General Cycling Discussion - Cheapest Way To Get A Bike To Europe?

Hey does anyone have any ideas on how to get a bike to europe and back, fairly inexpensive?
Im flying with NWA, and the transatlantic baggage check for a bicycle is 150usd one way, i read from another thread to take the pedals out of the box and say your shipping bike components. This is the avenue I am taking at the moment, hopefully they will let me just ship my bike as a regular checked luggage then.. since it is just 40lbs. Any input would be great, for the next time I move my bike across the atlantic.

The advice you read on the the thread is wrong. Airlines charge for overweight and oversize. It has nothing to do with content. Anyone who lied about content (in the recent couple of years) and got away without paying simply got lucky. You can get just as lucky telling the truth and still not paying. Some will say they have done it several times, all I can say is they got really lucky. Oversize rules are pretty clear.


Plus in today's post 911 world, I think it is foolish to lie about anything you are shipping. If you are lying about the bike then you might just about anything else. You liable to find yourself in a room with the man with the rubber glove.

If you have yet to buy your tickets, you might want to factor in the cost of shipping you bike along with the cost of the ticket.

Not sure how recent the information is but you can find some of the charges here (http://www.bikeaccess.net/bikeaccess/).

Flying with you is probably the cheapest way to get your bike there unless you can find space in a container.

Pedal hard and hold your breath for a v...e...r...y l...o...n...g time

buy/rent a bike over there?

What kind of bike, what kind of riding?

There's an outfit that sells the "Opa/Oma" dutch bicycles on Ebay here in the US that ships all over Europe. I think they run about $400 or so. You could conceivably buy a bike and discard it when you come back and still come out ahead. Another possibility is to get a folder.

I remember reading that in the Netherlands, they did have bike rental places at train stations, not so much for tourists but for locals that come in by train and use a bike instead of a rent car. The place I was reading about required people to sign up in advance; you couldn't just walk in and rent a bike like you do cars here. And I don't know what kind of bike you get in a rental, either.

Thanks for the info

Consider shipping it. It's cost competitive and more reliable. Seriously.

Pedal hard and hold your breath for a v...e...r...y l...o...n...g time

Don't be silly, just get a water-bike conversion kit (http://www.gizmag.com/go/2505/). :lol:

Or, do this (http://www.metacafe.com/watch/232903/water_bike/).

Fedex is ridicilous. You might as well buy a new bike. You find a good deal , let us know. But yes, some airlines charge for sports equiptment regardless of weight. Check each airline first so that you know in advance. their Websites normally tell you in advance. And be careful. We went over on a tour. The same airlines did not charge us. But the next day charged a friend who joined us later on. Too bad I could not have told him of my experience. I find EU airlines more bike friendly than US airlines. Sorry to say.

I am thinking of going to Germany next summer with the girl friend, so I would be interested to hear how your transportation goes, or any suggestions on ways to transport bikes. I would like to take my own bikes, not rent or buy there.

i read from another thread to take the pedals out of the box and say your shipping bike components.
Since I work with the Airlines (not NWA) I can say this with some authority.

You are not being charged because it's a bike, yer charged because it's oversized. Look the fine prints on NWA's website, it's all spelled out. *Typically* it's 62 inches width + height + thichness. If goes beyond that, they charge u, otherwise normal luggage.

By experience, yer NOT GONNA get it down to 62 in by taking pedals off alone. U may get by if u have a FOLDING bike, else furgitaboutit.

The cheapest way is to SEAFREIGHT but u gotta give it 30 days lead time.

By experience, yer NOT GONNA get it down to 62 in by taking pedals off alone. U may get by if u have a FOLDING bike, else furgitaboutit.

Even most folding bikes won't fold down to that 62 inch specification - they have to be disassembled and carefully packed in a suitcase to qualify.

Bike Friday sell a suitcase for their bikes that is a inch or two over 62 inches, but I have flown with mine twice and the airline didn't notice or object, and apparently most Bike Friday owners have had the same experience.

Bike Friday sell a suitcase for their bikes that is a inch or two over 62 inches, but I have flown with mine twice and the airline didn't notice or object, and apparently most Bike Friday owners have had the same experience.
Most airlines employees are too busy to go nuts over 1-2 inches, but one day yer gonna bump into a by-the-book agent and he's gonna insist u pay. As long as yer prepared for that one day, go4it.

And don't even pull the "My parents didn't give me enough $" or "I left my vallet at home" routine.

Or if u pull the "They didn't charge me last time!" He's gonna say, "Oh well, u mean they FORGOT to charge u on your way in? That will be Oversize x 2. Cash or Charge?"

