A Vault Pro bike box open on a Montana highway with the Northern Rockies behind it

Columbia Falls, Montana

Bikes get broken in transit. Not the ones in a Vault Pro.

You do not check a $5,000 bike, or a $30,000 one, and hope. The Vault Pro is a hard shell that carries the load a baggage belt puts on it, with the bike locked at the axles inside. And at 31 lb it is light enough that a race bike packs to about 48 lb. That is inside the standard 50 lb checked-bag weight, so the protection does not cost you a fee every flight.

Shop the Vault Pro: $799 Check your airline
Ext. dimensions54 × 19 × 29 in
Empty weight31 lb
ShellHigh-impact PP
OriginColumbia Falls, MT
ScreeningTSA-friendly

inside a 53-foot trailer. Build the case badly and the contents do not survive a couple of weeks of it.

Arthur Mayo, co-founder, on twenty years of touring

The reason it exists

Every case asks you to give something up.

Cheap, light, small, protective, easy to pack: you have been picking three. Here is what each of the others costs you, and where the Vault Pro spends its compromise.

  • Soft bagsThe cheapest way to check a bike, and the padding is all there is. Nothing in the bag carries a load, so whatever gets stacked on it in the hold goes through the foam and into your frame. You are trusting the handling, not the case.
  • Compact hard casesSmall because the bike comes apart to fit: bars off, fork out or frame split on some models. You save the oversize fee and pay for it in teardown time, a rebuild in a hotel room, and a bike that needs checking over before you race it.
  • Full hard casesGenuine structural protection, at a weight that starts you deep in overweight-fee territory before the bike is even in it — every flight, both directions.
  • Vault Pro31 lb empty, so a 17 lb race bike packs to about 48 lb — inside the standard 50 lb checked-bag weight. Hard shell, TSA-friendly, and the teardown is wheels, seat post and pedals. Bars stay on.

The whole argument

One case, five ways.

  1. 01

    The shell carries the load

    High impact polypropylene, not foam. Whatever gets stacked on it in the hold is carried by the case. A soft bag has nothing that does that job.

  2. 02

    The bike cannot move

    VaultLock holds the frame at the axles, front and rear. Nothing rests on the dropouts, nothing rubs for eleven hours, and the drivetrain sits with clearance rather than under pressure.

  3. 03

    It weighs 31 lb

    Which is the point. Full hard cases protect and then cost you an overweight fee every leg. A 17 lb race bike in a Vault Pro is about 48 lb, standard checked-bag weight. Check yours.

  4. 04

    It opens for inspection

    TSA can open the box easily, see the whole bike at once and then close it properly. Nothing needs to be moved, removed and repacked by the agents to check the contents, so the margin of error is as small as possible.

  5. 05

    The teardown is 3 things

    Both wheels, seat post and saddle, pedals. No cables off, no fork out, no frame split. The bike you unpack is the bike you packed, and it is race-ready without a shop visit.

Vault Pro bike box open, lid set to one side, with a road bike frame and handlebars resting inside the case.

The box

Bike Box
BIKE BOX - VAULT PRO

$799USD

The Box: The Vault Sports Box is a pro-level bike travel case built for real-world travel. With a durable hard shell, TSA-friendly design, and easy packing system, it protects your bike without slowing you down. Trusted by elite cyclists for both road and gravel. The Specs: Dimensions: 54"(L) x 19" (W) x 29"(H)…

Dimensions
54″ (L) × 19″ (W) × 29″ (H)
Weight
31 lb empty
Material
High impact polypropylene
Fits
Road · Gravel · TT

Bicycle not included. Ships from Columbia Falls, Montana.

  • Made in the USAMolded in Spokane, assembled and inspected in Columbia Falls, Montana.
  • TSA-friendly designOpens flat so an agent can see the whole bike at once, and closes properly afterwards.
  • 31 lb hard shellHigh impact polypropylene, and light enough for a race bike to pack inside the standard 50 lb checked-bag weight.

