Bike Bag v Box

Hail 2 Da Thief

I'll soon be bringing my bike on a long haul flight with 2 stopovers & had planned on buying this bike bag.
However, after seeing a pic in a recent thread of a pro riders fork destroyed by airport luggage handlers I'm wondering if maybe I should buy a box like this instead?
It's a bit pricey though and I was wondering if I'll be ok just buying the bag & packing the bike carefully.
Any recommendations for less expensive bike boxes?

Cheers!

Raam

I have brought my Cervelo in that very bag and it was fine. I have also traveled with my alu Spesh in the same bag and it was also fine.

You takes your chances though.

blorg

I wouldn't carry a carbon bike in a soft case personally. I would NOT get that dhb box though, it is difficult to fit a large bike in, badly designed and the box itself is quite fragile, I have broken I think three of them in one manner or another. I now have the blue B&W bike box which is much better designed and much easier to get a bike into albeit more expensive. The dhb box is also heavy, near 15kg, which poses an issue with lower and lower airline weight restrictions. The B&W box is around 9kg which is low for a solid case (soft cases are a lot lighter and obviously pack up when you are not using them- the hard boxes are fecking enormous.)

If it is a once-off I'd consider packing it in a cardboard bike box like they come in to start with.

cdaly_

Would it be worth padding between the forks with that printer packaging foam? I suspect that would make such crush damage less likely.

levitronix

We watched our bikes getting loaded from the window at dublin airport and thank god everyone had a hard shell bike boxes, if you seen how they got dumped around youd buy a box .. but like what raam said you might be lucky .. also i was flying with ryanair that day, some other airlines maybe be nicer .. plus one thing about a bike box you get to pack away your summmer wheels and other bike stuff out of harms way come winter

Raam

I should add, there is no way I'd ever travel with the Cervelo in the bike bag ever again. Too much fretting involved.

I'd happily travel with the Alu bike though. It's old enough and battered enough that I don't care a whole lot.

07Lapierre

Hail 2 Da Thief wrote: »

I'll soon be bringing my bike on a long haul flight with 2 stopovers & had planned on buying this bike bag.
However, after seeing a pic in a recent thread of a pro riders fork destroyed by airport luggage handlers I'm wondering if maybe I should buy a box like this instead?
It's a bit pricey though and I was wondering if I'll be ok just buying the bag & packing the bike carefully.
Any recommendations for less expensive bike boxes?

Cheers!

I have that very Bike Box and yes, its heavy (16kg's)and a bit arkward to pack. My bike is a compact geomerty frame so not too bad. The limit with Ryanair is 30kg's so no real problem there, But as it turns out, Ryanair's weight allowance appears to be very generous compared to other airlines.

If your bike is a carbon frame, i wouldn't even consider a bike bag. A box will give you much more "peace of mind".

07Lapierre

cdaly_ wrote: »

Would it be worth padding between the forks with that printer packaging foam? I suspect that would make such crush damage less likely.

One of These would be a good idea, along with some foam padding.

levitronix

I use the DHB box from wiggle, had maybe 6 trips with it so far the box has stood up well

Junior

http://bikeboxalan.co.uk/

There used to be an Irish Number on that - can't see it there anywhere anymore. I wouldn't put a carbon frame in anything other than a box.

It maybe worth dropping them a mail to find out about the irish hire place.

Mellon

I also watched my bike box be dropped by about 4ft thanks to a baggage handler when luggage was being transferred for a connecting flight. Bike box all the way for Carbon. I also use the fork spacers Lapierre mentions above. This is the one I went for:
http://www.amazon.com/Thule-699-Round-Bicycle-Travel/dp/B0018THWX0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1286303074&sr=8-1

serendip

@Blog: Do you mind me asking ... How did you get your bike back from Istanbul?

Thanks.

blorg wrote: »

I wouldn't carry a carbon bike in a soft case personally. I would NOT get that dhb box though, it is difficult to fit a large bike in, badly designed and the box itself is quite fragile, I have broken I think three of them in one manner or another. I now have the blue B&W bike box which is much better designed and much easier to get a bike into albeit more expensive. The dhb box is also heavy, near 15kg, which poses an issue with lower and lower airline weight restrictions. The B&W box is around 9kg which is low for a solid case (soft cases are a lot lighter and obviously pack up when you are not using them- the hard boxes are fecking enormous.)

If it is a once-off I'd consider packing it in a cardboard bike box like they come in to start with.

kincsem

I'm retired but worked in the airport. I've seen cases slung about six feet down onto a steel bed trolley. And one airline packs cases on flat bed trailers (no sides) and the staff race around with cases falling off. I've often walked past three or four cases lying on the ground where the driver took corners at speed and they fell off.

A hard case might protect your bike.

brainstorm

I have that dhb box from wiggle as well. Its up to the task although its heavy, (which might act as deterrent from throwing it around) and a bit tight on space. I've a 51 cm frame and had to take the derailleur off... maybe i didn't find the right way to pack it

blorg

serendip wrote: »

@Blog: Do you mind me asking ... How did you get your bike back from Istanbul?

Thanks.

My tourer is titanium (albeit with a carbon fork) and I just give it to the airline as is. I think it is safer that way than in a soft case as they can wheel it around and it is easier to handle. Have travelled a lot with it (and previous tourer) by plane and never had a major problem (have had more issues putting it under a bus.)

paddymacsporran

I have a sci-con bikebox for nearly 10 years.

Cost me 300 sterling. Been away with the bike every year, and thats at least 20 and more like 30 flights with connections etc.

Paid for itself, never had a problem or a worry. Still in good nick and good for another 10 years probably, a sound investment in my opinion.

Especially if your bike is worth a few quid.....

Hail 2 Da Thief

Thanks for the feedback guys!

I've seen cases slung about six feet down onto a steel bed trolley.

I guess a bike box it is :pac:.

I'll have a look at some of the boxes ye have recommended. I didn't consider how heavy the DHB box is so I've ruled it out.