Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - domestic flight with bike

i searched and did find a lot of pertinant information, but mostly for complete bikes...here is my dilemma...does anyone think i'd have any trouble at all flying (united) to chicago with a bike minus wheels? and maybe without bars? i was gonna take it ALL apart (minus bb) and see if that would work...i just don't want to get to the airport and have to pay another $70 when i could ship it for much less...if anyone has done this and had problems, or had a swimming success, let me know...please and thank you.

-jason

a - call the airline and just ask them

b - man up and just ride. chigao is only like 600-700 miles from philly.

riding back home (milwaukee) is definitely on my list of things to do... not in 3 weeks. I think maybe not this coming spring, but the one after...if all goes well. someday indeed.

-jason

how far is milwaulkee from phil?

p.s. are you in center city? west phil? south? what are we talking here?

northeast, fishtown...and it's pretty far...not sure off the top of my head.. how about yourself? i see you are a philly resident as well, but your profile suggested nothing.
-jaosn

I technically live 15 miles southwest of the city (out in prospect park, by the airport), but I ride to work at 2nd and race in old city.

how's fishtown? everytime I've ever been through there, the pavement is so ****ed up I don't even want to think about riding there

no problem flying with broken down bike if you package it right. Just measure it. I think you've got something like 61 linear inches free...check your airline's baggage rules.

your best bet is to claim it's art or trade show equipment. don't admit that it's a bike.

that is what i was thinking. yes, 62 inches...and chimbly...that could do...especially if i break it down into seperate bags...word em up!

-jason

true, but it really doesn't matter what it is as long as it's under the size/weight limit and in an appropriate container.

I just checked with the airline I'm flying to LA with(SONG) and I got an email reply saying that as long as its under the 62in it's free. I'm gonna print it out and take it to the airport with me of course.

I was asking mrwhite about how he flys his bike and he just uses a bike bag with minimal padding and stuff clothes in there. I think I'm gonna do the same with the performance bag and just add extra foam. Its well under 62in add additional foam around perimeter and cheap pipe foam covers covering the tubes, should be fine.

usually, the only additional charges on an airline are for something that's oversized or something that weighs over 65 or 70 lbs. I've checked luggage with 20 lbs of coffee, glasses, cups, and tons of **** and had no additional charge.

get a bike box and pack it right, you should be fine.

Just writing to make sure you know that 62 total linear inches. That's length + width + height.

yeah the linear inches thing makes it tough. you can go the route of packing it in two pieces if you can get by with the rest of your stuff as carryons. a box for the wheels and then make a custom box that fits the frame.
you might be able to get it all in one custom made box that is under 62 inches, if you take everything off, including the fork and cranks.

also, some airlines might be more lax than others. but some dont let it slide. ive flown with my bike in a regular bike box on southwest airlines a few times and theyve charged me $50 each time.

it sucks; people can fly with a whole golf case that probaby weighs twice as much as a bike, for free.




anyone ever try fitting the wheels in a case and seeing if it can be a carryon? and then just pack the rest in a smaller box that fits under the inch limit?

i'm not bringing wheels, so it shouldn't really be an issue then. and since there are gears/brakes, it isn't much of a bike now is it? (sarcasm implied) and yes, i was going take it completely apart. I'll probably stuff everything in two cases, just to get myself more leeway. thanks for all info/suggestions everyone.

-jason

i'm not bringing wheels, so it shouldn't really be an issue then. and since there are gears/brakes, it isn't much of a bike now is it? (sarcasm implied) and yes, i was going take it completely apart. I'll probably stuff everything in two cases, just to get myself more leeway. thanks for all info/suggestions everyone.

-jason

Body bag, or the Tardis...

Choice of champs (http://www.groundeffect.co.nz)

garment bag and bring it on as a carry on

here's what has worked the best for me (internationally as well). i take two cardboard bike boxes from a local shop, cut them down to meet the dimesion requirements of the airlines. one box for the frame/bars/seat, one box for the wheels. i put extra cardboard around the chainring (alot) and the axels so they don't punch holes in the box. then i stuff plastic trash bags into the empty spaces around the frame and wheels and pack my clothes into the bags. duct tape that shiat up and presto! you're ready to go.

actually, travsi, that is EXACTLY what i was thinking...i'm ghetto like that. i'm so ghetto, i don't even capitalize anything.

-jason

i'm all about the exclusive use of lowercase letters.