Another Hurdle

Disassembling and packing the bike is proceeding nicely.  I tend to "over engineer" things and as a consequence I've probably done that with the bike.

Worrying that the bike might fall through the base of the cardboard box (unlikely) I cut a piece of 3mm thick MDF sheet as a liner for the inside of the base.  After positioning the bike frame I glued blocks to stop the frame sliding around.

 

I also made a timber spacer to fit between the ends of the front forks in an effort to ensure they don't get crushed out of alignment.  It will all go into the box tomorrow.

Another hurdle has been identified.  Shipping the ebike battery appears to be an issue.  It's obviously achievable, but my understanding of the Chinese language is an impediment.  I had to purchase the 2nd battery and have it sent to Taiwan because no airline will carry my existing battery (or any ebike lithium battery).  I need to find a company that will accept the battery and send it to Australia by sea.  Thus far potential shippers have asked for a copy of the MSDS (Materials Safety & Data Sheet) and Test Certificates.  I've written to the Chinese manufacturer requesting copies of the certificates.

I will be taking the laptop with me and purchasing a SIM card in Taipei for the phone which should enable me to continue researching a solution during the trip.  I'll also see if I have enough energy at the end of the day to update the blog.