moose8

Hi - I'll be going to Iceland soon and think I will bring a bike. I've been there a bunch, so am familiar with the general harshness/windiness and think I'm up for the challenge. This would also be a trip to see if I can handle the Ring Road for a future trip, which has been a long-time goal. What I'm wondering is if it is at all practical/possible to ride my bike from the airport in Keflavik. If so, how would I pack it for the flight? The trick would be packing the bike so that I could carry whatever it's packed in on my bike, so I could use it on the flight home. I'm not sure if this is even possible, as I've always traveled with a bike in a box before, but that involves having a place to leave the box, which I won't have. Would a soft bag and bubble wrap work?

Also, if anyone has any particular experience with bringing a bike on Icelandair, I'd love to hear how it went.

Thanks in advance.

escii_35

Iceland Air is one of the best international airlines when it comes to boxed bikes. $40 from Seattle to Keflavik. (boggle). I stayed at B&B Guesthouse Bed & Breakfast Keflavik Center for my first and last night. ~50sgl, ~65dbl shared bathroom/private room. They held the box and picked me up at the airport free of charge.

I read a few journals where people left boxes with the local campground but since I was arriving at 10pm I went with the Guesthouse.

Good luck with the wind.

Note: Keep track of your total weight and what type of ticket you are traveling on. Iceland air's weight policy is all over the place.

yiffzer

Just $40 to pack a bike and ship it?!?

Magnus Thor

You can ride your bike from the airport. If you are planing to keep the box, then it would be better to take the bus to where ever you are staying for the first night - I would think that riding with the box on the bike could be interesting
Iceland Air charges around 40$ for bringing a bike and provides you with a large clear plastic bag to put it in. Depending on the sturdiness of your bike that might be sufficient - remove the pedals, turn the handlebars and remove the rear derailleur.

Magnus Thor
Iceland

moose8

I knew someone here would have experience! How do the plastic bags work? Are they bubblewrap or something? I couldn't figure it out from the icelandair website, but I did see that is $40 as long as I keep it under the weight limit. I'll give icelandair a call this weekend too. If the bike has a reasonable chance of making it with the plastic bag, and maybe some pipe foam insulation or the like, I might just risk it. I kind of like the idea of riding my bike to and from the airport - seems like a surmountable logistical challenge.

MichaelW

I have used plastic bags on several occasions, esp when leaving from different airports.
Use the tough, heavy grade polythene. You can buy it in bike bag form (from the CTC) or make your own from concreting plastic and ducktape.
I protect all the tubes with plumbers insulating foam tubing. You need to cut them to length and cut out notches for various bits. Label every tube.
Roll up the foam tubes inside the folded plastic bag, tie with an old inenr tube and stow under a bungie chord on top of your rear rack. You need to carry enough ducktape to seal the bike on the return jorney. I find that electrical pvc tape works better for the foam tube.

Water bottles need inspection so dont seal them inside the bag until you check with airline baggage security guys.