Bikebox Online VeloVault2

BikeBox Online's VeloVault2 bike box is a sturdy, easy to pack and easy to transport option for keeping your bike safe when you fly. It is made from high-quality components that should stand the test of time. If you don't want to stump up the cash to buy one of these, they're also available to hire.

• Pros: Strong, easy to pack, high-quality catches
• Cons: A little heavier than some rivals

We reviewed the Bikebox Online VeloVault (still available) here on road.cc three years ago and were impressed by its roominess and the quality of construction. The VeloVault2 – actually the brand's fifth generation bike box – retains many of the original design features while accommodating several updates.

> Buy this online here

The VeloVault2 is a little longer (122cm versus 116cm), for example, giving more space to take a 29er or downhill mountain bike. I've used it to carry various different 57cm and 58cm road bikes and there has been plenty of room to spare.

As usual, you need to whip the pedals and wheels off your bike before packing, and either remove the handlebar from the stem or take the stem off the fork steerer. You might also need to take the seatpost out of the frame, depending on the height of the saddle. I had to and I have a saddle height of 81cm, measured from the centre of the bottom bracket.

You fix your wheels to one side of the shell either with quick releases (which you feed through the box wall) or with Velcro straps that are attached to the inside; 29er wheels fit fine and you don't need to remove disc brake rotors.

Your frame fits to the other side of the shell with a load more Velcro straps, as do your saddle/seatpost (if, like me, you've had to remove them) and pedals. It's simple to get everything sitting securely and a sheet of foam down the middle ensures nothing gets scratched by your wheels when you close the box.

You'll have loads of remaining space for stuff like your bike helmet and shoes, assuming your airline allows you to put them in (some say that you're not allowed to carry anything but your bike in a bike box). You might need to be careful with regard to weight, though. If you're hoping not to pay additional baggage charges on British Airways, for example, the box and all of its contents can't exceed 23kg. We weighed the VeloVault2 at 13kg, so that gives you 10kg to play with – fine for most road bikes, but you won't be able to fit in much besides (don't forget to check the weight allowance of your airline before you fly).

> How to fly with your bike

The two parts of the plastic shell are joined by a piano hinge that runs almost the full length of the base and the four catches are excellent. They're super-strong and it's pretty much impossible for them to open accidentally in transit. They sit in recesses in the shell so it's highly unlikely that they'll get damaged if/when the box gets lobbed around by baggage handlers. One of the catches can be secured shut with a padlock although you wouldn't want to leave it locked while flying or customs might just bust the box open to check what's inside.

There's some flex in the walls of the shell but an aluminium strut fixed to one side mates with a receiver cup on the other side to stop the box getting crushed if it finds itself at the bottom of a pile of baggage (the VeloVault we reviewed previously had half an aluminium strut on each side, the two parts meeting in the middle). I've travelled with the VeloVault2 several times and the only signs of wear are a few little scratches to the shell – nothing remotely structural.

I've used the VeloVault2 with various different bikes and I've always found packing simple without any of the enhanced persuasion methods needed with some other options I've tried in the past – no wrestling or jumping up and down on the top required.

Once closed up, it's simple to push the VeloVault2 around on its four wheels, the two at the back fixed, the two at the front able to swivel. The wheels behave nicely, going where you want them to rather than doing their own thing, and they don't squeak. Like the catches, they sit in slight recesses in the shell to reduce the chances of them getting knocked and damaged in transit.

Handles moulded into each end of the shell make the box easy enough to pull/push to and from your car or around the airport. Bike boxes are never particularly easy to carry because of their bulk, and this one could do with some sort of shoulder strap for lugging it over anything but the shortest of distances. That said, the VeloVault2 is no more unwieldy than any other bike box I've tried. As mentioned, it's pretty large, measuring 122cm x 90cm x 30cm at the widest points, but it'll fit into the back of most cars, usually with the rear seats folded down.

If you'd rather save space inside your car, the VeloVault2 is "roof box ready": it can fit to car roof bars with T-track slots if you buy a roof bar integration upgrade at a price of £100. Go for this option and the box will come with integrated aluminium rods and sliders that fix to BikeBox Online's aluminium roof rack brackets. The brackets include QR skewers that allow you to remove the box from the car without the need to open it.

The roof bar integration upgrade is only becoming available about now, so we've not had the chance to use it, but you can see it in action here.

> Buyer's Guide: 15 of the best bike bags and boxes

The VeloVault2 is a mid-price option, pretty much splitting the difference between the Bike Box Alan Premium Box (£438) and the Bonza Bike Box (£499). It's quite a similar proposition to each of those, to the point that it's difficult to choose between them. The Bike Box Alan is a little lighter, which might come in handy, whereas I prefer the VeloVault2's meaty catches and you might be attracted by the roof bar attachment system (if you're happy to pay for the upgrade).

Overall, the VeloVault2 is well made and puts in a strong performance. It's roomy, easy to use and provides plenty of protection for your bike.

Verdict

Strong, well-made bike box that's very easy to pack