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United Airlines bike box limits

Old 06-27-21, 05:15 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN
I am still trying to figure out why you want a coupled travel bike frame for a winter bike? Or, is it some other model that has nothing to do with couplers for travel?
No, sorry. I was just interested in that bike for my winter bike sans couplers. I hadn't talked with anyone that had actually used the frame. The Ritchey Outback is the frame I was looking at, the Outback Breakaway is that version with the couplers. When I had built my last bike - which does have S&S couplers - I had heard some things that the Ritchey ones, while simpler than the S&S couplers, had some rigidity issues. So I was interested to hear you say that they worked well (which I thought they would).

So my plan is to make this both as a winter bike mostly for when there is ice around but the roads are largely dry. I probably won't put couplers on it although that is an interesting geometry for the kind of touring/traveling we do. With this bike I'm trying to keep the cost minimal and built largely from parts I have laying around. So it was sort of a thread hijack, but not quite.

J.
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Old 06-27-21, 06:27 PM
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Originally Posted by JohnJ80
... When I had built my last bike - which does have S&S couplers - I had heard some things that the Ritchey ones, while simpler than the S&S couplers, had some rigidity issues. So I was interested to hear you say that they worked well (which I thought they would).
....
I have had no rigidity problems with my Raleigh (made by Ritchey) Break Away, but it is a road bike, sidepull brakes, etc. There is one set of threaded holes in front and rear for fenders, not the conventional two sets that you would expect in back for both fenders and rack. And I do not think I have ever put more than 10 pounds on the frame, excluding water bottles or handlebar bag. But I would not be surprised if a touring load would make the downtube a bit flexy. The bike has 28 spoke wheels, not built for a load.

My S&S bike, I have loaded that down with camping gear and a couple weeks of food. The frame was rated for 60kg (130+ lbs) of load not counting the weight of rider. I suspect that I have put about a hundred pounds on it including water bottles, it handled that without any problem at all.

Thus, my experience is that S&S can handle anything but the amount of metal in the Ritchey downtube coupler would make me nervous with typical touring load. That said, I would probably be quite comfortable with a rack on back and a small set of panniers for credit card touring with the Ritchey system. Or maybe a big Carradice saddle bag instead of panniers in back.
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Old 06-27-21, 08:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Barrettscv
I'm traveling from Chicago to Milan next week. The 62 in linear box size limit on United has me stumped. Forget the wheels for now, I can put them in a separate box. I can't imagine fitting a bike in a box limited to "62 total linear inches", please see the wording directly from the United website.

"If the bicycles are packed in a container that’s less than 100 pounds (45.3 kilograms) and less than 62 total linear inches (158 centimeters) (length + width + height), they’ll be subject to a flat service charge of $150 each way for travel between the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A service charge of $200 each way applies for all other travel. Service charges for first, second and extra checked bags may apply."

How in the world can anyone with a adult male touring bike with 700c wheels meet this requirement?
Having looked up the policies of many airlines over the years (and wrote about it here), United is still the worst when it comes to fees on bikes. But sometimes, their routes make them the only choice. Some people still get away with no fee. It just depends on the agent.
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Old 06-27-21, 10:51 PM
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I've not tried it myself, but I have heard that utilizing and tipping the curbside agents tends to make thing smoother than they should otherwise be. Status (if not the lowest tier) has historically been useful. I've travelled as a companion to relatives with higher airline status levels and things tend to go much smoother. The exception being flying Southwest, then everything goes very smoothly even if it's your first time.
I used to fly with my bike (full size) and at the time it was ~$75 per direction for the bike fee. TSA always opened it, and tended to less than generously repack it. I started using more padding and zip ties to keep things in place. At some point someone suggested that I stop including the water bottles. Might be coincidence, but they didn't search the box on my next few flights, or at least didn't unpack anything or leave a note.
A little while later I realized that renting a newer nicer bike than mine was cheaper than paying the fee both ways, and saved the dings on my bike.