The mounting system

VaultLock™

Every point where the bike touches the box, and nothing else touching it. Pick a component to see how it holds.

VaultLock™ Front Adapter
VaultLock™ Front Adapter

Front Adapter

Slides and swivels for precise alignment with your gravel, road, or TT bike’s front end. Fits a wide range of makes and models.

Adjustable · slide + swivel

5 mm × 135 mm quick-release sleeve sold separately. See accessories.

Trip planner

Will it fly?

Bike-baggage rules for 26 airlines, and the number that decides what you pay: what the box plus your bike actually weighs when it hits the scale.

Vault Pro, empty31 lb
Your bike17.0 lb
Gear0.0 lb
Checked weight48.0 lb

Delta

STANDARD BAG WEIGHT

50 lb 100 lb

48.0 lb. You have 2.0 lb before an excess-weight fee starts at 50 lb on Delta.

Fees start
50 lb
Bag refused
100 lb
Linear limit
115 in
Box linear
102 in
Fees
Standard checked-bag fees; excess-weight fee over 50 lb

"Fees start" is the weight above which an excess-weight charge normally applies; where a carrier does not publish its own figure this planner uses the industry-standard 50 lb and says so. Being under "Bag refused" does not mean the bag is free. Weight is only one of the things that decide whether a bag flies; fare class, aircraft, route and status all matter, and policies change without notice. Confirm with your carrier before you fly. This is a planning tool, not a guarantee.

  • 0–50 lb Standard checked-baggage weight. You pay the normal checked-bag fee, if any.
  • 51–70 lb An extra charge applies on top of the normal checked-bag fee. What it costs varies so widely by carrier, route and fare that no single figure is reliable — confirm the amount with your airline before you fly.

Fees and policies vary by airline, route, aircraft, fare class and status, and they change without notice. These bands are what the industry does in general, not what your carrier promises. Being under a carrier's maximum weight does not mean you avoid a charge.

Liability

A Hard Case Can Protect More Than Your Bike

Some airlines treat bicycles packed in soft-sided bags, cardboard boxes, or inadequate containers differently when it comes to damage claims. That limitation is not something you are asked to sign at the counter — it is already written into the contract of carriage you accepted with the ticket. Declaring the value of what you are checking is the traveler’s responsibility, not the airline’s.

  • Delta Air LinesDelta states that a bicycle packed in a hard-shell case specifically designed for bicycle transport does not require a limited-liability release. A bicycle traveling in a soft-sided bag or another non-hard-shell container does.
  • Southwest AirlinesSouthwest states that bicycles packed in cardboard or soft-sided cases travel under a limited release of liability—and that customers are not entitled to reimbursement or compensation for damage in situations where that limited release applies.
  • American AirlinesAmerican treats bicycles not packed in a hard-sided case as fragile items. Its current sports-equipment policy states that it accepts liability for sports-equipment damage only under specific conditions that include the equipment being inside a hard-sided case.

