Tandem Cycling - Packing tandems for travel...

Mark - I read an excellent web page that you had constructed (along with pictures) about packing up a tandem frame in two single bike boxes and the wheels in a separate box for shipping purposes that came within the limits of UPS. You had wrapped the frame in pipe insallation, covered certain parts with bubble wrap, put the rings in a styrofoam block, filled the rear drop out with a PVC pipe cut to fit and secure with a QR. However, I have lost the link and wondered if you could provide that for the forum.

I have to pack the Cannondale MT800 we bought to bring with us to America to ride in the RAGBRAI this July. I have been looking for a way to bring it and believe that your packing method would allow me to bring it on the airlines (for the extra charge). If not, I could ship it air freight using the same packing methods or ship it via international carrier - although I believe bringing it along on the plane as oversized luggage and arranging with my travel agent that I am bringing a bike is probably the most economical way of transporting it.

If you know the link to that page I was making reference, I would appreciate it.

Thanks.

BB

There are actually two different pages that deal with the same subject:

This was a Santana Arriva that I shipped to El Paso, TX:
http://home.att.net/~thetandemlink/articles/packingtandems/tandemshipment.html

This was a Cannondale MT3000 I shipped to New Hampshire:
http://home.att.net/~thetandemlink/articles/cdalebuild.html


When in doubt, go to our Web site: www.TheTandemLink.com
9 times out of 10, you can find links to almost anything about tandems on the "Learning Page" or "Links" page. These two help pages are linked off the "miscellaneous" articles collection:
http://home.att.net/~thetandemlink/LearningCenter.html#anchor368118

Two more tips:
1. Always buy full replacement value insurance. They do lose these things now and again. (Been there, they lost it)
2. Get a price from FedEx Ground AND UPS; FedEx is usually less. They were still Roadway Package Service (RPS) when I wrote these articles.

Thanks, Mark. Yes, it was that first link that I had run across in some sort of a tandem cases search I did at Google.com (before my computer crashed). I liked how you trimmed up the boxes to get the most compact size you could with that frame to meet the UPS requirements. Very nice packing job.

We will be flying overseas with the Cannondale, so I am hoping to just mention that it is a "bike" and not a tandem when I make my travel arrangements as well as when I check in at the airport. Trying to keep the box size down will hopefully just keep the agent at the counter focused on it being a bike and not lead to a series of questions that could bring up the word tandem.

The option of using bike cartons made more economical sense to me than acquiring a $500 - 700 case that would only be used a few times.

BB

P.S. I will get the insurance.