Bike Bags...

Highway_To_Hell

Anyone know if any of the Dublin bike shops rent out bike transport bags? I am travelling over to Lisbon at the end of April for a Half IM. I cannot find any rental info on the web but the following bags could be cost effective as I would also hope to bring my bike a a few planned trips.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/dhb_Marsden_Wheeled_Bike_Bag_And_Wheel_Bag_Set/5360031436/

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=B1087

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=23169

do these soft type bags offer much protection and how much de-assembling is required to fit the bike in.

Thanks

paddyb

you can rent travel cases in wheelworx

Mickb

Hey,

Where are you located?

I have a bag here you could borrow (rent).

MiCk B. :-)

Highway_To_Hell

@MickB

Thanks for the offer, going to look into purchasing one first, but I might wait until my next trip to the USA to do that, if I am not there before the end of April I will be back to you to take you up on the offer. Thanks

blorg

Personally for carbon or lightweight (e.g. thin) metal bikes I would go for a hard case.

Explosive_Cornflake

Is building a case feesabile? Anyone though of doing it? Custom fit for your bike.

blorg

Explosive_Cornflake wrote: »

Is building a case feesabile? Anyone though of doing it? Custom fit for your bike.

Depends how handy you are I guess.

I took photos of the packing process in a dhb box going to the Alps, might help if you are faced with a "how the **** is this meant to fit into THAT" moment. It's a tight fit although you do get quicker once you've done it once. My new Litespeed goes in a bit easier than the Focus, removed the derailleur but not the hanger.

DirkVoodoo

I'm reading around and the DHB ones on Wiggle weigh 8Kg+, add another 8.5 for the bike and I'm thinking that a 15kg limit on bikes is a bit unrealistic unless you ship it unboxed which is obviously a no-no.

I'm also torn between ryanair and aer lingus, the former are charging an awful lot for the bike and the latter don't let you get a ticket with a bike online. Of course, I have been told by a friend that he checked in a downhill bike as a surfboard online and there were no problems in the airport.

I guess it depends how busy the flight is.

blorg

The hard shell dhb boxes are around 14kg on their own. Packed up with the bike and everything else we put in them, this time they were around 27-28kg.

Aer Lingus have a 15kg max limitation on the boxed bike, which they may or may not enforce. If they enforce, that is a serious excess baggage fee at €9/kg. They are certainly very clear in their T&Cs that the max for the bike is 15kg and you have to pay excess in addition to the flat fee.

Ryanair don't have a weight restriction on the boxed bike. This is a big difference than in my opinion makes Ryanair the better option for a boxed bike right now. Bike on its own I would be happy to take on Aer Lingus.

Both airlines charge the same, €30 for a bike per flight. Ryanair costs a little extra as you also then have to buy airport checkin, not sure about Aer Lingus on that one.

DBCyc

I flew to Lisbon on Aer Lingus and the bike box, bike and bits weighed way more than 15kg. They didn't mind at all in either airport, I just had to check it in excess baggage after paying the standard fee for sports equipment.

Raam

DBCyc wrote: »

I flew to Lisbon on Aer Lingus and the bike box, bike and bits weighed way more than 15kg. They didn't mind at all in either airport, I just had to check it in excess baggage after paying the standard fee for sports equipment.

Be careful about this. I had all my crap in the bike bag along with the bike. Didn't get weighed on the way out, but the lad at the Aer Lingus desk in Munich on the way back weighed it and was 7kg over the weight. He wanted to charge me 70 quid (or there abouts) excess. I managed to squish 5kg into my carry on. He let me off the extra 2kg in the end, but it was close.

DBCyc

Raam wrote: »

Be careful about this.

Yeah fair point, I was probably just lucky.

Tawfee

Highway_To_Hell wrote: »

@MickB

Thanks for the offer, going to look into purchasing one first, but I might wait until my next trip to the USA to do that, if I am not there before the end of April I will be back to you to take you up on the offer. Thanks

here's another couple of options to consider if you end up buying:

http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/product-detail-BOD-BAG.htm
http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/product-detail-TAR-BAG.htm

Thinkin of getting one of these to post on ahead of me when headin to France later in the year (will chance doing without in Dublin airport).

I've used this crowd for clothing items in the past & they're quite good. Delivery in about 10 days, not bad considering it's coming from the opposite side of the planet!

DirkVoodoo

Ryanair it is so.

I think the flight was 30 euro and the bike+insurance+booking fee came in at 110, so 140 in total.

Ryaner

Ryanair are about to start charging for online checkin too.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0310/ryanair.html

Highway_To_Hell

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Ryanair it is so.

I think the flight was 30 euro and the bike+insurance+booking fee came in at 110, so 140 in total.

What airport in Lisbon do Ryanair fly into are is it a 100+ miles from the city?

Thanks

DBCyc

Highway_To_Hell wrote: »

What airport in Lisbon do Ryanair fly into are is it a 100+ miles from the city?

Thanks

AFAIK Ryanair do not fly to Lisbon, they fly to Porto. Aer Lingus fly from Dublin to Lisbon direct.

DirkVoodoo

Crap, did I say Lisbon??

No, I'm flying to Brussells. Charleroi is a bus ride away from the city centre, not too bad I guess.

DBCyc

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Crap, did I say Lisbon??

Okay I'm confused...

Ahh OP is flying to Lisbon!!!