See why your travel case can affect your coverage

All 26 airlines
AirlineFeesFees startBag refusedMax linearBike under the fee lineSource
Air Canada Bike fee CA/US$50–$60 each way; no other baggage fees, and no overweight or oversize charge within the limits below. Waived on Business, Premium Economy and Economy Latitude within Canada and Canada–US, and for military. 70 lb 70 lb 115 in 39.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Air France Bike fee always applies and is not included in the ticket: €40–€125 one way by zone (USD 55–150 from outside Europe). Prior approval required, at least 48 h before departure. 50 lb 70 lb 118 in 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Air New Zealand Counts as one checked bag; no bike surcharge. Overweight/oversize charge over 23 kg (50 lb) or over 158 cm (62 in). Refused over 32 kg; maximum length 2.5 m (98 in) on jet aircraft — no linear maximum published. 50 lb 70 lb n/a 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Alaska Airlines Standard checked-bag fees; oversize fee waived and overweight fee waived up to 70 lb. 70 lb 100 lb 115 in 39.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
American Airlines Standard checked-bag fees up to 50 lb, then the standard overweight fee. Hard-sided case required or the bike is handled as a fragile item. 50 lb 70 lb 115 in 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Austrian Counts within your free baggage allowance if the number of items and the weight fit it; otherwise the sports-equipment flat rate. Not free on Economy Light. Must be registered in advance. 50 lb 70 lb 110 in 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
British Airways Counts as one checked bag; no bike surcharge. On Economy Basic, or once your allowance is used, you pay the standard extra-bag charge. Over 23 kg (50 lb) in Economy it must go as cargo. 50 lb 50 lb 138 in 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Brussels Airlines Free within your checked allowance by piece count and weight; otherwise special sports rates. Not free on Economy Basic (short/medium-haul) or Light. Box must not carry a lithium sticker. 50 lb 70 lb 110 in 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Delta Standard checked-bag fees; excess-weight fee over 50 lb 50 lb 100 lb 115 in 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-15
easyJet Non-refundable sports-equipment fee, charged per bike and quoted at booking. Bikes count as “large” equipment, 32 kg max, and that weight cannot be pooled with your hold luggage. No e-bikes. 70 lb 70 lb n/a 39.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Emirates No bike surcharge — it travels inside your standard checked allowance. Excess-baggage rates apply above it; the Economy piece limit is 23 kg (50 lb). Tell Emirates at least 24 h ahead. 50 lb 70 lb 118 in 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Etihad No bike surcharge — bikes are included in your baggage allowance. Extra pieces are charged as extra baggage; carrying additional parts may require buying more. 50 lb 70 lb 118 in 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Iberia Bikes are a paid special-baggage category: from €35/$40 online on short-haul to €158/$172 on long-haul, and €65–€165 ($80–$198) at the airport. Excess-baggage charge over 23 kg (50 lb). 50 lb 70 lb n/a 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
ITA Airways Classed as large sports equipment and charged an additional fee, paid online at check-in or through Manage Your Flight. ITA publishes no bike-specific size limit. 50 lb 70 lb n/a 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
JetBlue No bike surcharge — it counts as one checked bag. Bikes are excluded from the oversize rules entirely, and no overweight fee applies under 50 lb. Not carried to/from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Peru or Port of Spain. 50 lb 100 lb n/a 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
KLM Bike fee calculated from your route — the same AF-KLM zone scale as Air France (€40–€125 one way). Reserve at least 48 h ahead; the exact price and size rules appear in My Trip. 50 lb 70 lb n/a 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Lufthansa Counts within your free baggage allowance if the piece count and weight fit it; otherwise the sports-equipment flat rate. Not free on Economy Light. Register at least 72 h before departure. 50 lb 70 lb 110 in 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Norwegian Air Bike fee €40 online, €50 at the airport, on every route. Hard case required, 23 kg max, and the bag may hold bike equipment only. No e-bikes at all, battery removed or not. 50 lb 50 lb n/a 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Qantas No bike surcharge — each item counts as one piece of your checked allowance, and charges start only once you exceed that allowance. 70 lb 70 lb 99 in ✱ 39.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Qatar Airways No bike surcharge inside your checked allowance. Overweight fee over 23 kg (50 lb) and oversize fee over 158 cm (62 in); to/from the Americas you must buy sporting-equipment allowance to exceed 158 cm. 50 lb 70 lb 118 in 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Ryanair Paid sports-equipment item — the price varies by route and is quoted from the Table of Fees, not published as one figure. 30 kg bike allowance, protective box or bike bag required, no e-bikes. 66 lb 66 lb n/a 35.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Southwest Standard checked-bag fees; oversize waived, overweight still applies 50 lb * 100 lb 115 in 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-15
Swiss No extra charge inside your baggage allowance; an extra fee once you exceed it in piece count or weight per item. SWISS accepts sports baggage under 32 kg or under 3.5 m long — it publishes no linear maximum. 50 lb 70 lb n/a 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
United Airlines Standard checked-bag fees; oversize fees waived on a properly packed bike, overweight fees still apply above 50 lb in Economy. 50 lb 100 lb 115 in 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Virgin Atlantic No bike surcharge — it takes the place of one checked bag. Overweight charge over 23 kg (50 lb); over 32 kg it cannot be checked at all. Economy Light includes no checked bag. 50 lb 70 lb 131 in 19.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22
Wizz Air Paid sports-equipment item, one per passenger, added at booking or at least 3 h before departure. Capped at 32 kg and at a 149 × 119 × 171 cm box rather than a linear total. 70 lb 70 lb n/a 39.0 lb Verified 2026-08-22

