hmirly

I have been lurking in this forum for some knowledge about folding bicycles. Is there anyone could share your experience of travelling with your folding bicycle, especially, 26 inch. My major concern is its extra cost from airline company, because I found most bicycles exceed the restriction of the check luggage. Otherwise, what case you have been using, soft or hard side case? OEM or third party? Any accidental damage to your bicycle during flight? Please feel free to tell your story, thanks!

hmirly

Lalato

A 26" folding bike would require a very large piece of luggage. Since airlines are now charging for extra baggage, you'll definitely be looking at some extra cost. You might be able to reduce that cost if you can fit your clothes and bike into the same piece of luggage.

A smaller wheeled bike will allow you to fit into a smaller, piece of luggage... possibly even a carry on bag. That could save you money.

Others here have more experience than me with air travel and bikes. I hope some of them post here with their experiences.

--sam

Mr. Smith

After attempting a lot of ways to fly with bikes, here's my little tidbit. Either fly with a full size bike in a bike box, get an itty bitty folder (strida, Brompton), or just rent a bike when you get there. Honestly the rental bike is the way to go. You can rent a high end Specialized or Trek roadie as easily as a Huffy if you go to the right place, and it's fairly easy to coordinate ahead of time and is comparable to renting skis from a ski resort in that you can get the beaters or the high end. All in all with what airlines are charging for luggage and as weight restrictions are getting tighter, checking a full size in a bike box seems to have the least fees attached. I know some guys that have mailed their bikes using post or DHL ahead of time so that the bike beat them there. Many hotels will hold it for you a week or so if you have an upcoming reservation. A Brompton or Strida (golf case) goes on a plane pretty easily unnoticed. I have not attempted to fly with my Bike Friday yet. It takes too long to disassemble and when I packed it once pieces rattled around.

msincredible

It is very easy to travel with my Birdy, I do so every other week. I don't have to pay anything extra. It fits into a Samsonite 29" Oyster suitcase.



I did not have good luck with rental bikes. It is difficult to coordinate getting to and from the bike shop during their open hours if you are on a business trip, and in my case, it was very difficult to find rental bikes that fit me properly. Plus the cost will add up quickly if you travel a lot.

EvilV

I'm wondering if I could accommodate that Samsonite Oyster on the luggage rack of my Merc to use it as a luggage system on my trip to Spain. I need to get the bike onto the aircraft, and then carry my gear on the bike when I get to Spain. I'm going to find a tape measure and size things up. I've been doing the Camino de Santiago in stages. So far I have walked from St Jean Pied de Port in France to Burgos in Spain. In October I have a plane ticket to go back and I was going to walk from Burgos to Leon. Maybe I'll ride and do twice as far.

I could leave the Oyster at the airport if there were lockers, but I don't remember seeing any at the Baracelona terminal.

msincredible

Another member did a trailer conversion:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.p...6&postcount=50

cyclistjohn

Like you, I haven't had much luck with cycle hire.

Poor bikes, no pump or repair kit, huge fat, unsuitable tyres & often big frames that don't fit me.

My best experience was hiring in Västerås, Sweden, a great place to cycle, but even there I had to leave it at a conference centre hoping it would be collected ok, as there was no way I could get into town to return it, out again & off to the airport in a reasonable time. The previous evening was really pleasant for cycling & the shop closed way too early to return it.

There doubtless are decent hirers as Mr. Smith has found, but it's far too much of a gamble. As long as one's case arrives (also a gamble of course ;-) ) there's much more chance of enjoyable cycling.

How long's it take you to pack & unpack your Birdy? Any idea on the total weight?

msincredible

I'll have to remember to look at the airport scale on Wednesday. I seem to remember the case being ballpark about 45 pounds, that's including the bike, my tools, and cycling shoes.

It's taking me about 20 minutes to unpack, a lot of that is filling up the tires with a hand pump. I'm getting better at packing it, maybe 10-15 minutes?

tulip

It takes me 30 minutes to fully disassemble and pack my Bike Friday PRP in its travel suitcase, and 20 minutes to put it back together once get to my destination. The parts don't rattle around because I've packed it properly and used the packing materials. It costs nothing to check (unless you put more stuff in it than just the bike and it goes over the airline's weight limit.) It rides like my full-sized bike. I'm very happy with it.

hmirly

This is so cool. I have seen this suitcase many times at airport, but can not recall the brand name. Thanks for your picture. I am wondering if I could fit in with a set of 24 " wheels ,instead of 20" wheels, because just had a whim,which it can contain a fully disassembled and Dahon (Matrix) or Montague(Mx Mountain) with 24"wheels. What do you guys think about it?

Lalato

I think the issue may not be the wheels, but the frame. Can you fit the larger frame in the case? It'll be a tough fit.

--sam

cuffydog

I was just there and don't recall seeing lockers. I do think there are some at the Barcelona train station, so you could take the train from the airport, or the bus, and leave things at the Renfe station.

tulip

Most airport lockers were taken out years ago because of bomb threat issues. In France, they may have them in train stations, but I don't recall seeing any last time I was there (they were closed after bombing in 1997 and I don't know if they were put back).

EvilV

Yes - thanks. Of course that's another possibility that I should consider. I could probably make something to do that. It would be fun and I do still have time.

EvilV

Yes - I could indeed. I need to think carefully about all of this. Not speaking any Spanish beyond the basics a two year old would master, I tend to be wandering about any city in a daze of wonderment and concern about where I am. In the past on this jaunt, I have tended to high tail it to a bus station and get out to where I am starting the walk as soon as I can. Once on the trail. I am in my proper element: three miles an hour and a big grin and a 'Holla!' to everyone I meet. It's a funny old world and I have been greatly helped by the innate generosity of the people in Spain. They have been far more helpful to me than I had any right to expect when turning up without their language and clutching a phrase book and then fouling it all up with blatant English pronunciation. LOL. In rural Spain, barely anyone at all speaks English so as you can imagine, there have been a few struggles, but they did try inordinately hard to help me.

EvilV

By the way - you don't need to let the tyres down you know. The holds are all pressurised to the same level as the cabin on modern aircraft. If your tyres are at 65 psi on the ground, they might at worst be 70 psi in the air. If they are high pressure ones at 90 psi on the ground, they may get to 95 psi in the hold at 37,000 feet. Your ears don't burst and neither will your tyres.

tulip

but my ears get awfully uncomfortable! I let a bit of air out of my tires, but not completely deflate them or anything. If you were to have a blowout, tires for folding bikes are not available just anywhere. I bring one or two with me.

msincredible

I let the air out to make it easier to fit the wheels in the case.