*You probably won’t miss the plastic trash and a pile of mysterious bolts
Before we even finalized the designs for our first ebikes, we were planning our packaging. We’re committed to making everything about ebike ownership easier. So when it comes to unboxing we knew there was a better way than the “some assembly required” method that dumps a pile of parts and a few wrenches at your feet, asking that you become a bike mechanic prior to your first ride.
Similarly, we wanted to avoid the mountain of foam and plastic most brands use to wrap their bikes before they ship from the factory. Not only do we abhor this waste on a personal level; Vvolt is certified by Climate Neutral so we have to keep sustainability in mind at all times.
Lastly, it was clear that we couldn’t go with the supersized boxes used to deliver complete bikes. They’re overly expensive to ship; and kind of wasteful compared to our box, wherein we deliver the bike 97% assembled, ready to roll with quick installation of pedals and front wheel.
So we factored in all of these considerations and came up with a really simple solution enabling us to deliver nearly-complete bikes without a bunch of plastic, and do it with free shipping!
Let’s explore what you’ll see when you open the box. Notice that the box above says “open here” on the left side? There’s no need to pry two yards of staples+glue from top flap and heave the bike up and out. Simply open the side flap and pull on the strap inside to slide the bike out…
There’s a lot to note here, including:
- The front end is all bolted together and adjusted. Other brands make their riders learn how to properly adjust headset bearings or install handlebars at a comfy angle before they can ride. Not us- just pop in the front wheel and go. We already adjusted everything for you!
- The cardboard triangle is more than a spot to print some instructions; it’s a structural support for the outer box, reinforcing it to keep your ride safe on the journey from factory to your door. This extra reinforcement also allows us to go lighter on the frame/parts protectors.
- A conspicuous lack of protective plastic. Single-use plastic packaging is terrible for the environment, so we eliminated most of it. Well-placed cardboard pieces do just as good a job and won’t be circulating in the ocean in 2097 like plastic bits. We still had to use a couple pieces of recyclable plastic, but we’re actively searching for a better solution.
We are excited about our first go at improving ebike packaging, but that doesn’t mean we’re not working to improve the out-of-box experience. In the future we aim to use less cardboard and totally eliminate plastic while improving how the ebike is protected within the outer box.
It may seem a bit nerdy to get so excited about a box, but we geek out on finding packaging solutions that are friendly to our riders, the environment, and hopefully even your local delivery driver.
If you’d like to see how this packaging works to help you with installing the final parts before riding, check out our video quick-start guide for a preview of new bike day with a Vvolt ebike:
