{"id":70536,"date":"2024-10-19T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-19T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/540b8b5b-caff-4740-b0e1-27c4d0e48bca"},"modified":"2024-10-19T11:25:27","modified_gmt":"2024-10-19T09:25:27","slug":"first-look-buxumbox-removes-the-headache-of-travelling-with-an-integrated-bike","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/first-look-buxumbox-removes-the-headache-of-travelling-with-an-integrated-bike\/","title":{"rendered":"First Look | Buxumbox removes the headache of travelling with an integrated bike"},"content":{"rendered":"

New aluminium bike box is designed to simplify flying with your pride and joy <\/p>

By Oscar Huckle\n <\/p>

Published: Saturday, 19 October 2024 at 09:00 AM<\/p>

\n\n

It\u2019s always nerve-racking flying with your bike. Will your bike arrive at the destination in one piece? Is it sufficiently protected? Can you remember what exactly your bicycle insurance covers?\u00a0<\/p>

Whatever is running through your head, you\u2019ve likely packed your bike into one of two types of bike box \u2013 a soft bag or a hard box. Both designs have their pros and cons.\u00a0<\/p>

A soft bag features padding to protect your pride and joy, and is typically lighter to hit airline limits. But that can be at the expense of pure protection, where a hard box trumps a soft bag. On the other hand, hard boxes can be cumbersome to transport.\u00a0<\/p>

The Ventoux Road is a hard box that’ll protect your investment. Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
Enter the Buxumbox, which falls into the latter camp but with some nifty features to make transportation easier and to pack modern machines with integrated cable routing<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>
Buxumbox is the brainchild of Ed Morris, who concocted the first iteration of the box back in 2014 when he was fed up of trying to find an option he\u2019d trust to carry his bike. I first spotted the box doing the rounds at the Bespoked Handmade Bike Show earlier this year and was intrigued by its claims of simple operation.\u00a0<\/p>
We\u2019ve been sent the Ventoux Road for review. It retails for \u00a31,056 and accepts most road bikes<\/a> and gravel bikes<\/a>.<\/p>
Close to indestructible and easy to pack\u00a0<\/h2>
$\"Buxumbox$
The box is made from a collection of aluminium panels. Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
The Buxumbox Ventoux Road is made in the UK from 100 per cent recyclable 6061 aluminium. According to the brand, it\u2019s designed to last a lifetime with scope to be adapted for future changes in bike design.\u00a0<\/p>
The brand says it opted for aluminium for its strength and low weight, with the panels said to be only 0.5mm thick. Buxumbox admits the aluminium will dent or scratch over time, \u201cbut only in a good way\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>
Either way, I\u2019d far prefer the box to scratch and keep an expensive bike safe than the other way around.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>
$\"Buxumbox$
The anti-crush bar gives the box its rigidity. Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
Once the bike is packed, an anti-crush bar slots between the wheels and frame to give the box its rigidity.\u00a0<\/p>
If you are unlucky enough for an airline baggage handler to damage a panel, this is something Buxumbox can easily repair and somewhat justifies the initial investment.\u00a0<\/p>
Buxumbox also wants to take away the hassle of packing a bike and claims you can pack the Ventoux Road in under five minutes \u2013 quite the tall claim.\u00a0<\/p>
Perhaps the most enticing sell of this box, though, is you won\u2019t need to take your bike apart if it’s integrated.\u00a0<\/p>
$\"3T$
The handlebar needs to be able to turn 101 degrees. Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
While carefully removing a conventional stem and finding somewhere to affix the cockpit in the box is already annoying, having to be creative with safely storing small, proprietary integrated cockpit parts takes things up a notch.\u00a0<\/p>
Then, having to do it all over again at the end of the holiday adds to the upset.\u00a0<\/p>
You\u2019ll need to check that your handlebar can rotate 101 degrees, though, to take advantage of this function \u2013 it needs to be turned to enable the fork to slot into its mounting cradle.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>
Buxumbox Ventoux Road first impressions\u00a0<\/h2>
$\"Bike$
The Ventoux Road transported this 3T Extrema Italia to Spain and back safely. Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
I used the Ventoux Road to transport a 3T Extrema Italia<\/a> to Spain to ride Badlands, a gravel ultra-endurance race.\u00a0<\/p>
My previous experiences of using bike boxes have been quite frustrating.\u00a0<\/p>
My most recent example is packing my Niner RLT 9 RDO into an old Scicon case for the Seven Serpents<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>
Not only did I have to remove the wheels, I had to detach the rear derailleur and changer, and take apart the front end, while carefully securing it with plenty of padding to avoid any damage. The experience may also have involved a panicked last-minute dash to a bike shop because the provided rear axle didn\u2019t work with my frame.\u00a0<\/p>
As such, I typically prefer to rent a bike abroad to minimise the stress of flying with a bike<\/a> and prevent any damage.\u00a0<\/p>
$\"Bike$
If you need to remove your post, it slots into the netting at the base. Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
However, this wasn\u2019t an option for Badlands because the only way I was going to ride 800km with 16,500m elevation in comfort was to use a familiar steed.\u00a0<\/p>
True to Buxumbox\u2019s word, it takes only five minutes to load and remove the bike.\u00a0I didn\u2019t need to remove the seatpost (the joys of running a dropper post<\/a>), which meant I only had to remove the wheels.\u00a0<\/p>
$\"Bike$
The wheel bags have cut-outs for the anti-crush bar to slot through. Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
The provided wheel bags, with a cut-out for the anti-crush bar to slot through, are a smart touch, meaning there\u2019s no chance of the wheels contacting your frame when in transit.\u00a0<\/p>
Everything about the Buxumbox screams of high quality, with the heavy-duty latches and castor wheels the box rolls on particular highlights. But so it should for the tall \u00a31,056 asking price, which is approaching double the cost of most conventional bike boxes.<\/p>
$\"Bike$
The simple design means the brand can support past, present and future axle standards. Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>
The only real flaw I can foresee is it weighs 15kg, almost half the 32kg weight limit of most airlines<\/a>.<\/p>
With the 3T weighing a little under 10kg, that\u2019s already 25kg gone, which didn\u2019t leave much room to store my bikepacking bags<\/a> and other equipment.\u00a0<\/p>
Nevertheless, I\u2019m looking forward to putting the Ventoux Road through its paces on my next trips. Stay tuned to find out whether it earns a spot among our list of the best bike boxes and bike bags<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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