New RX3 Unboxing

[acecase09]

Well my bike sorta arrived today. CSC shipped it with Daylight Transportation, Which is a great, highly recommended company. From their cross dock to a local terminal was handled by SouthEastern Freight. Also a great company. The issue was somehow it got lost in translation that I would need a small straight truck to get to my house. You are not gonna get a semi in here. SouthEastern does not have any and when they contacted me to arrange delivery we realized we would have an issue. To officially solve it, we would have to send it back to the main shipper, Daylight, they would have to arrange another company. This would add Days and about 600 extra miles in transport. The Lady at SouthEastern asked if there was anyway I could come and get it. It was not really out of the way for me, and it was the most expedient thing to do so I went off and brought it home.

As for the unboxing itself, a few observations:
-CSC packages it for side handling, not the more common end handling. it makes more sense as it balances the load, but it is always handles long ways, so it might be a tight fit, or have to be, in my case slid in the trailer.
-You get four 20' long straps, tied and knotted for length reduction. These are the cheap Harbor Freight Straps, which makes money sense because CSC is not getting them back and they send out 4 with each bike.
-It is boxed well. I recommend taking a razor knife and cutting along the side of each staple, then removing the cardboard panels you just created, then the supporting frame attached to the pallet. And finally said frame leaving only the bike strapped to the pallet.
-Two is better than one, I did it alone, but two people would be better. The front wheel is stopped from going forward by a small piece of wood with a single nail at each end. After you remove the rear straps, which you should first, then its a battle between those two nails and the two front straps pulling the bike forward. I clamped the front brake lever closed before I ever removed the rear straps. And I was able to get it loose from the straps with one hand keeping it balanced. Two people is much better as the straps are knotted and inter woven good. Unstrap, remove the toe board and roll it forward.
-Check for damage as you go. My only damage was to the box with the wind screen and my top box, as seen in the two pics below. That box was inside and tied to the pallet.
-Careful and slow does it. Bend all nails down as you go, put stuff to the side. You don't want to fall and break a bone or step on a nail before you can ride.
-Install wind screen and top box, install tag, check fluids, check tire pressure, add gas and go ride.

My first trip was a 10 mile dirt road with sand, hard pack, holes and ditches. I ended up at the Jackson boat landing, where the last pic was taken. I also road it to work this morning in 29 degree F weather. I will start a new thread with my observations and reviews here soon.