Just one thing to keep in mind....I will also be checking into bike boxes to buy here in the UK. From what I can tell, they cost around £100 upwards, with hard shell ones starting around £200. If you want to order one here, you can just pick it up when you come over in March and then you'll have a case to take your bike both to CA and back each time.

As for airline charges, I don't know what SAS policy is, but Virgin Atlantic charged me $25 for outsized bag when I took my bike back from ALC last time. And although the box was large and a little cumbersome (and we had to hire a much bigger car than intended because US car rental places don't have hatchback cars), it wasn't bad. We even managed to make our way home across London on the tube and trains with the giant bike box without too much trouble.