How the bike box is evolving for better business efficiency

Bike box disposal and other surplus packaging waste has long been a pet hate of bike shops, so why has a bog-standard template not changed in decades? One packaging brand has listened and adapted around the challenge…

In recent years talk of sustainability among bike brands has become more and more prevalent. In November last year, CI.N reported that both Trek and Cannondale had outlined moves to utilise fully recyclable packaging as part of their bike shipments.

In its first ever sustainability report Trek committed to removing plastic waste entirely from its packaging. As of May 2020, Trek began shipping its most popular model – the Marlin – in overhauled packaging. Claiming to have reduced the number of non-recyclable pieces from 24 to 12 and removing around 200 tonnes of plastic waste since 2020. Likewise, Shimano have made claims of aiming to eliminate single use plastics as much as possible.

One company looking to assist brands in these noble quests is Thimm Group. Thimm is a German family-run company founded in 1949 and operating in sites across Europe. Their core product offering is packaging, and they supply a variety of packages to a host of industries.

At Eurobike earlier this year, Thimm revealed their re-imagining of the traditional bike box that bikes are delivered to customers and workshops in. It is designed to be re-usable and fully recyclable. It impressed the Eurobike judges enough to award it the Sustainability – Green Award.

The majority of bikes, the world over, are shipped nearly fully assembled either directly to the customer or to workshops/builders. Typically, only the finishing touches – adding pedals, aligning handlebars, putting seat posts in, etc. – are needed.

Michael Weber, Head of Corporate Strategy and Marketing, explains that “extremely high product protection is required when shipping bikes. The average price of bikes is still over 1,000 euros and can be higher for e-bikes, therefore it is important to protect these valuable products accordingly and make handling as easy as possible. Furthermore, environmentally-friendly packaging and easy disposal are very important issues for consumers.” A claim supported by our CI.N Retail Study 2020, that found bike shops now rank recyclable packaging and packaging waste among their leading frustrations with their suppliers.

Thimm’s redesigned packaging is suitable for bikes and e-bikes between 18 and 29 inches in size. It is made entirely of sustainable corrugated cardboard in line with the industry norm for quality. The packaging design includes a saddle bracket, steering wheel attachment and two-wheel holders to secure the bike in place and ensure its protection during shipping. It does not require any of the standard padding and protective materials which Weber adds “saves time, material and costs and is also good for our environment.”

To make unpacking easier for recipients, Thimm’s developers have redesigned the means of unpackaging a bike. “Bike boxes often have to be opened from above. The recipient must then lift a bike weighing up to 25 kilograms and clear the wheel over the large packaging box. Our innovative packaging is opened from the middle by a tear perforation. The side parts can then be folded outwards and the recipient can simply push the bike out of the packaging.”

Disposing of the packaging is simpler as it does not have to be separated, it can all be disposed of via the wastepaper cycle. Or “if you don’t like the bike [the] packaging can also be used to return it. Once again, no additional adhesive tape is required.”

A final note of interest given the trend of cargo bikes making waves across Europe, Thimm has even developed a specific large cycle crate designed to be adaptable for the various models now coming through production. Aside from the cardboard, this combines a wooden pallet, recyclable connecting elements and a tension belt.  Stable padding and wheel fixings made from corrugated cardboard ensure optimum protection of the cargo bike during its transportation.

“Our cargo bike packaging is flexible so it can be adapted to the specific requirements of our customers. It is therefore suitable for all types of cargo bikes, with or without electric drive and with two, three or four wheels. The packaging is also distinguished by its high level of transportation safety, stability and sustainability and, above all, it can be assembled and picked quickly,” concludes Weber.