Folding bikes & Planes
 

Anyone know if you can take a folding bike on an aeroplane, pref in a hard suitcase - contents suitably packed to prevent in-flight damage.

General Aviation like a Private Cessna or a regularly scheduled airline Like a Boeing 777... ?


My Friend from Eugene Oregon is teaching Music in Ho Chi Minh City now,

He took his Bike Friday Tikit and their suitcase trailer , and Obviously flew There .

Has also been traveling to Thailand and other places there, so It Must work for Him.

From the sticky FAQ:

Q: Can I take it on a plane as carry-on luggage?
A: Maybe... Most may be too large or too recognisable as a bicycle. Most folding bikes will only fit into a large suitcase and you can't take these as carry-on luggage.

However... The Brompton has one of the most compact folds, and when folded is generally not recognised as being a bicycle outside of the UK. There are numerous reports by people who have taken their Brompton into the cabin by gate-checking it. Basically you arrive at the gate with your Brompton and ask staff to gate-check it. They attach a label and carry it into the cabin and store it in a space where wheelchairs and baby strollers go. On disembarking, the bike is waiting at the gate for it to be picked up.

Some people have done this numerous times without a problem on a variety of flights. There are even cases where people have taken it into the cabin themselves and put it in the overhead locker. So it can be done. Gate-checking is meant for people with mobility aids. Doing this procedure with a Brompton, while possible, is perhaps not what it was intended for. Savvy staff may chuck a wobbly and force you to check it in as luggage. There are no cases that I know of where this happened but it still prevents me from doing it.


Q: Can it fit into a airline-legal suitcase?
A: Most do, but you will have to do a certain amount of disassembly. The wheels usually have to be removed and depending on what bike, some other bits will need to be disassembled as well. Some bike such as the Dahons have an optional suitcase that will accommodate the bike just folded, but these are LARGE. Bike Friday is probably the easiest for this since these have been specifically designed for this purpose, so generally the rear wheel of a BF does not need to be removed. Bromptons have one of the most compact folds of all folders but even these won't pop straight into a "legal" suitcase.

My Bike Friday has been on numerous flights since I bought it in '94. It fits in an 'airline-legal' suitcase (L+W+H <=62"), so I take it as one piece of checked baggage and it's almost always been free so far. The suitcase also holds a trailer frame so when I reach the destination I take the bike/trailer parts out, assemble/unfold, put my carry-on bag inside the suitcase on the trailer, and ride out of the airport.

Totally doable. This thread has good suggestions about protecting parts of the bike: http://www.bikeforums.net/folding-bi...-suitcase.html

I've flown a Brompton twice so far inside a suitcase; no problems. It fits if I remove the seatpost and the clamps that hold it together while unfolded. I wrap it in plastic and tape it so it doesn't unfold while wrestling it into the suitcase.

(protip: having a bike while you travel is awesome, but it lets you think you can carry more souvenirs than you really should...)

Yes. Have done it a few times. I think some airlines adds a surcharge if they find out your suitcase has a bike.
When asked at the counter what's in my luggage or box; I always reply sports equipment and clothes. Which
is the truth. No addtional surchage(s) so far. ;)

Bike Friday checked in as a suitcase -- no problem. Pre-9/11, you could even carry it on in a soft-side case, but TSA balks at that now.

Possible, and encouraged! But, be careful, not all folding bikes will fit into a "normal" sized suitcase (i.e. 62" or less). If you exceed this limit you are subject to over-sized bag fees, which range from $75 to $200. So, be careful in choosing a suitcase. The Origami Crane 8 (note: not a commercial, for informational purposes only) will pack into the Origami Traveler case/trailer. This suitcase measures 61.75", so you can avoid the extra fees.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=508764http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=508765http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=508766http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=508767

Please understand there is a difference between international and domestic flights. I have flown internationally many times and I have never had my suitcase measured ( it was oversized ). I flew domestically last year and they measured, it was 2" oversize.

Overall my family has flown about 100 international flights over the past seven years. We almost always bring a bike. Hence, I wouldn't worry much on international flights.

Thanks,
Yan

Whether it is international or domestic, the agent may measure your bag (especially if it is something common like the Samsonite f'lite 31 where they already know it is over), but it is certainly better to be within the limits to avoid the fees. Also, do not mark the case to indicate that there is a bike inside; many airlines will charge a bike handling fee of $50 to $175 EACH WAY regardless of its size or packaging (but, of course, this is unlikely with a folding bike).

when is an advert not an advert? when i say it isn't!

on the convoluted-logic-bordering-on-surrealism scale, i give it a solid, 8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...grittePipe.jpg


also, thor and downtube- in the social media marketing chess game, it's pretty obvious that pinigis just put you both in check.

http://www.newrivermarketing.co.uk/w...a-chess-v2.jpg

Whoo Hoo!!! 8 out of 10!! That's a "B" in my book. :)
OK, maybe a "B-"

I follow forum rules
simple as that

The size specification can be critical. Over a decade ago, I bought a folding bike frame and built up a nice folding bike. The UK company that sold it advertised it as being able to be packed in an airline sized case. But, when I went to buy the case, that is when I found out that the bike would only fit in a British Air sized case, but not in a case that met any USA airline size specifications. So, my investment of over a thousand USD and a lot of hours building it for a bike that I could take on planes was a total disaster.

