starts with the cockpit. Internally routed brake hoses, combined handlebars and stems, and steering stops can all affect how the bike can be packed. Two bikes with similar frame dimensions may need different boxes because of the way their front ends are built.
For many riders, the aim is to leave the cockpit attached to minimise hassle of removal and then refitting and readjusting. The right approach depends on how far the handlebars can turn and whether the cockpit has any sections designed to detach. Fortunately, here at Buxumbox, we try to cater for every possibility in terms of how your bike is set up.
When the cockpit can move freely
The Buxumbox Ventoux uses a mounting arrangement that requires the handlebars to turn 101 degrees to the right. The cockpit remains attached, with the wheels and seat post removed for travel.
This arrangement was designed to work with bikes with integrated cockpits. Our guides for the Pinarello Dogma F, Trek Madone Gen 8, and Factor OSTRO VAM cover examples where the Ventoux allows the front end to stay assembled, provided the individual bike meets the rotation and sizing requirements.
Check the movement on your own bike before ordering. A steering stop, tension in the brake hoses, or contact between components and the frame may prevent the required rotation. If you meet resistance, stop. The packing arrangement needs to suit your bike’s permitted movement.
When the cockpit has removable drop sections
Some integrated cockpits have a modular construction that offers another way to pack the bike.
Canyon’s PACE system is one such example. On a Canyon Aeroad fitted with this cockpit, the drop sections can be detached from the central T-bar while leaving the hydraulic lines connected. This allows the bike to use a Ventoux with our Straight Mount Pack: the central T-Bar stays fitted and faces forwards with the detached drop sections secured for travel.
The exact component matters, so it's always worth double checking what your bike has fitted. Canyon’s complete RACE Bar is a one-piece cockpit, for example, so its drop sections cannot be detached in the same way. An Aeroad fitted with that bar needs its steering movement checked to establish whether the normal Ventoux mounting arrangement is suitable, or whether an Aubisque is the better option. Our Canyon Aeroad guide explains both configurations.
When the complete cockpit needs to stay straight
The Buxumbox Aubisque carries you bike with its cockpit attached and pointing straight ahead. This suits bikes whose steering movement is restricted, as well as riders who want to keep a compatible cockpit fully assembled and adjusted to their specifications.
Our fit guides for the Specialized Tarmac SL9, Cervélo S5, and Colnago Y1Rs cover examples where we recommend this approach. The correct Aubisque size still depends on the bike’s measurements, of course.
The wheels and seat post are removed for packing, while the handlebar, stem, and headset remain assembled. That leaves fewer components to refit and check when you arrive.
What if you are happy to remove the handlebars?
For bikes whose handlebars or cockpit can be removed and safely secured for travel, the Tourmalet or a Ventoux fitted with the Straight Mount Pack may also be suitable, subject to the relevant sizing checks.
The Straight Mount Pack changes the mounting arrangement inside the Ventoux. With a conventional one-piece cockpit, this option still requires removal of the bars or stem. The PACE arrangement described above works by detaching its outer drop sections.
With internal cable routing, check the manufacturer’s instructions and the available movement in the hoses before choosing an option that involves removing the cockpit.
Choosing the correct box size
Once you know how the cockpit will be packed, check the bike against the full sizing guide. The cockpit measurements used by the Ventoux and Aubisque are different.
For a Ventoux with normal mounting, measurement "D" runs from the centre of the stem cap to an imaginary line through the furthest-forward point of the shifter hoods, as shown in the sizing diagram. This determines the choice between Standard and Wide.
For an Aubisque, measurement "H" is the actual width across the widest part of the handlebars, including any flare or protruding shifters. This determines the box width. (For box height for an Aubisque, you need to check measurement "A", which is the measurement from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat tube, NOT including saddle or seat post).
Be warned: a handlebar's advertised width or manufacturer specs will not necessarily give you either measurement. Measure the assembled bike, including its fitted levers, and check the remaining frame, wheelbase, and cockpit clearances in the Ventoux sizing guide or Aubisque sizing guide.
Need help?
Contact us with the make, model, model year, and frame size, along with details of the cockpit and any changes from the original specification. Photographs of the front end and measurements from the relevant sizing guide will help us confirm the right box and mounting arrangement before you order.
Pinarello Dogma image courtesy of Rhino's Workshop on Instagram.