Flying with a bike. Ultimate guide.
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- Опубліковано 14 жов 2024
- Flying safely with a bicycle, lots of tips and advice from years of putting bikes on aircraft.
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+1 for the cardboard boxes. I've taken around a dozen flights with a bike and never used anything else, never had a problem. One important point I've had numerous problems with though is airline policy. There's loads of different ones; some have special sports equipment rates some of which extend to bikes while some don't; some only count the box towards your luggage allowance but are relaxed about dimensions, some are extremely stubborn and exact about this common "no side longer than 150cm" rule. And things may or may not be clear from what their website says. Best to write them an email beforehand or have the travel agent extract some written statement from them.
I've never come cross that Matthias, thank you for sharing.
This is fantastic! I’ve shipped bikes I’ve sold in country using cardboard boxes, but never traveled with one. And yes, the “post it to yourself” on the other end works brilliantly. (I did it with climbing gear when I trekked between Chamonix to Zermatt and needed it on both ends.) Hotels are (at least in my experience) so accommodating in that way.
May I ask if the countries you shipped and then sold your bikes in include African or Asian countries? And if one could ship more than one bike at once? Thank you!
Great content. Pre-C@VID my wife and I had been cycling yearly in Europe with a couple of Surly Long Haul Truckers with S&S couplers. I could split the bikes apart and pack them in suitcase style bags that were checked as regular luggage. We carried the panniers on board as our carry-on luggage. Once we got to our country of choice I would assemble the bikes and we'd ride off for the next two weeks or so. The transport bags could be folded and strapped across the tops of the panniers so no need to worry about them. Once we were done I'd break the bikes down again and pack them for the return flight home. This worked great for many years but we always longed for our carbon Bianchi's when doing some of the infamous climbs while loaded down. Now we've switched to Litespeed Watia's and will be using those as our gravel/EU touring bikes going forward. The ti frames should hold up better than carbon while in transit and we don't feel like we're giving up much in performance. Now we just need to decide on hard travel bags or soft. Your information has me leaning toward the soft bags. I know there are bags that use air bladders so that's probably the safest route.
Sounds like some great adventures there! Sean who does stuff on the channel with me always uses an EVOC bag.
I use a bulky bombproof B&W box. a mountain bike with 29 wheels fits really well with some additional space for gears helmet and kits. It’s not light, 12kg. Fine for Ryanair or companies that admit bikes as extra luggage around 30 kg
I will be taking my 19 yo Klein Attitude XX hardtail to Europe in a new B&W this summer!
I have an expensive bike bag which I have never used, but will certainly use it now with your “post it to yourself” advice. Simple, so why didn’t I think of that myself.
It’s my friend Allister who does that - tells me it works well.
My wife and I have flown with our bikes in cardboard boxes many times with only one mishap - BA 'lost' one bike for four days, one time. After that episode we avoided connecting flights. Your marking up and labelling tips are very helpful. Thanks.
I travelled to and from USA . Used a separate company ( dhl) to ship my bike. I also used the Apple Air Tag in the box . Worked great !
how much did it cost and how long did it take? (I've had some issues with signed for deliveries from them, esp leaving it saying we'd signed when we haven't.)
a solution that i see: if you go to a second place often enough it would be more efficient on the flight prices to just purchase a bike that is there for you at the destination (my cousin in scotland says he would hold my scots bike for me)
After using several bike cases, the Orucase is by far my favorite - simple, light and not overly large (for smaller cars or metros), but still an awkward shape (like almost all bike cases). However, you have to be okay with taking out the fork, an extra step that adds 5-10 minutes to the process, and makes the finished package much smaller. When I was flying 2-3x per month, the easiest solution was simply buying a Bike Friday, which rides surprisingly well (just like a decent steel road bike) and is a snap to get into standard sized check-in luggage. Can get the Bike Friday packed/unpacked and riding in 10-15 minutes. Have found an S&S coupled bike not worth the extra hassle - on the occasions I travel with a full-sized bike, the Orucase is much simpler and provides almost all the benefit (no extra airline charges, small cars, public transit, etc). When (frequent) packing and luggage portability are the priority, the Bike Friday is the easy choice. Agree that Airtags are great and have learned that zip ties and duct tape can solve most unforeseen packing issues.
Thanks Quinn. I’d never heard of Orucase but, sat at Nice airport waiting for checkin to open, it looks very neat.
