Bike box or bag?

:p

Those Livestrong stickers are ace! I wanted some for my frame but couldn't get any so used these instead...

Have a discount offer for Ground Effect - $30NZ off. PM me if you're interested in using it. Is valid for a month from today

I brought my bike to Canada a couple of years ago and used a box. Went down to the LBS and asked if they had any spare boxes lying around, got one off them from a complete BMX. Disassembled the bike and cut the box down a little so it wasn't so cumbersome, used a good bit of duck tape on the box's more vulnerable joins and it was good to go, brought it on the flight as sporting equipment. I honestly think paying a lot for a bag is a bit ridiculous as you can pad out the box if you like or fill it with clothes and whathaveyou, I know when I had the bike in the box it was way under the sporting goods weight limit.

federal, if, as seems to be the case that, people will be taking their bike on more than one trip a year, its a false economy to go the cardboard box route. How is paying for a bike bag ridiculous? how many times will you be transporting your bike next year, and if more than one, are you planning to gaffer up a bike box every time, there and back.
I'm envisioning at least four weekend trips for me and bike across europe and I'd rather put it in a bike bag, all pipe cladded and cable tied up, few tools in the nicely designed pockets, sturdy strap to put over my shoulder and away I go. Than have to go through the hassle, and it will be a hassle if you have to do it more than once of sourcing a bike box, cutting it down, gaffering it up, etc etc, etc...
especially when a decent bag like the ground effect tardis* will give you years of use, depending on how harsh the baggage handlers are with it.

*disclaimer, I have a ground effect tardis, and it served me well during my worldwide travels and I advise everyone to get one, because once you travel with a bike, and see how easy it is, you'll never want to travel without one..

Admittedly if I was travelling as often as you I would invest in a dedicated bag but if I was travelling just once or even twice this year I honestly would just get a box(the one I spent a few minutes rigging up could easily have been chucked in the shed and used again, which, if I was going abroad again soon after said trip I probably would have done). I just feel for people travelling once or twice with no planned trips for the foreseeable future, getting a bike box is a good way of cutting the costs associated with flying or going abroad with a bike. Perhaps I should have been clearer, I think buying a bike bag for a one off trip is ridiculous and unnecessary. Obviously everyone would rather "put it in a bike bag, all pipe cladded and cable tied up, few tools in the nicely designed pockets(nicely designed pocket?!)" but the reality is for someone less well endowed financially than yourself perhaps, an unemployed student for example, this could be a much more viable alternative. You could easily spend a few hundred quid on a bag, money that you'll most likely never recoup.

federal where did you get the figure of a few hundred pounds for a bike bag, the ground effect tardis is yours for not much more than 90.
and whose bringing in how much someone earns or has, bike boxes are a false economy, if you plan to take your bike with you on more than one journey.
lets take this fictious unemployed student as our starting point, say you had a trip coming up, and you wanted to take your bike with you, and you'd be going to a couple of different destinations whilst there, would you entrust the bike you've spent months on, grabbing deals on the classifieds, and on ebay to a gaffer taped cardboard box? What happens if the frames bent, or dented or the forks are bent, how much more will that cost to repair/replace.
as the axiom states, buy cheap buy twice. You cut the corners with how the bike is packed, how can you get upset, ask for compensation from the airlines baggage handlers?
also does this hypothetical unemployed student expect to be such for the rest of their lives and if not, will they still be advocating the use of a bike box and extreme amounts of gaffer tape?

http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/product-detail-TAR-BAG.htm
169 NZ dollars 204 NZD with shipping approximate 98GBP
Two quid inside your hundreds of pounds...

I use a Bike Box Alan which was plain black but I added some vinyl decals to it as I thought they looked rather cool :)
Are you old enough to travel on your own?

federal where did you get the figure of a few hundred pounds for a bike bag, the ground effect tardis is yours for not much more than 90.
and whose bringing in how much someone earns or has, bike boxes are a false economy, if you plan to take your bike with you on more than one journey.
lets take this fictious unemployed student as our starting point, say you had a trip coming up, and you wanted to take your bike with you, and you'd be going to a couple of different destinations whilst there, would you entrust the bike you've spent months on, grabbing deals on the classifieds, and on ebay to a gaffer taped cardboard box? What happens if the frames bent, or dented or the forks are bent, how much more will that cost to repair/replace.
as the axiom states, buy cheap buy twice. You cut the corners with how the bike is packed, how can you get upset, ask for compensation from the airlines baggage handlers?
also does this hypothetical unemployed student expect to be such for the rest of their lives and if not, will they still be advocating the use of a bike box and extreme amounts of gaffer tape?

http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/product-detail-TAR-BAG.htm
169 NZ dollars 204 NZD with shipping approximate 98GBP
Two quid inside your hundreds of pounds...

