Topeak Pakgo X

The Topeak Pakgo X is a quality box that is easy to manoeuvre around, offers great protection, and comes with some nice additions that make it a brilliant travel companion, although it does come with a hefty price tag.

> Buy now: Topeak Pakgo X for £749.99 from Ken Ellerker Cycles

The Pakgo X has a lightweight and flexible Makrolon polycarbonate shell which has stood up to several flights and trips during the testing period.

While on first inspection the shell might seem on the light side in terms of protection, there are only a few scuffs with no cracks and the bikes that travelled in the case had no damage whatsoever during transit.

And it compares well for protection with most of those in our best bike boxes buyer's guide.

Packing

Looking through the packing instructions, there are a lot of steps, but after the first go you find a rhythm and it only gets easier, while unpacking seems to be a breeze compared to packing.

The star of the packing system of this box is the stand that is provided, a mounting system that unfolds to form a mini workstand that holds your frameset during packing and unpacking. This is a stand-out feature that certainly makes life easier.

Two wheel bags, protective sleeves, and a drivetrain cover provide good protection and I also found enough clearance for the rear derailleur that I didn't feel the need to remove it.

Additionally, inside the box, you'll find inner mesh pockets for a small amount of clothing behind one of the wheel covers, and two additional pockets along the side of the case.

I found these to be super helpful when flying with only a large cabin bag.

The two wheels sit on either side of the box, strapped in securely with the straps being relatively easy to tighten.

You then fold the bike to one side and close the bike box up.

We used this case with 56cm bikes and felt like there was space to spare. If you are going to add additional items in the box, such as clothing, helmet and shoes, you will want to think about the weight.

We did include some of these items and found the box topping 25kg, which could cause issues with certain airlines.

Manoeuvring

This is where the Pakgo X comes into its own and will be the envy of every other travelling cyclist in the airport.

The upright design means you have an easy life strolling through the airport not having to stretch your back whatsoever grabbing low-hanging handles.

The four large multidirectional wheels allow for easy movement, with a handle on top, plus two additional handles on the side.

When handing over the box to the handlers, there are four shock-absorbing bumpers to help alleviate some of the impact the box might incur while in transit.

Added extras

There are a few simple added extras that with the big price tag you would want as a minimum – but they are nice to have.

A TSA lock is built in for that added security, plus a sleek name tag to include your name and address. (A TSA lock is one approved by the USA's Transportation Security Administration, and can be opened by airport security staff.)

Value

In terms of value, there's no doubt that this is one of more expensive bike boxes on the market, however, you do get a very well-thought-out box that will protect your bike and catch the eye in the airport.

The internal bike stand and multidirectional wheels combine with the upright design to make the Pakgo X stand out from its competitors.

Price-wise, it's a little less than our favourite money-no-object bike box, the Buxombox Tourmalet, a heavyweight box that Mat rated very highly, though it now has a weighty £858 price to go with its hefty 12.8kg mass. 

If weight is an issue, one of our top choices is the £695 B&W Bike Guard Curv, which weighs just 8.3kg but Jez said it still provided excellent protection.

The Topeak Pakgo is more expensive than one of our favourite boxes, the BikeBox Alan Triathlon Aero Easyfit Bikebox. This now costs £635 but Liam really rated it.

Our favourite 'budget' bag is the Merlin Elite Travel Bike Bag, which was £380 when Nick reviewed it, but it's presently on sale for £280, and being Merlin that could be the case for a while...

Conclusion

If you're prepared to stump up the cash, you'll be rewarded with a bike box that is easy to move around, offers plenty of protection, and will ease the dread of handing over your bike to the baggage handlers.

Verdict

A premium bike box that ticks a lot of boxes, but it does come at a price