“Bike under the fee line” = that carrier's fee threshold − 31 lb empty box. It is how much bike and gear fits before an excess-weight charge starts, not how much the bag will hold. ✱ = the Vault Pro's 102 in linear dimension is over that carrier's limit; expect an oversize charge on top, whatever it weighs.

* = that carrier does not publish its own excess-weight threshold in the policy we hold, so the industry-standard 50 lb is assumed. “Bag refused” is the point at which the carrier will not take the bag at all. It is not the point up to which it is free. n/a in the size column means the carrier publishes no linear (L+W+H) maximum. Several cap a single side, a bounding box or a circumference instead, and the fee column says which. Every row was read against the airline's own published policy on the date shown. Always confirm with your carrier anyway: fees and limits vary by route, aircraft, fare class and status, and they change without notice.

Packing

Five moves and the lid closes.

Three things come off, and none of them is the bike coming apart.

Comes off

  • Both wheels They go into Vault wheel bags inside the case. The bags are sold separately.
  • Seat post and saddle Comes out as one piece. Mark your height before you pull it and setup is unchanged at the other end.
  • Pedals Airline requirement Required by airlines on a checked bicycle, not a packing preference.

Stays on

  • Handlebars
  • Derailleurs
  • Cassette

No cable disconnection, no fork removal, no splitting the frame: the teardown a compact hard case asks for.

A Vault Pro being packed in the workshop
01 / Wheels off, wheels bagged

Watch your bike packed

Start to finish, about four minutes each. Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play.

Road

Packing a road bike

The full pack, start to finish, on a road bike — wheels off and bagged, fork onto the front adapter, rear axle into the road sleeve.

Gravel

Packing a gravel bike

Same box, gravel geometry. Uses the gravel rear sleeve rather than the road/TT one — the part most people get wrong the first time.

Triathlon / TT

Packing a triathlon bike

A TT bike with aero bars and deep sections, which is the tightest fit of the three and the one worth watching before you pack.

American made

14,000 sq ft in Columbia Falls,
seventeen miles from Glacier.

The shell's injection formula is technical enough that the main components are molded in Spokane, Washington, then trucked to Montana for assembly, inspection, and shipping.

“Every week I make the ten-hour round-trip drive to Spokane. It’s just what you have to do. What I’ve always done. The Montana way.”

Trevin Hermosillo — Co-founder, R&D
14,000sq ft HQ
17miles to Glacier NP
10 hrround trip, weekly

Who built it

A touring professional and a Montana mechanic.

Arthur Mayo racing, low on the aero bars of a time-trial bike in a helmet and sunglasses.

Co-founder · Technical Engineer

Arthur Mayo

Touring production, years before there was a bike box. “I was on the road with bands from Metallica to The Who, Genesis to Madonna and The Offspring to Korn, in roles from lighting tech, carpenter and stage manager to master electrician. You learn quickly that if the road cases are not built well the contents will get destroyed in a couple of weeks inside 53-foot semi trailers bouncing down the road at 75 mph.”