Sigh, if you're going to split hairs, at least read what I said properly. I said that you could spend a couple of hundred pounds on a bike bag, bags at that price do exist. I don't understand why you're explaining how much you paid for your particular bag, I never made any mention of it and it's clear that bags in that price range and lower do exist, I was only pointing out that one could spend an awful lot more on one. Which is all well and good if money is a non issue and aesthetics, luxury and practicality are of absolute priority. However, even the £100 odd for the bag you linked is a considerable amount of wedge for most people. For anyone to pay that much for a once off trip with no reasonable intention to do so again in the near future, is in my opinion, frivolous and a waste of money. Like I've already said, for a frequent traveller with bike, it makes a lot more sense. A bike box is no false economy, the initial cost(zero) is not negated by any concurrent financial loss down the line as a result of the saving. The one I used let me protect all parts of the bike and there was not one breach or failure after being hooned around by baggage handlers from Dublin to Vancouver and back, not once was I ever anything but fully confident in my bike's integrity or security.

Obviously the unemployed student does not intend to keep that status forever although surely it makes more sense to make an investment like a bag when they are no longer unemployed and are better furnished financially? Using a bike box as opposed to purchasing a dedicated bag is a great way for someone in that financial standing to save a bit of dough. I also fully back the buy cheap, buy twice principle, but to apply it to this situation is just nonsensical.

Different options each have their merits

Old bicycle box: cheap; great if you're cycle touring and leaving from a different airport to that which you're arriving from although will need sourcing of a box at the other end. Reasonable level of protection although pipe lagging is recommended and will not provide guaranteed protection.

GroundEffect/Cinelli Bike Bag: great for Eurostar trips where their compact size means that you can get your bike in luggage racks; provides the their ability to fold up allowing youmeans you the opportunity to ride away from the station/airport. Needs additional measures (pipe lagging minimum) if you're going to entrust your bike to baggage handlers.

Padded bike bag: affordable alternative to a hard case and likely to weigh less than the former (issue with baggage allowances). Reasonable protection for bikes although will not provide guaranteed protection. Takes up a lot of storage space at destination and in home. May also have problems with space on the Eurostar.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41e4FIcxX9L._SL500AA300.jpg

Hard case: gold standard as far as protection but expensive and space intensive. If you've got a valuable bike, could be worth the investment although an alternative is hiring. May also have problems with space on the Eurostar

I just flew with my race bike from NYC to London Heathrow. What I did was get a road bike box (was a merlin box) from my local shop in the states with all the packing material from the new merlin which came inside it. Disassembled my bike (just front and rear wheel, and remove bars from stem). Packed safely away in the double cardboard box and it made it here to London with no worries through 2 planes (I had to change in Washington DC).

A slight note, I know that customs unpacks these to some extent when checking for drugs or bombs or whatever else... I found it useful to customize your box and also write very general instructions on the inside of the top of the flaps (ie front wheel here, rear wheel here, bars horizontally here).

Had no issues doing this in the past for domestic flights as well.

Has anyone hired the box that Luciano Cycle's loans out? Can you fit any gear in there besides the bike (eg clothing, tools) ?

Flying With A Bicycle In A Plastic CTC Bag

http://travellingtwo.com/resources/flying-with-a-bicycle-in-a-plastic-ctc-bag

bikehugger.com/2011/01/how-to-pack-a-bike-in-a-box.html

bump
Most of this thread seems to be about flying but I'm training and busing a lot this summer starting with a coach to Netherlands in May. Anyone had any trouble getting a bike bag or box on one? I reckon they will be tetchy (I wont have another bag)...

I put my bike in coaches with no worries. Ended up having to leave the wheels out as my the person I was with couldn't get a bike bag so both frames were in the bag. As long as you're nice to them I don't see why they'd refuse, unless it was already full.

use a bike box = prey
use a bike bag = prey

Bag is cheaper, lighter, and allows you to carry it for short distances.

use a bike box = prey
use a bike bag = prey

Bag is cheaper, lighter, and allows you to carry it for short distances.

bird of prey

bird of pray

Stop talking nunsense

Hi, can anyone possibly lend me a bike bag please? I need it for a short trip from tomorrow until next Friday. Yes, I need it by tomorrow night. I don't mind paying for the privilege.

I'm in Hackney this evening and Clerkenwell all day tomorrow.

Many, many, many thanks.

If nothing comes up, get one of those over sized laundry bags they sell on the Kingsland road.

Not the best, but dose the job.

I have a bike case you can borrow, but it's in Streatham and the wheels are broken so it's a bit cumbersome. Let me know if you're desperate.

Josh, I'm also on the same trip and going to do what Lkp85 said, with lots of gaffa tape. If you want to come over tomorrow evening we can do it together (Claira has to do hers) and walk to LMNH after.

Cycle Surgery used to rent them.... ( going back a few years mind....) ?

hey josh, you can borrow mine no probs.
It's in PUSH cycles N16, which is on newington green (top of essex road] in the basement - stuffed into a large drawstring bag with a picture of santa on it: I can phone to confirm it's cool [since am not working tomorrow} but mike/hassan should sort you out if you know them.
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