CTC Bike bag, experience with air travel?.

Morning,

I am off on the 1st of June to Asia with the bike, I expect to take in the region of 10 flights over the course of 6 months and was wondering what peoples experience was of using a clear CTC bike bag?..

I have always used a cardboard box from the LBS and I have had no real issues on flights previous but my concern is I am traveling with my wife and 15 month old, getting a large cardboard box plus all the other bags and crap into taxis is going to be a ball ache, not to mention rental cars seems to be getting smaller.

I have a clear CTC bag that I have never used and was looking at how much smaller the dimensions would be if I was to use that with pipe foam on the tubes for minor protection and I would still have room for a smaller dry bag to take tools, pedals etc..

I was wondering but I kinda know the answer to this bit, if the handlers noticed it was a bike would it be handled with a bit more care? (holds head in hands).

I know it is a calculated risk and in a ideal world I would use a expensive plastic case and have my private chauffeur pick me up at the other end, sadly I live in the real world and taking such a box just will not work with where I am going.

The bike is a Carbon road bike, no panniers or the like, I have zero issues with minor cosmetic marks after transportation as I have had it a few seasons now and it will be staying out in Asia after the trip..

So if you have traveled with such a bag what was the experience?..

Regards

Not sure I'd do it with carbon but I know Bike Whisperer used a clear plastic bag to wrap an mtb for touring Sri Lanka with no issue.

I've used the CTC bag for a couple of trips with Easyjet. The bike survived fine. Not sure I'd do it with pricey carbon though. I'd take more time trying to protect the derailleur (plastic bottle/cardboard) than the frame though.

I would always take off the rear mech and zip tie to the chain stay, I would even go as far as removing the fork and putting in a separate bag to avoid damage..

May be it is time to upgrade to Etap, I could take front and rear mech in carry on and even shifters if I had to at the ball ache of having to re tape bars..

Used the CTC bag to get back from France in 2011. Removed the pedals and turned the handlebars (bullhorns) flat to the frame. Pipe lagging ziptied on everywhere and a few correx boards (direction signs from PBP) over various bits too. Fixed so no dérailleurs to worry about. Steel so no crunchy carbon. Then taped the bag up with duct tape.

I didn't risk it on the way to France (bike went in a van with someone) and didn't care about it being crushed once the ride was done.

Same thinking in that if they can see it's a bike they may be more careful with it.

No damage at all but that's just one trip.

Check the airport policy - Gatwick won't load a bike in the CTC bag, has to be in what they deem to be a "proper" bike bag/box. The Evoq bag folds down once you remove the fibreglass rods, might be a good halfway house?

Ground Effect Tardis might be worth a look - I've used it for multiple flight/train trips and no damage so far. Packs down pretty small when not in use.

Check the airport policy - Gatwick won't load a bike in the CTC bag

They did in 2011. Policy may well have changed though.

I don't know if this is true for particular airlines, but if my customer service general information rep I just spoke to at Air Transat is to be believed, it won't be an issue to use a CTC bag when I fly from Gatwick to Vancouver in August.

I think I'll be nervous about my bike carriage whichever option I go with, but I think CTC bag will be my preferred strategy since we'll have some onward journeys (US trains) where I think it would be useful to have bike bagging capabilities on the move.

US trains were a mixed bag in my experience - some had bike racks/hangers but others, like the major west coast line, required you to bag or box and put it in the luggage storage. They would sell you a box, but it was a hassle. I generally used the Tardis thing and brought the bike on as hand luggage. So the ctc bag would work if you could carry it.

Yeah, we've booked the Coast Starlight train from San Francisco to Seattle, where bikes need to be checked in. Will make sure my pedal spanner is handy. :)

I've travelled most stages of that with a bike - brilliant train ride. They usually let you carry the bike on if it is bagged, saves it getting bashed about with all the other luggage.

Excellent, can't wait! I don't suppose you've experienced embarking at Emeryville? It's a 10pm departure so I was planning a leisurely ferry crossing early evening from SF, giving us at least a couple of hours spare to sort our bits out.

(The "roomettes" look rather bijou.)

I second the ground effect tardis, and have done since I got back from travelling with it for a year...
my bike was a genesis flyer, but with pipe lagging cable tied on it got me round the world, and the bike was still in one piece...
Also if you haven't loaded the bag with clothes and other such stuff, it's easy and light enough with bike to carry using the shoulder strap.

buy one here.
http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/products/tardis-compact-bike-bag

I second @balmain, did that train ride back in 2010, and just carried bike on (bagged in ground effect tardis) with rucksack as luggage if I remember rightly.
Beautiful train ride, though my train was delayed so had to sit in the station and wait for it, didn't leave to hella late...

No, I just got on at San Fran - they bus you over to Oakland station I think.
I broke the trip once at Klamath Falls and headed over to Crater Lake - one of the best ever day rides round the lake. I'm with @cornelius_blackfoot on the Tardis, mine has probably done 20 flights without any damage to the kit and I didn't bother with pipe lagging. Packing down small and easy to carry fully loaded is a real help.

As long as this rep was from/based at Gatwick (and you have what they said in an email you can print out and take) then game on.

Good point, I will get this in writing. Cheers.

Has anyone flown with SAS using the ctc bag?