He took up triathlon at 49, kept hearing riders complain that traveling with a bike was a nightmare, and had the obvious thought: “Why don’t I design a road case for bikes similar to the road cases expensive equipment are packed in for touring productions?”

Trevin Hermosillo stepping out of a rally car on a dry lake bed at sunset.

Co-founder · R&D

Trevin Hermosillo

Born and raised in northwest Montana. Railroad mechanic, apparel-brand co-founder, and the man behind Gearshift Garage. “While other kids were playing with Legos, I was tinkering with the tools in my father’s garage.”

“The research, the testing, the process took years. But when I see people use the Vault Sports Box and hear how thrilled they are, I know it was all worth it.”

Accessories

Fit it to your bike.

Axle sleeves, adapters, and the small things that make packing quicker.

A pair of black Vault Sports Box wheel bags, overlapping, each carrying the Vault bear logo.

Vault Sports Box Wheel Bags

Tear proof ripstop with zipper built to accommodate both Road and Gravel Wheels. Built for serious cyclists, racers, and riders on the move, the Vault Sports Box Wheel Bag gives your wheels the protection they deserve. Whether packed alongside your Vault Sports Box, loaded into a vehicle, stored in the garage, or checked for travel, this bag keeps your wheelset secure, clean, and protected from the wear of the road before the ride even begins

$30
VaultLock 5 millimetre quick-release axle set: two black sleeves, one upright to show the splined disc.

VaultLock 5mm Quick Release Axle Set

Still running a quick release skewer? No problem. This polypropylene axle set is designed for bikes with a traditional 5mm quick release system, fitting securely into both the Vaultpro Lock Front and Rear Adapters so your bike travels as safely as any thru-axle setup. Sold as a pair (front and rear).

$40
Vault Pro tow strap, a black nylon webbing loop printed repeatedly with the Vault Sports Box name.

VaultPro Tow Strap

22.5" durable nylon strap with dual loop ends for easy hauling.

$5
Custom Vault Pro athlete sticker printed with the United States flag above the words YOUR NAME, where a rider’s name is personalised.

Custom VaultPro Athlete Sticker

Personalize your Vault Sports Box with a 4"x 6" custom sticker featuring your country flag of choice and name (up to 16 characters). Each order includes 2 identical stickers. Durable, weather-resistant construction built to last through travel, turf, and everything in between.

$15 Options
Lauf front fork adapter, a short black bar with a mounting post at each end.

Lauf Front Fork Adaptor

Designed specifically for riders running Lauf Cycles bikes, this precision-machined front axle adapter brings full Vaultpro bike box compatibility to your Lauf Cycles-equipped bike. The adapter mounts securely to the Vaultpro box's integrated fork mount and supports both 12mm x 100mm and 15mm x 110mm thru-axle standards, covering the full range of Lauf Cycles fork configurations.

$30
VaultLock 15 by 110 millimetre front axle sleeve, a black cylinder shown side on.

VaultLock 15x110mm Front Axle Sleeve

Built for gravel and mountain bikes running a 15x110mm thru-axle, this Polypropylene insert slots directly into the Vaultpro Lock Front Adapter, giving you a secure fit for your bike inside the box.

$20

Answers

Vault Pro FAQ

Still stuck? info@vaultsportsbox.com or call +1 888-811-3208.

Two things. Bikes get damaged in transit often enough that riders plan around it — that is the obvious one. The other matters just as much: most athletes are not mechanics, and they need the bike to stay together. So the teardown is 3 parts — both wheels, seat post and saddle, pedals — which are the easiest things on a bike to take off and put back, and none of them ask for mechanic's skills. There are plenty of bike cases, and each asks you to give something up: price, weight, protection, or how far the bike has to come apart. We set out to give up as little as possible on all four at once.

31 lb empty. That is the number to check against an airline allowance.