I think you were just unlucky on the domestic, or perhaps lucky on the international flights since the bag size specifications within an airline are the same for domestic or international travel. And the agents where you check the bag are the same agents for foreign or domestic.

Most airlines are extremely quick to charge for over weight, as they always weigh the bag when you check it. I suspect that their weight scale is wired into their computer to make sure that they charge enough in fees. But oversize is checked less often because it is a manual check that is not automatic like the weight scale. But it still can be a rude surprise.

I think luck plays a role, but minor. I naturally think about statistical hypothesis test given the data I listed previously. I can make conclusions on international flights not measuring, however I do not have enough data for domestic flights....yet.

I honestly believe that airlines have different policies for domestic and international flights.

FYI my family lived in the Bahamas for four years so every flight was international, and my wife is Indonesian. She flies there at least once a year. We are always carrying bikes around....it's part of our lifestyle.

Thanks,
Yan

We have Dahon MU P8s that we can fit into a regulation size suitcases that we check through. Disassmbley is different for each suitcase but it works and practice has made the process easier. An Airline employee told my wife not to say there's a bike in the suitcase because other members of his team may try to charge you more for it even though it's within the limits. Also watch the weight.

You shouldn't have any problem if you bring it abroad. If it's a domestic flight, you will have to pay for oversize baggage. You can read those articles for more details
How to Bring a Folding Bike onto an Airplane without Paying Extra Fees?
Folding Bikes on Airplanes – NYCeWheels.com

Hi Rachel - I have flown many times with a Brompton in the soft B-bag - I add extra padding. In the usa no charge with southwest or alaska. I inquired before a flight to Montreal on Delta an they would have charged me so we left the bikes home. No charge flying to and from europe on united but we got charged for flights while there from barca to san sebastian. No charges from london to copenhagen, c'hagen to berlin.

In us I have flown w/o charge w/bromptons from seattle to san diego, maui, boston, washington dc, santa rosa, reno, austin. Best of luck to you on your travels...

i saw a few suitcases basically identical to these yesterday. anyone who might be considering this hard case a viable solution should be aware that the 2" wide fabric zipper closure is going to compress at least 1.5" under loadand is easily racked laterally. the shell itself will also compress in the center up to 3" (!) per side. a total of a possible 7 + inches of overall compression = your bike wrecked.

if you are into doing this DIY, please use common sense and have a serious look at how this is done correctly. a zipper closure case like the one pictured above is not advisable. at minimum, you need an "I" beam structure in the center of the case...

Uggg, Smallwheeler, again? Come on now, such blatantly wrong information just undermines your reputation and makes you look like much less of an authority on these subjects.

First, it it very clear that you did not see one of our cases, or anything "basically idnetical". Our cases have a very narrow zipper of about 1" in width. The black that you see in the photo about is a rubber gasket to minimize water intrusion and protect the case. So, it cannot compress 1.5". The case is made of polypropylene, so it does not rack laterally AT ALL. The shell does not compress; I frequently ask customers to jump on the case to show its strength and toughness.

You are welcome to experience one of our cases for yourself so you can make a more educated review.

wow, that's neat. you've managed to source the strongest hard side suitcase ever developed. it doesn't compress. amazing. kudos. you can stop reading right here.

for everyone else who may not know, if you're interested in doing a DIY travel case for your precious bike, here's an inexpensive and simple trick that you can use to strengthen your hard side case of choice by orders of magnitude:

pictured below are common bicycle axle protectors with a piece of pvc pipe in the appropriate diameter, cut to the proper length (the interior dimension of your case). you can buy these axle protectors online or simply ask your LBS, they probably have a box full waiting to be thrown out.

as mentioned in my previous post, placing one of these "I" beams in each corner and one or two in the center area of your case will go a very long way in protecting your bike from careless baggage handlers and the compression that occurs when your case gets buried under hundreds of pounds of other people's luggage in a cargo hold. using "I" beams also has the added benefit of reducing stress on the case and extending it's life.

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/IMG_1564.jpg

http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/IMG_1565.jpg

I must be doing it ALL wrong again. We use soft-sided, ordinary old suitcases that are picked up at local dump shops for between $10 and $20. A bit of Coroflute (Coroplast in the US), or even thick cardboard does a pretty good job of strengthening the sides. We've travelled several times to North America and locally in Australia on aircraft with our Bike Fridays, and have not had a single issue in terms of baggage handling and storage on planes.

I do have to dismantle the bikes a bit beyond the normal fold and front wheel removal, but I also wrap them in plastic cling-wrap to keep all the bits together. Works well.

@ Smallwheeler Of course the case can compress a little, but nowhere near the 7" you proclaim (maybe an inch or so). That said, I really like your simple braces for added strength. I am going to make a couple of them for the center of a case and see how they do.

Bike Friday includes this type of brace as part of the packing materials with their suitcase/trailer:
https://store.bikefriday.com/product...roducts_id=652

yes. you'd think a company that's been making bikes that pack into suitcases for 25 years might know something about how to do it correctly. that's what i meant when i said,

"if you are into doing this DIY, please use common sense and have a serious look at how this is done correctly."