gsa103

I'm looking at shipping my bike for a few trips coming up, probably 2-3 times a year. I would be using a service like bikeflights, since these are significantly cheaper than taking the bike on a place.

Option 1: Bike box
Bike box from the LBS. Ease to source and the price is right (free). Slightly more difficult to pack. I would probably get a "new" box for each round-trip.

Option 2: Soft side bike case.
I'm thinking a moderately priced soft padded case (~$200). Ease to pack since it has dedicated straps, etc. Wheels make it easier to move.

What do people do in similar situations? Which do people think offers better protection?

dave1442397

Bikeflights are used to bike boxes, and that's what my friends use when sending their bikes from NJ to AZ for bike camp every year.

I take my bike on vacation when I fly, and I use a Trico Iron Case - https://www.amazon.com/Trico-Iron-Ca.../dp/B001185C7Q

I borrowed one of these from a friend for a trip out west last year, and it really protects the bike. I took the saddle and pedals off, loosened the handlebar, and packed all the loose items so that they wouldn't bounce around. I wrapped some foam pipe covers from Home Depot around the frame, just in case. TSA opened the case, and of course didn't close it properly, but everything was fine.

If you keep an eye on Craigslist or ebay you can pick one up for $200 or less. I searched for a month or two before I found one for sale close to where I work.

mpath

I take my bike with me on my vacations all the time in a Thule Transition hardcase. Given the amount of new scratches and nicks on the case after each flight, I would never consider a soft case.

rm -rf

Soft bags? Just google "airline baggage handler throws bags". Yikes!

I'd pack a bike to handle a 5 foot drop to the ground.

rms13

If you are going to be traveling a lot you should invest in a hard case and then ship it with bikeflights. Are you in a club? My bike club owns a few hard cases for members to use when travel. That would be worth the $50/year alone for me if I traveled with my bike

rmfnla

This came up on BF recently and I found this interesting idea:

How to fly with a bike: The cheap and easy method -

rms13

I certainly don't believe baggage handlers will handle it better because it's in a clear bag.

rmfnla

Probably; I just thought it was an interesting take...

mpath

Hard cases can often be had on Craigslist for a couple hundred bucks. A bent carbon wheel from mishandling or incorrectly packed/packaged will be more; and that bike vacation is in jeopardy.

indyfabz

I have been using one of these for years:


Crateworks Bike Boxes and Accessories: Pro XL-C Plastic Bike Box


You can purchase a wheel caddy for it. I have large bikes, so the extra space is nice. Last month I shipped my 60cm Surly LHT, racks (not attached), stove and empty fuel bottle from Philly to Missoula, MT via bikeflights for about $70 including $1,600 in insurance.

gsa103

I was planning on travelling with the OEM rims (Fulcrum 5s). They're decent enough and if they get wrecked, I'll be annoyted.

One of the things that led me toward soft case, is that a blog mentioned that hard cases are heavier and more slippery making them more prone to falling off things. They obviously provide more protection against a true crushing, but other than that it's not clear they have an advantage.

rpenmanparker 

Good luck with that. Insane.

rpenmanparker 

I have used soft sides cases and hard boxes. The hard boxes are far superior. With what I have seen in the last couple of weeks re: some UPS shipments that were ridiculously abused, I would never ship a bike in a soft case. I would get a custom carton made from extra-heavy duty corrugated cardboard. You can get that done online to the exact size you need for your bike. I would get the "telescoping", two-piece design. It is sturdier. Good luck.

link0

ShipBikes - What is an AirCaddy?

gregf83 

I travelled to Europe with a bunch of guys all with soft cases by Pika Packworks. No problems with any of the bikes on dozens of flights. Much easier to deal with at your destination with soft cases. I think one of the bigger risks with any of these cases is when security opens up the case to inspect the items. If they don't put things back together properly there is a risk of damage whether it's a soft or a hard case.

gsa103

So people have provided a lot of information about flying with a bike. I have zero interest in checking the a bike, the airline fees are completely ridiculous, so I'm not too concerned about baggage handling.

I am concerned about FedEx/UPS/DHL handling and especially stacking...Any thought?

mpath

It's $75 one-way on Alaska Airlines to Kona, Hawaii. It's reasonable to me considering a comparable rental - and it's a rental - is ~$40/day.

chong67

Anyone bring their bicycle onto cruise ship so can ride when disembark?

rpenmanparker 

I have shipped by UPS and FedEx many times in the heavy duty corrugated carton I described above. Mine happened to be an S&S break apart bike, so the box was smaller than for a full size bike, but that isn't an important difference. The bike was well protected by the box and the Velcro-attached foam tubing wrap.

The carton, OTOH, did get beaten up over time. I would say 2 to 3 round trips was about all it could stand. I am continually surprised how badly the major shipping companies treat my packages compared to the condition that commercial goods arrive at my house. Amazon cartons seem to always arrive in pristine condition, but my shipments are routinely beaten all to hell. I have no answer for why that is the case.

I think that UPS was always worse than FedEx. FedEx is how I would ship now if it were me.

bmthom.gis

Check Goodwill, too. A friend found a hard case for like $15!! I couldn't believe it. One of the better thrift store finds

WalksOn2Wheels

For 2-3 times a year, I don't think a soft case would be worth it and I don't think it would be the best of ideas. A soft case is designed primarily for plane travel. I feel that on a one way trip, there would be a lot more chances for the bag to be "thrown" via shipping than on a flight. That and you're usually bumping up against other soft bags on a flight as opposed to heavy, pointy boxes via FedEx.

For shipping with a box, it would be a really good idea to nail down some reusable packaging. They will have some stuff at the bike shop from the packaged bikes. You can get the foam that wraps around the seat stays, down tube, etc. and then get some two sided velcro from a craft store or amazon and cut some straps. This will be easier than messing with tape or zip ties. You could even label the foam pieces for the part of the bike they go on.

From there, it's just a matter of replacing the box. If you're not familiar with packing a bike for shipping, it would be worth it to pay a good shop that will let you watch while they do it. Once you get it down, it's a fairly straightforward process. You could also use that opportunity to save and mark the packaging as you take it off at your destination. If it's a carbon bike, check out the small preset torque tools for assembly. They're awesome. If they are a Trek dealer, they probably have a drawer full of them and would give you one if you asked nicely enough.

indyfabz

The GF and/or I have shipped bikes using UPS and FedEx for a total of 14 bike shipments. I used the Crate Works box I linked to above. She used a hard case. Never had any damage.


To ease you mind, consider how many new bikes travel around the globe in cardboard boxes to get to LBS.

WalksOn2Wheels

The majority of those bikes arrive at the bike shop on a pallet. When I was working at a shop, we would occasionally have a single bike sent by itself and those were the only ones that seemed to get damaged in shipment.

fietsbob

UAL gave me a Box at SFO, when I arrived with a rumpled Amtrak one I reused.

rpenmanparker 

This is an interesting alternative. Custom sizes available. Light and strong.

kübox: easy crating and lightweight shipping containers