Unless you take a folding bike in a suitcase, you're going to be charged. Airlines will charge extra for anything these days. And if you do take a folding bike in a suitcase, make sure that it's under the weight limits.

I've taken my Bike Friday to Europe. No oversize charge, but I did stuff extra things in with the bike that put it over the weight limit, and I was charged $80.

Since I work with the Airlines (not NWA) I can say this with some authority.


The cheapest way is to SEAFREIGHT but u gotta give it 30 days lead time.

I once asked about seafreight. Maybe I did not contact enough lines. Everyone I contacted said you have to purchase some kind of mini cargo unit. Seems the charge was like 500 dollars. Still, renting a bike in Europe, I doubt I'd find one that suits my needs. They are mostly hybrids.

I once asked about seafreight. Maybe I did not contact enough lines. Everyone I contacted said you have to purchase some kind of mini cargo unit. Seems the charge was like 500 dollars.
Yeah, u don't do SEAFREIGHT youself, u go through an intermediary. the USPS has what they call Parcel Post, but I don't know how much they charge these days.

An intermediary as in, a world wide Hotel (i.e.: Hilton) that routinery ship stuff between continents, and if yer staying with them, u can ask them to "bundle" your shipment with the rest of their stuff, and get a seafreight rate.

I just measured my 54cm bike and even wo the fork, it's 66 inches WO PADDING. Bad news guys.

J. I did call USPS, Fedex, UPS. None mentioned seafreight. USPS could accept no boxes over a certain dimension , which left bikes out. Fedex or UPS neither mentioned Seafreight. THey just said the charges were like 500 bucks. The only way we got our bikes over was with our Mover, Mayflower and we put two on the airline and we paid freight rates.

As a last resort, and this is pretty expensive, is to consider a decent folding bike, one made for what you want to use it for.

I rode a friends folder in Barcelona recently. I could not get over that twitch wheel. For one who likes being in the drops , it just did not feel like a real bike. If we can get a bike on the airline for no more than 80 bucks, that would be my choice. My problem with putting a bike on the airline. The number of incidents bike loss one reads about and the damage baggage handlers do to bikes. One time BA really screwed up most of my spokes on the front wheel, even tho it was in a bike box, stuffed with lots of insulation including a sleeping bag about the bike. / And most airlines will not insure your bike against loss.

Hello,

If you seriously think about bringing a bike over here, I hope it is a strong enought one. My brother in law came from California to Brussels and the front fork of his race bike (a koga myiata) was bend. It traveled in a big flat carboard box. Even with an insurance, he had only his two yes for criyng (belgian expression).
If you comes for less than 2 weeks, consider to rent...30 days or more, buy one in here. (from 75€ to 100€ for a GOOD second hand citybike in thrift stores, or from 150 to 200€ for a new one in superstores). Where do you land first? do you need a bike for country exploration or the city?

I would also consider just buying a bike over there. You can get an idea of bikes & prices by looking at E Bay, United Kingdom. Remember that their pound = about $2. Other European country prices are similar.
http://sports.shop.ebay.co.uk/items/Cycling__bicycle_W0QQ_nkwZbicycleQQQ5ftrksidZp3913Q2ec0Q2em24QQQ5fcatrefZ1QQQ5fcatrefZ1QQ_flnZ1QQ_fr dlpwlZ1QQ_sacatZ7294

I doubt you will be able to save any significant money by shipping the bike separately. Shipping by sea seems like a big hassle simply to save a few dollars. If you check your bike onto the aircraft as luggage, at least you can be reasonably assured that the bike will arrive with you at your destination.

However, you might give Sports Express a call to check their rates. Probably not cheap though. http://www.sportsexpress.com/

Frankly, I'd just bring my saddle along. That's the most personal and intimate part of the bike.

Yeah, that's it. No helmet, because I don't use one.

J. I did call USPS, Fedex, UPS. None mentioned seafreight. USPS could accept no boxes over a certain dimension , which left bikes out. Fedex or UPS neither mentioned Seafreight. THey just said the charges were like 500 bucks. The only way we got our bikes over was with our Mover, Mayflower and we put two on the airline and we paid freight rates.

USPS will domesticly ship up to 130" of combined length plus girth. Internationaly your more than likely limited to 103" with a max length of 60". I suppose you could ship your bike in 2 boxes to meet the size limit.

As an example, 2-20lb boxes from Tampa, Fl to London would cost $82.50 each and take 6-10 days for delivery.

I'd rent......