I will be flying with a coupled tandem later this year, but on Southwest, under 62" and 50 lbf per box, so I don't expect any issues.
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Old 06-28-21, 05:10 AM
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Originally Posted by jccaclimber
.... TSA always opened it, and tended to less than generously repack it. I started using more padding and zip ties to keep things in place. At some point someone suggested that I stop including the water bottles. Might be coincidence, but they didn't search the box on my next few flights, or at least didn't unpack anything or leave a note.
....
When I brought a bike on the plane, always in an S&S case, I used clear water bottles and shoved them into the case loose. And I left the lids off so you could see they were empty. One liter size Smart Water and one liter Life WTF bottles fit in bike cages but some bike frames do not handle the length of those bottles. They weigh nothing, so I use those bottles for bike touring. They are sold as disposable water bottles, but I keep using them.
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Old 06-28-21, 11:04 AM
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Originally Posted by Maaku
Having looked up the policies of many airlines over the years (and wrote about it here), United is still the worst when it comes to fees on bikes. But sometimes, their routes make them the only choice. Some people still get away with no fee. It just depends on the agent.

Great info in the link, Thanks!
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Old 06-28-21, 12:17 PM
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Sometimes I'm determined to a fault, and this is going to be one of those times. I'm going to bring my least valuable bike, a 1984-ish Trek 400 with a 3x10 Shimano drivetrain. I'm going to completely disassemble the bike, including separating the fork and frame. I'll put (only) the frame set in one box, the box will be as small as possible but will probably be a little oversized. I'll put the wheels and all the components in another box that will meet the 62 inch restriction. Hopefully each box will be accepted.

I'll leave the bike behind and this will allow me to have something to ride on my annual trips to Italy.
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Old 06-28-21, 12:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Barrettscv
Sometimes I'm determined to a fault, and this is going to be one of those times. I'm going to bring my least valuable bike, a 1984-ish Trek 400 with a 3x10 Shimano drivetrain. I'm going to completely disassemble the bike, including separating the fork and frame. I'll put (only) the frame set in one box, the box will be as small as possible but will probably be a little oversized. I'll put the wheels and all the components in another box that will meet the 62 inch restriction. Hopefully each box will be accepted.

I'll leave the bike behind and this will allow me to have something to ride on my annual trips to Italy.
Good luck with that. If the frame box is a cardboard box, I would not be surprised if they pull out the tape measure. When they see manufactured luggage, they assume it was made for travel purposes instead of for one-time shipping purposes.

A 700c rim is about 25 inches in diameter, so the wheels could fit easy enough. If you go to a bike shop to get the cardboard to make your own boxes, I have found that a dull pizza cutter helps score cardboard so that it is easier to fold where I wanted to fold it.

You probably are aware that if you tell them at customs that you are leaving it in the EU, you might have to pay something equivalent to VAT, but if you tell them it is coming back to USA within 90 days, ... ...

Have a great trip.
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Old 06-29-21, 08:10 AM
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I agree with the sentiments on curbside checkin, on airline FF status and irregular shaped cases being all useful in avoiding airline fares.

As mentioned previously, we use the Orucase Airport Ninja case which is irregularly shaped. While a baggage agent can find measurements that do exceed 62”, I can also find measurements on the very same case that do not. Hence, it’s arguable. But the bag fits through normal handling flows, is lighter than the 50lb international limit and is not difficult to handle. Therefore, I’ve never paid a fee for it. Here’s a picture:


So, in my experience after a lot a
travel in general and a fair amount with bikes specifically, if you’re in an arguably correct position, if you are pleasant, you will be successful. Be a jerk, and it’s going to cost you.

that said, I’ve also had one baggage agent in MSP that was a complete a$$hole over ski equipment when I was escorting a ski team to a colorado camp. I just paid the fee because it was easier than arguing at the time but I did go through a customer complaint process on the employee later that wound up in remedial training for her. So given that, I would say that she was the great exception and not the rule. I’d also characterize that experience as an outlier since it’s one out of maybe 30 such trips over the years.

All I can say is that it’s worked exceptionally well for me and it’s not magic. It’s not worth overthinking it. Concentrate on having a great trip instead.
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Old 07-03-21, 11:34 PM
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Originally Posted by axolotl
My Bike Friday folder (20" wheels) is designed to pack into a hard plastic 62" suitcase (62" is the total of the 3 measurements). I've flown with it dozens of times, including many international flights. I've never had to pay any extra bike fees.
It's likely your Bike Friday is a bit newer than my Raleigh 20 (1970's?). The Raleigh ads typically mentioned smaller storage space in apartments, autos or occasionally boats, not air travel.

For me, the local commuter trains don't restrict travel hours for folding bicycles, and Amtrak is also much easier with a folding bicycle than a full size one (no extra fees, or train restrictions).

My experience with the flight was also that American was concerned with weight more than size. (The boxes were well under 126'') Fortunately most of the service representatives also realized there were no longer oversized charges, including all the ones actually checking my bicycle.
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