Flying with bikes

Not this:

This:

Is it better to use a bike box:

Or a bike bag:

I already own a bike box, but the concern I have is that I need to get taxi's to and from the airport and there will be stairs in the hotels I'm in.

Basically, will a Neil Pryde bike bag be good enough?

I'd say the bag. I've never had any problems with mine. Much more manageable than a box, one of which I rented before I bought the bag.

Depend which bike your taking. If you are taking your serotta I would go with the box even if it is more hassel, somethings are too much to risk.

I have a tifosi bag, non-padded, which rolls up into a sleeping bag-sized package. Add a bit of bubble wrap, and you should be fine with a bit of luck. the heavier the bag the harder it is for baggage handlers to chuck it around. So the main risk is other suitcases landing on it.

Use spacers in the dropouts (natch)...

Yup, was going to use spacers.

I can only find the Tifosi bags with wheels and crap on the bottom. Think I'll be carrying it and would prefer being able to roll it up. Where did you get yours le car?

i picked up a Tifosi from London Fields Cycles but they're pretty much the same as all the own brand cases (Evans, Condor etc). Used mine to go to Portugal recentlly...watch the chain rings (wrap in some cardboard) though as mine managed to slice through the bottom of the bag

For the chain-rings, get an old bidon, slice down the side and zip-tie it to the rings.

But expect and accept that your bike will get dented. Take off the rear mech (if you got one). And take out the qrs as well. If you can be arsed, put lagging on the tubes.

To be honest I like the Carradice thing. It's light and folds really quite small. The conventional padded bags are unwieldy (sic).

PS I would only take the Serotta in a flight case like jacki phelan has.

One of the reason I bought the Dahon was that you can fit it in one of these

a standard 29 inch hard suitcase

and no excess baggage charge to boot...;)

David

this seems like a compromise between hard case and bag, weighs 8kilos

It's more the size that makes something like that a problem.

I already own the nice SciCon box.

I just can't see how I'm going to be able to get it into a taxi.

With a bag there is at least the possibility of taking bits out and folding it down.

That's pretty much what I'm thinking.

And it's for the Bob Jackson and not the Serotta.

most airports have the people carriers - you can use them for an extra couple of dollars

you'd be gutted if le jackson took a knock

What a PITA. Last time I took my bike on a plane ('98) I just took the pedals and chain off, twisted the bars round, let the tyres down, and put pipe lagging round the tubes. Then they just rolled it on. Does no one let you do that any more?

There is NO way on earth that I would put a Bob Jackson in a light bag and hand it over to baggage handlers

I've pretty much decided it's the bike box.

I've changed my car in Seattle to a people carrier.

And in Chicago, well I haven't figured that bit out yet.

Am I right in thinking that if you put your bike in a bag / box, and just check it in, this is different from paying the extra for sports equipment (around £40 with Easyjet) specifically?

Flying home from France soon with bike and not too sure the best way to go about it... won't be doing it too regularly either so don't want to shell out loads on a bag / box.

Am I right in thinking that if you put your bike in a bag / box, and just check it in, this is different from paying the extra for sports equipment (around £40 with Easyjet) specifically?

Flying home from France soon with bike and not too sure the best way to go about it... won't be doing it too regularly either so don't want to shell out loads on a bag / box.
Easyjet consider a bike as sports equipment so you have to pay the surcharge I'm afraid.

Most bike shops are more than happy to give away cardboard boxes and you can pack one of those out well enough to prevent a bike from getting damaged. That's probably the cheapest option for you.

Easyjey bike in bag 40 gbp. However you can also stick loads of other stuf into your bike bag and not have to check other luggage in thus saving you the money from your other bag.

The easy jet T&C say that they will not handle any bag over 30 kg so as long as you are under that. Flaying from the uk in the summer they checked the weight of the bag but did not on that way from France so you may beable to get away with more, though 30 kgin a awkward bike bag is prob enough

I came back from France a few months ago....bought one of the decathlon bags, and used thetrain/eurostar....far easier than ryan air and any other company.Less impact on the planet too!

I've travelled as far as Nice with a bike on French railways. As mdizzle says, it's far easier.

Cheers for the speedy replies!

Think I'll probably try a really well packed Bike Box as AndyP mentioned. I've already booked the flight home but might look into alternatives, train would be good!

Anybody else done it this way ? (free bike box, packed up?)

bike boxes work as well as a bag. try a cheap decathlon bag, with most of a box inside. I think cycling weekly did a photo montage of this, in their Summer Special magazine!

Cool... sounds good, pardon my stupidity but what is a Decathlon bag?

Decathlon do two bike bags, one soft bag with some padding, one unpadded which folds up to you can carry it.