poppalurch

It's also a good idea to cut up cardboard tubes and use them as reinforcement for the inside of a cardboard bike box. No matter how much you write "THIS SIDE UP" on the box, the baggage handlers are inevitably going to lay it sideways and stack other luggage on top of it. This is really bad on crank arms and wheels!!

flew American twice this year to Europe and had absolutely no problems getting my bike on for free. It counts as the second peice of checked baggage

EnLaCalle

Yup. Just thought I'd revive this thread in honor of the upcoming meat n greet. I'm getting a little anxious about getting the bike over without having to pay hella fees. After a brief consultation with Brad at Trackstar, I've decided that i'm going to pick up some big hardshell suitcases in Chinatown on the cheap, one for frame/bars the other for wheels, and try to smuggle them on board that way. you know, "bike parts."

good info in this thread for those flying with their bikes to chitown this week.

chimblysweep

i tried the suitcase thing and even my 49cm steamroller frame, nothing attached, couldn't fit in the max checked baggage sized suitcase. in other words, you're oversize anyway. why not throw in the whole enchalada?

dolface

even if you take the fork off?

chimblysweep

yup. the problem is that it's 49cm in one direction, but if you figure top of headtube to dropouts, that's long. it didn't fit even diagonally.

wangster

Damn, I wanna take the bike to LA in December but am too trying to find ways so I don't gotta buy an expensive case. Anyone know if Song has the same policy as their parent company Delta? Am I asking for frame damage if I wrapped my bike in lots of clothes and put it in a carboard bike box?

EnLaCalle

i dunno. I was inspired by this pic, by Mr. White. But I think his flight was probably international, which, supposedly is free for bicycles.

wangster

yeah I saw that too and was wondering what kind of case that is. I'm not so much concerned with the fee as much as the possible damage if I don't have the right case. The one in the photo doesn't seem to be too padded. I'm a worrier and this is definately something that would freak me out during the entire flight. I'd sit there for six hours wondering how my bike is doing below me and if it'll survive the baggage people and the trip back.

chimblysweep

my lbs has hard cases they loan to people-- they don't charge friendly folk, but they rent it to folk they don't know. have you asked?

humancongereel

with greyhound it just has to be in a box and under 50 pounds. no big deal at all. unless you're going across the country. you'd probably get from coast to coast faster just riding your bike.

chicagoamdream

I'm going to be taking my bike over to Europe in the spring, and in preparation, I've been doing a lot of (casual) research on this subject. I read something on Sheldon's site that said that airlines have larger boxes for bikes that you can buy (~$10) at the counter. This article also said that the boxes were larger than the standard boxes LBSs have kicking around, and that all you have to do is take the pedals off and loosen the stem to turn the handlebars around.

Has anyone bought one of these boxes FROM an airline? I'd be way happier to buy a box each way than to try to stash it somewhere, if I even decide to fly out of the same airport.

wangster

I'm seriously considering one of the cases from crateworks.com, they look pretty sturdy and since I don't travel with my bike that much, it's not too big of an investment. Also in contention is the bike travel case from bikebags.com, but that one is not a hardshell and would need more padding which can be done cheaply.

sashae

Buying stuff from the airline directly is a frickin SCAM. I got stuck having to buy cat carriers from them when moving my cats from LA to NYC (as the carriers I had did not have the FAA APPROVED sticker on them, bastards.)

Insanely high priced, and cash only. SCUM!

If you want to be really fancy, there's always S&S couplers.

chimblysweep

my jonny's getting couplers. i'm so excited.

Rincewind8

To confirm chicagoamdream's findings,
from:
https://search.bikelist.org/query.asp...rdsPerPage=250

see post:
35. [T@H] Re: Tandems on airplanes (and touring in Italy) Piaw Na (À¶¿¡±ë) 11/7/2005

Apparently you can buy cardboard bike boxes from airlines, but you should call ahead of time to make sure they have some available when you arrive.

chicagoamdream

Perfect.

Yeah, scam or no, $10 bucks each way isn't going to be what breaks the bank on any trip to Europe. I'll definitely have to do some research on individual airlines before I buy tickets.

Rincewind8

If you read what I linked, it says that according to some (IAFA or something like that) regulation bike transport is free to Europe (I assume instead of one piece of luggage).

wangster

Chimbly, YOU SUCK!.... j/k, I'm jealous...

chicagoamdream

Right--the $10 referring to the price of the box, not a handling charge. Thanks for the link.

shot

Sometimes it's cheaper and less troublesome to ship your bike FedEx (or UPS) than it is to fly with it and pay the pesky airline.

Sometimes you can pack it up yourself and get your bike shop (or office, or friend's office) to ship it for you under a commercial shipping account that gets wholesale freight rates. Just ask them nicely with the crisp compensation cash already in your hand and folded out like a little Chinese fan.

The trouble and hassle of dragging a jumbo bike box from your home to the aeroporte is troubling and hassling. You might even want to pay a little premium to FedEx to have them ship the bike a day or two ahead of your departure. This special technique gets it off your hands as you travel.

This special technique allows your bikey to be waiting patiently for you at your hotel when you arrive. Instead of being subjected to the awful squeeze into a taxi in your destination city, it will be resting behind the hotel clerk's desk all snuggled cozy in its box, looking up at you with its big and sleepy eyes like a sad child when the box is opened. Waiting to embrace you like a lost friend. Waiting to be assembled and ridden. Waiting to be loved. Waiting. Gracefully. Like a fallen star beyond the horizon. Until we meet again....

stickyfoot

What about flying with bike tools? I'm not planning on checking anything other than my bike so should I be stashing all my tools in with the bike (which makes it weigh more and could flop around damaging tubes, etc.) or should I risk having them confiscated at the security gate?

chimblysweep

they will be confiscated by security if you attempt to carry them on.
not a good idea.

stinkyonions

I've taken my bike from LAX to Europe and back in cardboard boxes without a problem. Although coming back my box got destroyed and I was about to cry as they carted it out of oversize baggage like some decapitated body. There was no damage on the bike so I didn't mind the otherwise demolished box. Just be sure to pad the inside of the box which I did with a winter jacket I was taking with me. Likewise, make sure everything is taped down well although I think they will remove the tape to search the box. They did for mine in LA at least.

wangster

I've been searching on this and lot of people suggest getting a clear bag from the airlines for bikes and some say it works well since the handlers can see what it is. I'm intriged but skeptical since I know the handlers couldn't care less what they're tossing around.

What about not boxing at all and just bubblewrap it and rolling it into the airport?

stinkyonions

Ugh, don't remind me.

I flew Long Beach to Oakland without a hitch but when I was flying home, my bag got searched three times. I forgot I had an allen wrench in my bag because I keep it there for roadside repairs. It took him forever to find it since it was hidden in a stash pocket. They will give you the option to buy and envelope and send it but I didn't care since it was an allen wrench I found in an empty bike box and had plenty more at home.

Likewise, CO2 cartridges for the emergency bike pumps aren't allowed in any baggage. I thought they would be ok since they allow compressed cans such as deodrant but it was a no go. Luckily my parents were there to take them home so I didn't lose them.