Usually, yes — and that is the point of the design. A performance road, gravel or TT bike is commonly 16–19 lb, so 31 lb of case plus a 17 lb bike is about 48 lb, inside the 50 lb standard checked-bag weight on most carriers. Gear packed around the bike is what pushes you over it. Run your own numbers.

Road, gravel and TT bikes, in all but the very largest frame sizes — and where that line falls varies by brand. Three tape-measure checks settle it. Wheelbase: the box takes up to 44 in. Bottom of the front chainring to the top of the frame where the seat post goes in: under 28 in. Bottom of the front fork to the top of the handlebar stack: under 28 in. That 28 in is the internal height at its high point, the seat-post receiver. If all three clear, the bike will fit. If you are unsure about your bike, email info@vaultsportsbox.com before you order.

The Vault Pro case: Hard shell, wheels and latches fitted. VaultLock Front Adapter: Adjustable · slide + swivel VaultLock Rear Adapter: Multi-position · shock-absorbing VaultLock Front Axle Sleeve: 12 mm × 100 mm VaultLock Rear Sleeve · Road/TT: 12 mm × 142 mm · road/TT VaultLock Rear Sleeve · Gravel: 12 mm × 142 mm · gravel Sold separately: wheel bags, quick-release sleeve, Lauf front fork adapter, 15 × 110 mm front axle sleeve, Pro tow strap. The Vault Pro is the case. It does not include a bicycle.

Both wheels — They go into Vault wheel bags inside the case. The bags are sold separately. Seat post and saddle — Comes out as one piece. Mark your height before you pull it and setup is unchanged at the other end. Pedals — Required by airlines on a checked bicycle, not a packing preference. Handlebars, Derailleurs, Cassette all stay where they are.

Five steps: both wheels, seat post and saddle, pedals off, fork onto the front adapter, rear axle into the sleeve, gear packed around it, lid down. The frame is held at the axles by the VaultLock mounts rather than resting on foam, so nothing carries the bike's weight but the points designed to. See the steps.

Two reasons, and the second matters more than people expect. The shell is high-impact polypropylene, so a load stacked on top of it in the hold is carried by the case rather than by your top tube. And inside, the bike is locked at the axles by the VaultLock adapters — it cannot shift, and the chain and derailleur sit with clearance rather than under pressure for the length of the flight.

You check it as sports or special baggage, much as you would golf clubs or a surfboard, at the counter rather than the belt. It is designed to be opened and inspected quickly, which is the difference between a TSA agent closing it properly and repacking it themselves. Expect it to be hand-carried to the oversize belt.

Three things stack: the normal checked-bag fee, an excess-weight fee above the carrier's threshold (commonly 50 lb), and an oversize fee if the bag exceeds their linear limit. At 102 linear inches the Vault Pro is within the published limit on 15 of the 16 carriers in our table that publish one, and over it on Qantas. Fees vary by carrier, route, aircraft and fare, so check your airline before you book.

A soft bag protects with padding alone — nothing in it carries a load, so weight stacked on it in the hold reaches your frame. A hard shell carries that load itself. The trade has always been that hard cases are heavy; the Vault Pro is the attempt to keep the shell and not the weight penalty.

Yes — as a standard parcel, not as freight. On a case this size carriers bill on dimensional size rather than on what it weighs, and at 102 linear inches the Vault Pro is inside the 157 in limit FedEx, UPS and DHL work to. BikeFlights ships it as well.

Yep. Wetsuit, helmet, shoes and more all pack in around the bike. Watch the scale as you do — gear is what takes a packed case past the 50 lb standard checked-bag weight. And no lithium batteries or CO₂ cartridges: airlines prohibit both in checked baggage.

In the great state of Montana. We take pride in American manufacturing.

Read the full return policy.

Email info@vaultsportsbox.com or call +1 888-811-3208.

Put it in the vault.

We provide peace of mind so you can perform at your best.

Shop the Vault Pro: $799