Packing is an important procedure in bike exporting and transportation, which relates closely to product protection and freight cost.
The packing cost itself differs not much through various packing styles. Customers mainly consider the protection needs and later assembly work, then the freights.
Most commonly we take four types of packing in Wude Bike – 85% SKD, 95% SKD, 45% CKD, and 100% CKD.
85% SKD
This packing style is taken most by my current customers.
Carton will use 5 layers of corrugated board, quality mostly B+C, sealed with sealing nails and banded with 3 or 4 packing tapes.
Most parts are assembled onto the frame just as in the photo below.
We wrap all painted parts with bubble paper to avoid scratches, while CP parts and rim will not be wrapped.
Between the front wheel and frame, we put a spacing board to protect both of them. Some other factories put sticker background paper or pearl cotton sheets for the same target.
Small parts like the pedal, seat post, saddle, and so on will be put into a small box, at least a poly bag to collect them together and avoid missing or collision.
85% SKD finishes all tough works in bike assembly and could be easily completed with a simple tool, suitable to most wholesalers or Brick-and-mortar retailers who have laborers to complete the bikes before selling.
One of my Australian customers feeds back that this packing leads to huge packaging waste and hopes we can pack bikes with bubble paper bags as below.
Inner is common 85% SKD, with less packing materials.
This bag consists of two layers, the inner is pearl cotton sheet while out layer is thick bubble paper.
Lighter and easier recycling, bag packaging size is smaller than carton packaging.
20″ bikes in bag package can load 800 pcs in a 40″ HQ, while in carton package can load only 650 pcs, which save you both package cost and freight.
The disadvantage of bag packages is that bags are not as tough as cartons.
It demands much more attention on transportation and storage. Be very careful in transferring and putting on the tray. Once packed sound on the pallet, the soft flexible bag can protect bikes better in internal extrusion.
95% SKD
This packing style assembles all the big parts of a bike and can be easily completed by anyone.
The saddle and seat post are assembled and put into the seat tube, but not tightened up with the seat clamp.
Taking out all the parts, it is like below.
Nearly everyone can complete the bike without directions.
It’s the best style for resellers such as online retailers or supermarkets who will send the whole bike with the carton to final consumers, saving troubles for both the sellers and the buyers.
GA bike, a great bike brand, once made a gif to show the simple assembly of 95% bikes. I like it very much and share it with you here.
As it assembles most parts, it needs most packing materials to protect itself too.
For 95% SKD bikes, we usually use A+A cartons with most parts wrapped with thick pearl cotton sheets, to guarantee the quality from factory to resellers, then to final consumers.
We did it for Walmart and Amazon sellers before, and for inland market brands FOREVER too.
The package test conducted by FOREVER QC show this packing style typically.
In the test, each of the 6 faces of the carton is dropped to the ground from 1 meter high, and the bike inside doesn’t get damaged even a little, which ensures the consumer gets a brand new bike they want.
45% CKD
Wheels are assembled but other parts are all loaded separately as they are.
Usually separated into A/B cartons. A carton holds frames and some parts, while B carton holds completed wheels and rest parts.
For customers just take this style to load more quantities, you can separate frames and wheels and rest parts adjust to make the carton smallest.
Some customers require clearly what parts into which carton for custom clearing issues.
Carton A
This is 4 bikes in A/B carton.
There is one board to protect the bottom parts and separate this carton into two levels too.
The carton seems small but holds many items.
4 sets of the same small parts are put into one poly bag separately.
B Carton
Maybe bigger or smaller than A carton based on the size of the wheels.
Forks are tied to a paper sheet to be fixed, according to customer requirements.
Take out the parts, completed wheels are in the bottom, separated by paper board too.
The rest parts are as below.
45% CKD packing style suits customers facing custom regulations and has plants to assemble bikes.
Big space and skillful labors are necessary to take this method, or you can get an assembly plant to do it for you.
100% CKD
This style can load most quantities in the container and doesn’t assemble any parts.
3 PCS/ 4 PCS in one carton
Collect all parts of a bike, each item 3 sets or 4 sets, and put them into one same carton.
We can just open certain cartons and get relative bikes completed. No need to get parts ready again and can find immediately if any parts missing.
Usually, a poly bag is put inside or outside the carton, to avoid parts leaking out.
This package needs the importer to have bigger space and more laborers, also specific equipment and tools. Wheel and headsets/ BB.Sets assembly are not easy for green hands.
Shipped in Original Packaging
All parts of a bike are ready in their own packages and will be loaded into containers directly.
This is the style that can load most in one container.
Usually, customers with bike factories or assembly plants will take this package. The requirements for space and technicians are the biggest too.
No matter which packing styles you choose, we can do our best to offer you the qualified bikes you need.
The closer you part to the final consumers, the better packing styles are needed to deliver your value.
Upgrade packing style costs not much, but quite deserves itself!