Bike on a the plane

Caroline_ie

Hi there!

I'm contemplating the idea of going flying to France with my bike this summer. After all it is my homeland ... and I have never really cycled when I was out there as I took up the sport while abroad.
I have a couple of bikes but the one i want to take with me is my Specialized Ruby pro ... carbon frame ... very dear to me and I am scared! Is it enough to use a cover like this ?

http://fr.decathlon.com/Img/FichesFichier/15520asset_7131282.jpg

Have you guys ever taken your bike on a plane ... and how do you recomment I do.

Many thanks

Gavin

Some good info here
http://www.computing.dcu.ie/~rbarrett/cycling.html#Transporting+a+bicycle+with+Aer+Lingus

E@gle.

Caroline_ie wrote: »

! Is it enough to use a cover like this ?

http://fr.decathlon.com/Img/FichesFichier/15520asset_7131282.jpg

Many thanks

I wouldn't even consider putting a carbon bike into that

get something like this

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=217&idproduct=1913

emty

Took a carbon bike home from the states home on aer lingus in a carboard box that I got from a bike shop,put some clothes and towels in around the frame and it went fine,I forgot to deflate the tires but still had no problems.

Freddy687

I wouldn't put any bike in the soft bags just in case.
Talk to your local bike shop.
Alot of them have the carriers that [EMAIL="E@gle"]E@gle[/EMAIL] is talking about.
They will rent you one for the trip. Only thing alot of these will be gone in July for the Etape, so ask now if you plan on being in France around the 6th July.

Freeman

I wouldn't even consider putting a carbon bike into that

get something like this

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/p...idproduct=1913

I have that case, used it to bring my Look carbon bike to the USA with
Aerlingus last year. It's a lot bigger than the picture suggests but, if
you don't want your bike in pieces when you get there it's worth
the little bit of hassle that comes with it when travelling alone.

blorg

I have travelled with completely unwrapped aluminum bike many times but for Carbon I think you would want a hard case. A soft case would IMHO be _worse_ than nothing at all (it will be harder to handle than the bike on its own and will likely get bumped around a fair bit.)

Caroline_ie

Thanks for the tips I guess I will have to invest in a hard case. I won't be doing L'Etape The Tour doesn't even go to Bordeaux this year ... which is a shame. I used to love going to see it when i was a kid ... they used to give us plenty of free goodies

michaelm

Was at the Tour of Flanders at the weekend and saw a large number of bikes going through Brussels Airport - There were four approachs in evidence: nothing, soft bag, bike box (cardboard) and hard case with the latter being the only option that you could feel fully relaxed about. As a matter of interest I have a cheap aluminium bike so simply adjusted it as described on the Aer Lingus site and handed it in as it was (no problem in Dublin, slight deliberation by the staff in Brussels before they finally accepeted it). Overheard one of the guys with a soft bag complaining to airport staff that the straps were torn off the bag on arrival in Dublin so that shows how that was handled. For peace of mind go for the hard case.