@@alwaysanotheradventure Take a look at Post Carry Transfer case as well, a similar format to Orucase, but a bit less expensive and some nice features. Unfortunately, also mostly available in the US.
Here's another vote for the Orucase Ninja (or similar B2). We've taken many flights with them from the US to EU and back, and throughout the US. (32 US segments and 14 international segments). Before the airlines liberalized their policies for carrying bicycles, we even avoided fees more than paying for our cases in a trip and a half. The Ninja is small enough that we have devised a means to strap it to our rolling luggage (carryon). We typically leave both at our hotel when we tour and come back and pick them up.
When my wife and I cycled North to South through France we posted out from the UK our collapsible EVOC and Scicon bags to our hotel in Nice for the flight home as we'd caught the ferry on the way out. We went with the collapsible bags as they are 'almost' as good as the bike cases but cheaper to post/courier. This year we're cycling back to the UK from Barcelona so will be doing the cardboard box approach and hoping! Good idea about the Airtags, our bikes have 2 mounted on them already so we'll be able to see if they've arrived with us!
I'm sure that will work Gavin. When you get them from your LBS, ask for the fork spacers. You might also get the little plastic disc thingies which sit outside the rear wheel if you can leave it in place. The bike shop team will know all about packing bikes into cardboard and will have great advice. Just don't go in on a Saturday!
Another great video. But personally, life's too short. I'd get the boat or hire a bike in country, but then I'm easily defeated... 😊
Thanks Simon. Greatly appreciated.
Quick tip for one-way cycle trips in the U.K.
We now carry a pair of light bike bags now for putting our bikes in the hold of the stagecoach buses.
After a long negotiation/conversation with one of the drivers we got read the rules.
It’s to keep the luggage and the bikes separate.
Unfortunately we cannot fly ebikes due to the battery and the weight would probably bankrupt you in costs.
There is companies that land freight bikes to European destinations.
At this point local hire becomes more financially viable on the stress/ £££ points
Another UA-camr (BuzzAlong) said that she carries a light bike bag for the reason you mentioned about getting on a bus but also trains, too, and that some hotels won't let you bring in a bicycle unless it's packed away like a piece of luggage.
Really useful - can you recommend such a bag? Up here the coach is way quicker than train.
I met someone years ago who cycled to the local train station, and carried a very light folding bag to pop her bicycle into, so it became luggage instead of something the conductor could refuse if there was already a cyclist in the carriage.
@@alwaysanotheradventure, the one I'm considering is the "Richkasun Bike Travel Case 27.5 inch to 29 inch Folding Bicycle Transport Bag."
If you have a cardboard box it might be a good idea to bolt a bit of threaded rod between the dropouts and another one between the fork ends (with a nut both sides of each dropout). Frames and forks are quite vulnerable to damage when the wheels aren't in there.
The bikes sent to bike shops come with plastic spacers to do this job. I've found they'll leave two in the box if you ask.
I've got a Shokbox and don't need to remove hangar and cassette and works a treat.
A lot depends on the size of the bike too.
If only the airlines would let you book carriers.
And maybe let you book a tech at your destination to help reassemble your bike.
Some airports offer a box / wrap service. I used this at Incheon airport in Korea. $20 and they made me a new cardboard box and wrapped it, including the bubble wrap. They did a better job than I had done on the way out.
I didn't know about the box service. I had to use a wrap service in Spain because my borrowed Polaris box kept coming open!
I'm using my polaris bike bag for my road bike. Its a brand new bike and I fly in a few days. I have used this bag to take another bike I had to china and it was fine. I bubble wrapped it to death and used cardboard on certain parts. i think some of the cheaper airlines don't care that much about the bikes, but better airlines like Qatar, Emirates, and Etihad are a bit more understanding.
Excellent content, good to know about those zip ties (I wouldn't use Velcro BTW). And of course having your name and destination info printed up and inside the box is good, too.
I'm smitten with Santana Tandems' Z-couplers (also utilised by 22Bicycles) and Brake Breaks (leak-free hydraulic housing coupling fittings, sold by 22Bicycles and SJS Cycles) since learning about them a couple of years ago. Match that to a custom-made titanium frame with 3D-printed lugs to mimic carbon's looks (I loathe the look of welds), a hard wheeled case (S&S style) with custom hard foam dividers that keep the contents safe, as well as isolate the dirty wheels from the handlebars, the grips and the frame - and you have the perfect touring / flying setup for a bike.
