General Cycling Discussion - going greyhound

anyone have experience travelling by bus with their bike? i wouldn't hesitate if i could bring it in the cabin, but the idea of having to leave my baby rattling around in the luggage compartment isn't appealing. i suppose i could box it, but that seems excessive for a 3 hour bus ride...

No worries. I assume you're going to NYC.

You can travel to New York with the bike unboxed or you can buy a box at the counter for $10. It has to travel in the cargo hold, but when it's boxed it's pretty safe. To get it in the box just take off the pedals, spin the stem 90 degrees off straight, and loosen the bars so they drop. It's maybe 10 minutes to box a bike.

I made a canvas bag to put my bike in for bus rides. It is like the bags Kerin racers use. The wheels come off and get strapped to the side of the frame, the pedals, bars, and seat/post go in my messenger bag, and I end up with a durable package close to 2'x3' which rides well with the luggage. You need to put a bridge in the dropouts, but that is all the prep needed. When I get to a location, the bag gets wadded up into my messenger bag and I ride off. I can dissasemble my bike and get it packed in 5-7 minutes with a 15mm wrench and 3 way Allen key. The whole thing cost $30 to construct.

It may be quicker to ride your bike to NYC from Boston. Weather notwithstanding. ;)

Funny, just today I was walking by the Chinatown busses that go to Boston and Philly and there were two trackbikes in a compartment below. The image looked so cool, I love the practice of bringing my baby along. Of course while I was realizing my camera phone would not recreate the moment suffuciently a porter,( ahem...) began jamming luggage against them. I bought a nylon bag that is bigger than Ira's but holds the whole bike, wheels off, seat lowered, I travel it with fenders still on, the rear tucked into the frame. Takes no time to build either. It says Mongoose Transport on the side, I got it on ebay several years ago, not sure if they are still around. One idea if someone builds their own, mine is cut so the bike rides upside down, and the shoulder strap actually velcros to the frame. I have found most drivers will work with you and keep other stuff off your bike. This bag also works on amtrak, (who does not allow bikes in the cabins), but will allow my tuba or whatever they think I am carrying on.

25 years ago I used a Greyhound to get the bike and me home. I found a bike shop about 4 blocks from the bus station and got a free used box. It wasn't pretty dragging the box on the bike for 4 blocks but it made it. We traveled from the west coast to Minnesota and the bike made it fine with no damage.

It may be quicker to ride your bike to NYC from Boston. Weather notwithstanding. ;)
Yea, I have to agree with that one. Just by showing up at the Greyhound station you are admitting to the world that you have nowhere to be for a looong time......