How We Load a 40 Foot Container

Preparation

vbp_container.jpg

About 475 or so bikes are needed to fill a container. It is best to have 20-30 bikes over this number in case you decide that some are not suitable for shipping to Ghana. (See “What to Collect and Send” for details on types of bikes and parts.) The following preparation work should be done before the loading day to expedite the loading process as much as possible: All bikes should have the pedals removed and reinstalled backwards (facing the inside of the bicycle) or attached to the frame with zip ties or wire. You are going to want to have good quality tools for the pedal removal, as it can be the most difficult of all the preparation. Additionally, all seats must be lowered and handlebars lowered and turned to the side so they are parallel to the frame, and tucked into the bike tightly. Baskets need to be removed. Basically we want to make everything as 

compact as possible! Re-secure but do not tighten each bolt once you have lowered the seat or handlebars. We like to organize the bikes by size; staging in rows of complete adult, 24inch wheel, 20 inch, micro bikes, and partial bikes and frames. Then when we're loading near the ceiling we like to have rows of lightweight bikes. Any usable spare parts, tubes, tires and wheels make excellent filler, dropped into the rows of bikes. Wheels are often stuffed up high.

Volunteers

Roughly 8 people are need for 9 hours to fill a container, if all the bikes are prepped ahead of time. Organize people to work in shifts, so you get fresh people arriving when you're 3/4 done and exhausted. Some parts of the loading are very physical (lifting and moving all those bikes), some are more mechanical (removing stubborn pedals, making sure seats are lowered), and some tedious but not strenuous (tallying the bikes as they are placed in the container) it’s great to have a mix of volunteers to do this work and if desired, people can work shifts, rotating every few hours. The most strenuous job is packing bikes tightly near the ceiling. A strong and agile volunteer is needed, and this person will be glad to have the lighter bikes to stuff into those tight spots. Having an extra set or two of tools is helpful in making additional last minute adjustments to the bikes. Gloves and closed toed shoes are both highly advisable. Providing snacks and water or asking volunteers to bring their own is excellent. Please have a first aid kit on hand.

Time Frame

The time it takes to load a container can vary greatly depending on the number of spare parts, how well the bicycles are prepped and how many volunteers we have. We have had container loadings take anywhere from 6 to 10 hours, anticipate 60 worker hours to load. Having the bicycles well prepped and sorted and having a good crew of volunteers who are ready to work will make the loading go quickly and be more enjoyable!