An idea, perhaps?
There's a chance that 22Bicycles might incorporate Z-couplers and Brake Breaks into your Camino, if you persuade them to: they do provide the service.
Excellent tips
genius with the air tags
Once you have your bike in the box, and are ready to take it to the airport, don't use too much tape on the top. The security monkeys will want to see in, under the guise of "box doesn't fit in XRay machine", and you're going to have to cut it all off again, just to do it up after inspection. Don't need to let too much air out of tires either. The handlers will absolutely destroy your box sometimes, so do pack the bike well.
Good point, and I have come across this before. I don't tape over any joins, and I leave the cable-ties in the locks until the very last moment to avoid this.
When I took my wheels off peddles etc and turned my bars, lower seat and covers it in cardboard as per air line guide lines when I took it to east midland check in it still would not fit in the oversized scanner . They looked like they have never seen a bike before . Some airports are just not up to speed and don’t want the hassle I think that’s why the air lines charge so much to transport them to discourage people taking them .
Suggestion: instead of using zip ties, what about velcro? Here (Canada) I can buy a roll of several metres by about 1.5 cm at most gardening supply centres. Reasonably cheap. Reusable. No tools required to remove it.
That could work Jeffrey, but somehow doesn’t quite seem as secure.
airliners should just come up with train sort of hooks in a specialized cargo compartment, that would make it so much better. Otherwise its just pain and probably better just to rent one once you land
Excellent content. I fly with my gravel rig quite a bit and endorse all your recommendations. Am currently mostly traveling with a Bike Box Alan which is spectacularly good, but I sometimes wonder whether I should go back to an EVOC Bag just because its somewhat less bulky (and airlines seem less prone to charging additional bucks). Your views will be appreciated!
I don't know, I've never used a bag (although Sean always uses an EVOC bag). I've only flown in Europe and not found airlines charging extra for a BB Alan over a bag, and my bike being safe wins every time. Only issue is storage while riding.
@@alwaysanotheradventure Thanks, Simon, for being a voice of reason!
Any advice on carrying a bicycle pet trailer as well? I'm considering US to Netherlands and would like to take myself, bike, trailer, pets, and some luggage with me. That way once I'm off I can go straight to wherever I need to.
Crikey no idea sorry.
Great reminder about the brakes!
Flying out of Heathrow soon with my bike for the first time. Do you check the bike in at the same time as your normal bags, or do you have to go to another part of the airport?
Sorry Mike, I don’t know for sure. I expect you check in (or weigh if there was online checkin) at the same place then go to oversize with the box. That’s what usually happens.
EasyJet policy now states “No other items can be carried in the bicycle box/bag (i.e. clothing)”, which suggests you need to book hold luggage as well to transport tools to reassemble the bike. I had a small bike multi tool confiscated at Edinburgh airport security last year, so putting tools in cabin luggage isn’t an option. Note: this comment was posted 10 months after the (excellent) video.
Really - wow! Thanks for pointing that out because I’ll need to know later this year.
@@alwaysanotheradventure I couldn't find a similar restriction for Ryanair or Jet2. Best to check as near to the flight as possible.
Thanks for the entertaining and informative videos... always looking forward to your next adventure 😊
I took a folding bike on easyjet recently dismantled and taped up with a tent and clothes etc, was no issue. they charged me once when they asked what's in there and I said a bike, now if I'm asked I just say camping stuff but they haven't asked often.
Great vid and tips
Very informative vid..thx!
Exactly the video I was after. I've always been worried about the logistics and the chance of planning a big trip only to get there and find my bike in pieces on the luggage conveyer. I plan to tour Japan when it opens back up, do you think a cardboard box would survive a long haul flight like that? Ideally I'd take it in a hard case but I'd have nowhere to leave it when I got there.
It’s surprising how accommodating hotels can be so it might be worth asking. Or a bike shop at your destination? Might be handy anyway to have a contact there.
I suppose the length of flight doesn’t matter as much as the number of times it gets handled (potentially thrown around). So direct flights would be better.
I’d have fewer concerns taking a titanium bike in a cardboard box than a carbon frame. You should be ok but there’s always that niggle when you’re sat on the aircraft wondering.
