Travelling w/bike on planes

I will be travelling with my bike at the end of the month and I wonder if anyone has suggestions other than the very costly, heavy and bulky bike cases? Im actually in the process of moving so #1 I cant rent one from my LBS as Im going 1-way #2 I have a cap of how much weight I can bring without being charged extra-freight. If need be, I will chuck out all the extra shoes, blow dryers and make-up for the sake of bringing my road bike along. Selling it and buying another has never been an option!

I would appreciate any and all advice. Apparently, most people have been tagged an 80$ fee from going, like me, from Canada to the US; however when flashing ones racing licence, the fee can be waved.

Cheers...

You can go the cardboard box route - most bike shops will give you one of the boxes their new bikes come in. That's what I did on my first tour...

The box included a stiff sheet of cardboard that slipped inside and matched the size of the box. I used zip ties to attach the frame to that so it wouldn't shift inside the box. Another thing I did was attach some pipe insulation (from the hardware store...) to the frame, just a little bit of protection.

On the bike fee front, I always had to pay in the days that I traveled with my diamond-frame bike - that's why I bought a Bike Friday, which fits in a legal non-oversized suitcase.

--- Denise

A bunch of people at Ironman Florida shipped their bikes by Fed Ex or UPS to either their hotel or the LBS. Maybe you could ship it to the LBS at your new city. Maybe someone on here is from your new city!

Nanci

Dunno about costs, but in terms of bike safety the cardboard box thing can be fine. My friend's baby sis got her bike from NZ to Europe to UK to Europe to NZ with the bike in perfect shape. The only dismantling she did was to take off the pedals and the front wheel so it would fit in the box.

I would get a bike shop to box it and ship it FedEx to a bike shop in the new city. I'd prefer the tracking and insurance of FedEx or UPS to that of airlines.

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Originally Posted by tlkiwi

The only dismantling she did was to take off the pedals and the front wheel so it would fit in the box.

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The amount of dismantling that needs to be done depends on where you get the box - in my experience the bike shop boxes require you to remove both wheels, the pedals, and and either turn the handlebars sideways or remove them. It's my understanding that the boxes you get from the airlines are wider and can accommodate the bike as tlkiwi describes.

The suggestion to ship the bike by UPS or FedEx is a good one, but if you do that be sure to have the appropriate paperwork for customs (since your original post talks about flying from Canada to the US) so they don't charge you duty on your own posessions.

--- Denise

I'm sure she had to turn the handlebars, but I'm pretty sure it was a bikeshop box. I'm also pretty sure the box had to be retired after that trip, but it did it's job admirably. I hate to think what it's going to cost to ship my bike back to NZ when I leave here. :eek: At least I don't have to think about that until 2007!

There's also quite a bit of information on traveling with bikes at this web site: http://www.bikeaccess.net/BikeAccess/default.cfm.

--- Denise

Ladies, thanks to all those who replied. The box sounds fantastic, howver, I have to decide if I would rather go the expensive bike case route, for convenience purposes. I am not simply traveling from Canada to the US, I am actually moving, and as such, I have a cap on how many bags I can bring( 2) and a cap on the weight, (50 lbs), So anything more is a pain in the arse, & hell to lug around an airport, as I am alone, once Im on the stop over. The cost to Fed Ex-the bike would probably end up being around the same price as the surcharge at the airport.

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Originally Posted by EinZwei3

The cost to Fed Ex-the bike would probably end up being around the same price as the surcharge at the airport.

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If the cost is the same, why not think about the convenience of not having to deal with the bike in the airport? If you don't need the bike immediately on your arrival, check the price for a ground service (FedEx, UPS, others...) as opposed to a shorter delivery service.

You're right though, if you're going to continue traveling with your bike, a case is something that you can use going forward. (Of course, you also need to have the space to store a hard case in your new place...)

--- Denise

I have a friend who raced IM Florida, who is a flight attendent, who does not get a break on oversize luggage. So, $80 to take the bike in its box and have them put it in the luggage compartment, while she flies as a passenger. $40 to take it in its box to Fed Ex and ship it, on the _same plane_. So you might want to check into costs, it could be as much as half the price to go with Fed Ex. Plus you don't have to drag it around the airport.

Nanci

Got that you are moving, which is one reason I would ship it FedEx or UPS. Who wants to battle a bulky bike case in an airport, getting it there, and getting it to your new place? Whew! Life has enough hassles without adding to them. :) I wouldn't want to deal with storing a bulky bike case either. My goal is to keep life as simple as possible. Yep, call me lazy.

Having moved a few times, I can say unquestionably that you are going to be stressed out. You may not realize it but you will be.

