No Bike Box.

velopeloton

If you don't have a bike box, this is how you should pack your bike for a short flight. Most airlines will take 6 bikes without hard boxes or bags.

snubbleste

The image shows a box..with a picture of a bike on it.

Morgan

velopeloton wrote: »

If you don't have a bike box, this is how you should pack your bike for a short flight. Most airlines will take 6 bikes without hard boxes or bags.
<bizarre bike-sticking-out-of-box picture>

Nice. It has the added advantage that you can still ride it around the airport terminal.

C3PO

Don't suppose it really matters whether it's a short or long flight ..... the loading and unloading will be the same? Neat job but I wouldn't be comfortable leaving my wheels exposed like that!

cipo

Absolutely... No way would I be leaving nice bling ksyrium sl s on show like that.

If anyone is desperate, I ll lend them my bikebox happily!

I've had first hand experience of baggage lobbers breaking frames, parts, wheels with NO comeback !!!

Nice idea though, pity it's not that easy! Long-haul / short-haul makes no difference, the bike goes through exactly the same process of being loaded!!

I also know someone who rents bikeboxalan's in Ireland and they are fantastic!! So if anyone wants that contact pm me!

velopeloton

cipo wrote: »

! Long-haul / short-haul makes no difference, the bike goes through exactly the same process of being loaded!!

Most long-haul flights will not take a bike if it is not in a hard-case or bag, and often long-haul involves more than 1 flight and more than 1 airline. Short-haul airlines will take a limited number of bikes without cases, usually 6.

We have had several riders come here with bikes packed like this from Ireland, UK and Belgium with no problem. The only damaged bike to arrive here was in a hard-case, the rear derailleur hanger was bent, it had 2 flights to get here from California.

The theory is that baggage handlers will be more careful if they can see that the item is fragile, whereas a hard-case will get rougher treatment. I'm sure airlines would want to avoid the hassle of an irate passenger if possible.

Personally I would be happier with a hard-case.

cipo

Even if you put FRAGILE stickers / tape all over an item, which I have, they still lob it!

I actually saw my bike being dropped and damaged by handlers and had no comeback!! First time it happened me, it was in a cardboard bikebox... Never again!

I have had wheelsNin wheelbags damaged also....

I just recommend to people to use a rigid box or get the best you can beg, steal or borrow!!! :-)

Khannie

I had a friend who worked as a baggage handler for a summer. He said that, if anything, they were rougher with stuff that said fragile on it.

cipo

@khannie ^^^^ Jaysus ^^^^

kerryscoob

cipo wrote: »

I also know someone who rents bikeboxalan's in Ireland and they are fantastic!! So if anyone wants that contact pm me!

You have mail.

Squidgy Black

My Da works as a baggage handler, even he says they lug them around.

evolutionix

kerryscoob wrote: »

cipo wrote: »

I also know someone who rents bikeboxalan's in Ireland and they are fantastic!! So if anyone wants that contact pm me!

You have mail.

Any chance gettin details for renting a box? Does this person sell on second hand boxes? Cheers

greenrocket

just a quick question, what do you do with the box once you arrive?

evolutionix

greenrocket wrote: »

just a quick question, what do you do with the box once you arrive?

Leave in van or at b and b or rental company

v6e5qzawyrc3jn

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dogsears

Ignacio Curved Bathroom wrote: »

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I took a bike Cork to Rennes with Aer Lingus this year with no problems at all. Did everything they said i.e. inverted pedals, turned bars 90 degrees, deflated tires etc. I phoned them up to see about anything else (not wanting to get a surprise at the airport) and they basically said - bring it how you want us to transport it, its basically your own risk.

I didn't use a box but did tape insulation tubing round the frame. At the airport I saw it going out to the plane on the top of the bag truck they use and I could even see into the luggage compartment where they placed it (standing up) and then packed the bags in after.

Pretty much the same routine coming back (Rennes also a smallish airport where you can see the planes being loaded).

One small thing I would do differently would be to turn the bars to the drivetrain side (instead of the other side, which is what i did this year). They put the bike on top of bags on the truck driving out to the plane and put the flatter side pointing down. That was the drive side because the bars were turned to the other side. So some misfortunate got a load of chain black on their bags. Sorry!

For context in terms of risk - it wasn't the most expensive bike in the world (or even in the garage). I'd do the same again with the same bike, but maybe not with a much more valuable one.

v6e5qzawyrc3jn

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Bikerbhoy

Ignacio Curved Bathroom wrote: »

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Serioulsy though as mentioned before take wheels off dont leave exposed as in picture. . . . . I know of people who have travelled the world using carboard boxes with no issues. . Tip : Reinforce all joins with duck tape . . an away u go. . . . BON VOYAGE.

boege

Travelled by Aer Lingus to Geneva this summer with two bikes, both had carbon frames. Used bike boxes for both and we packed in helmets shoes plus a few other small bits. Was susprised at how much i had to dismantle bike when packign but was quick enough to do second time around.

Got good tips about weight limits here before and can confirm bikes were only weighed on the return journey and 20kg limit applied. Lady at check-in was good enough to add total weight of group and we came in just under the total limit of the group but difficult to see how any bike inside good quality bike box coming in under 20kg limit.

Personally, would not risk anything other than bike box for a carbon bike. For a metal frame bike packed any other way I would be worried about derailer or wheels taking a knock.