[bike42]

My wife and I want to tour in Europe this summer. My question is this: Does anyone have a suggestion about what to do with a bike container once we arrive? Our plan is to fly home from a different city from which we start. Also, we are probably going to purchase ann S&S Santana. What options do people like about packing these bikes?

Thanks in advance.

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[bentbaggerlen]

If your staying overnight in a hotel the night before you leave. Ship the case to the hotel, and ask them to hold the cases for you. Buy the cases they offer for the bike, the bike will be shipped to your dealer already packed in the cases.

As far as packing the bike, before you leave home take the bike apart and pack it, then unpack it and assemble it. Do this three or four times, or more. Untill you have it down pat. Take some photos of the bike packed in the case, and place them in the case, it will help when you have to repack the bike. Also place all the tools you needed to disasemble the bike in the case, you will need them to reasemble it. It sounds simple but I had friends the flew from Ca. to ride in New England last fall. They left the wrench for the S&S couplers at home.... I ended up making them another wrench.

I've always liked the Bike Friday cases, they turn into a trailer so you just tow them behind the bike.

[trevordog]

While we haven't toured Europe yet, we did go this past summer (main reason to pick up a car via european delivery and the secondary reason to scope things out for a tandem trip around Lake Constance - aka the Bodensee).

Talked to a Santana dealer in Germany about this very question - he suggested lining up two bike shops in the start & stop towns. Drop off at one and they would mail it to the other. Check the Santana site for european dealers and you might find one in each of your towns. They will be familar with the Santana case and would take care of it better than a hotel would.

The other option that might be of interest is Forum International Travel (http://www.foruminternational.com/) or some other self-guided tour company. Here you are by yourself (not tied to a tour group) but you get luggage transfer each night.

Good Luck!