I am getting a coupled bike, thought not a Bike Friday, for traveling purposes. I've driven across the U.S. twice now, had a great time each time, but I don't want to drive that much again, especially solo. When I am retired, watch out though. I'll drive anywhere. :)

Ladies,
I am sooo happy that there is a woman's only forum as I have so many things on my mind about my move that what seems logical and obvious, is now starting to escape me. On a guys forum, they probably would have already called me dizzy! So, thank you for the UPS/Fed Ex option. I guess that I can try that once I get to my stop over, or, if its not too expensive from my point of departure, Ill try that.

Many thanks, and if there are any other options out there, I am open to hearing them.

Cheers, Crazie Kanuk!!!

I just got back from the dojo, we have a student visiting from Germany who flew in last night and...no luggage. He thinks it went awry at the London transfer. A delivery driver arrived with his luggage. We unload it from the courier truck "where's the other box?" he asks. You guessed it, no bike. Hopefully it turns up.

I told him on the way back go to my LBS a block away and have them ship the bike to his shop. Since he works at a bike shop he's not worried about the price, just the sentimental value of the bike. Must be nice.

I will keep you posted. We joked that maybe British Air sent it to Aukland instead of Oakland. If so we agreed the airline should fly the rider to the bike.

He said that in all his travels with his bike this is the first time the bike's not arrived on time.

Trek420's story is scarey enough...I sure hope that bike turns up.

Two friends of mine, did RAGBRAI last July, and had their bikes packed by a LBS out there for shipment via UPS back to the Bay Area. All four bikes were seriously damaged, two of them beyond repair. Please be careful with the bike box option. UPS has been NO help whatsoever...and I don't think the LBS has either. A really really bad situation there. And yes they had paid for insurance with UPS...no help at all.

Myself, I'd buy one of the good hard cases, pack the bike myself, so that I know how it's been packed, and pay to ship it where it has to go. While I know it's an expense...a wrecked bike is no fun at all.

For everyone who is getting scared about traveling with their bikes...

Unfortunately, bad stuff happens, but it doesn't happen every time. In fact, we probably hear more stories about the bad stuff than about the normal times - the times your bike arrives safely, and at the right time.

Please don't let the bad stories scare you away from traveling with your bike. Touring - or just riding in new places - is a wonderful experience. And while you can choose to travel with a touring company that provides bikes (either as part of the tour cost or for a rental fee), there are many times when you'll need or want your own bike.

--- Denise (who insists on traveling with her bicycle!)

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Originally Posted by DeniseGoldberg

For everyone who is getting scared about traveling with their bikes...

Unfortunately, bad stuff happens, but it doesn't happen every time. In fact, we probably hear more stories about the bad stuff than about the normal times - the times your bike arrives safely, and at the right time.

Please don't let the bad stories scare you away from traveling with your bike. Touring - or just riding in new places - is a wonderful experience. And while you can choose to travel with a touring company that provides bikes (either as part of the tour cost or for a rental fee), there are many times when you'll need or want your own bike.

--- Denise (who insists on traveling with her bicycle!)

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Denise is absolutely right about this. My only point, after watching my friends experience with UPS, is to be careful about how your bike is packed and shipped. Denise is right, most times accidents don't happen, but sometimes they do. Just be really vigilant about how your bike is packed. I know I will be!

Myself and my partner transported our road bikes with us from the UK, via Los Angeles, to NZ. These were transported in the hard bike cases and arrived intact (although they missed the flight and arrived the next morning, via courier). We simply had to turn the handlebars to fit them in the case.
Conversely, we also shipped out two hybrid commuting bikes, which were transported in the standard cardboard bike box - and sent air freight. They were packed very carefully by the shipping company, and wrapped in lots of bubble wrap, but one of the bikes still managed to sustain damage to the rear derailleur and had to be replaced.
The hard cases were worth their weight in gold and I'd only ever consider shipping a bike I love in them from now on.

I went to the advanced class Thursday night and...the bike was there. So happy ending :)

I, too, have a hard case and agree that it's worth it. It has wheels and you just drag it along like you would your suitcase. I've only had to pay $25 or $50 (depending on the airline)--and then not even always that! If the airline allows 2 bags and the weight is under the 50 lb mark and you only have the case and 1 other bag, sometimes you can talk them into not charging you. If you've upgraded to 1st class on flyer miles, you don't pay anything for the bike case to go.

It looks ilke I"m probably too late, but....

In Portland-Metro (oregon) you can go to a bike gallery store and they will box it for you in a cardboard box for $50 packing fee. It's WELL worth the money! I had them do that on one trip and then went to a bike shop to have it packed to return home--they did a much inferior job to the Bike Gallery.

Also, You can pick up bike boxes onilne at E-bay and then rent them through bike stores to pay it off or go to the bike store to see if they have rentals or know someone who does.

Be sure to check each airline's rules as they are different!

Joan