When I did the Camino a few years ago by bike we flew 4 bikes in cardboard boxes with no issues. I was the official mechanic so I boxed them before hand and then set them up once we arrived in Spain. Before our return flight back to Los Angeles we contacted a company in Santiago that boxed them up and shipped them back for a fee. They arrived a few days later at my home in San Diego no worse for wear.
I've got lots of racing, TT bikes, wouldn't take any of them because of their cost and fragility, most being around the £5k mark. What I would take is a Brompton. People don't realise how fast and good they actually are and have a very good gear range ( on the 6 speed ) and for this sort of thing, they can go anywhere a racing bike can go. They maybe a little slower but you won't lose fitness whilst you are away and transporting it anywhere is simplicity itself.
Andy Feather beat Oliver Bridgewood up cheddar Gorge on one, whilst Ollie was on a state of the art bike, that is how good they are. If you have talent the bike is less important and you aren't in a race anyway.
As far as staying safe in transport, I read as a child, somebody travelled from Peru to London, with a label stating 'Please look after this bike '. At least I think it was a bike?
Sounds legit. But what do I do if have no talent? Not sure that's a solution for me - and the prospect of going on a prolonged bikepacking tour on a Brompton does not fill me with anticipation (which is not to imply they are bad bikes - they definitely aren't - but still ...).
As informative as ever thanks 🙏
Hi there great video, How do u get your bike box from the airport to the hotel, do the bus hotel transfers allow u to take a bike box? Thanks
That really depends on location. I always aim to get a hotel as close as possible to the airport. On the occasion in this video there were roadworks and I couldn't wheel the box, so had to take an expensive taxi - ordered in advance due to the size of the box. When I flew to Nice for the Torino Nice I could put it on the tram and then wheel it the rest of the way. (More about that here: simon-willis.blogspot.com/2022/09/torino-nice-rally-2-getting-to-start.html)
@@alwaysanotheradventure thanks for your reply, I have just booked a week in Mallorca with Jet2holidays and they charged an additional £40 return for bike carriage on top of the free transfer bus which I thought was fair. They are also only charged £70 return for the bike on the plane whereas easyJet wanted £90. Thanks again
Not gonna lie, thought this was about that GTA 5 bug where leaning back on a bike let’s you fly lol
I wish S&S couplers were more common and not so expensive. It would make travelling with a bike much easier.
Well you could take a full suspension frame down into separate parts. 🤣
@@mrljgibson true lol
interesting & some useful tips.
Very interesting!
Those hard shell bike boxes are incredibly expensive. I should've imagine sooner or later. Someone will come up with a cheaper version at £600 a pop is too expensive. At the moment. Sad to say it's a cardboard box for me.
My Bonza was just over £200 when I bought it Charlie and it’s now under £400 if you can find one. Renting them is easy too. But nowt wrong with cardboard, although personally I wouldn’t fancy risking a carbon bike in one.
There are and some of them are heavy too.
It's kind of annoying, because once you have the bike at the destination you might not want the bike bag to haul around. It would be good if the airlines could come up with a better system for transporting bicycles.
That's the whole top and bottom of the issue. Airlines seem to make it harder to fly with bikes / surf boards / golf clubs / musical instruments, not easier.
What type of car do you use to get from airport?
Taxi
When you remove the rear derailleur with it still attached to the cables, do you need to tune it after putting it back?
No you don’t Robbo. And if they’re miss-firing then something else is wrong. I’ve had the cable twisted, and I’ve also had the bolt too slack.
Are these bike boxes checked in as normal luggage?
Varies between airlines. I mainly use EasyJet and you buy the box space when you book and check-in online as normal. At the airport - well, it varies between airports - but you always end up heading off to Oversize Luggage with the golf clubs and surf boards.
Buy a Brompton. Carry on. Easy life
Oppressor MK II?
🤣
I just got my new bike indian brand ninety one. For the first time I ride 64 km. It was fun but my Ass get hurts so much. Please help me to get rid of Ass pain for my next long trip.
A good pair of padded shorts helps, then a saddle that fits your backside (it takes a while to find the right one) and a bike fit to ensure your body is in the right position on the saddle. Oh - and your body still takes a while to get used to it Seltun!
I'd start with the basics, start with your ass and your seat, get the right seat for your 'sit bone', once you have those right then anything else is an extra comfort.