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Shipping a bike on a plane


HippY

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Hello guys!

I have a ticket for tarty days, but my problem is that i need to bring my bike there somehow

I checked it on the plane, it would cost £70 to ship a bike with me on a plane, and it would cost around £25/30/35 to post it with parcelforce, so it cost around the same, so it would be obvious to bring it on a plane,

How does it look like, how do I need to pack my bike?

On easyJet, does the £70 covers my bike on both ways?

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If you dont have a bike bag, or know someone who has one which you can borrow, then a spare bike box from the local bike shop should be enough. Shops which I would try would be, Evans, Alpine Bikes, Dales, any other local bike shop, yadda yadda... You'll also need a supply of parcel tape which you'll get from Tesco, Asda etc for about £1 per roll.

The box should be big enough for you to leave your rear wheel on. So, front wheel off, stem off (leave your bars on the stem and put the top cap back on the forks so as to hold on your headset bits and head set stackers/spacers on)

If you had a tensioner, which I know you dont, then I would have advised taking off the tensioner and havng the chain slack, as these can be bashed in transit and end up bending your hanger.

You'll also need to take your pedals off to fit the bike in the box. With pedals, if you have a heavy duty plastic bag or some sort of bag which you can use to keep your pedals from falling around inside the box and scratching your frame and parts, then use that! Pedal pins poke through shitty thin bags.

Best remember to transport a small bag of tools to build up your bike when you get to where you're going! Take that spare parcel tape with you too in a seperate bag.

I usually write my address and contact details on the box too, so if it goes missing or gets mixed up with flights, it can be retured to you.

I've seen people attaching skate boards to the bottom of bike boxes to roll them along instead of carrying them, so if you're overly keen, you could try that too?

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Hey, i can't comment on the prices but for the packaging just go and ask for a bike box from some local bike shop. If you have 26" bike then ask for 26" box, take off front wheel, stem+bar and pedals. You can but in some riding clothes for filling it up so it doesn't move in the box. Wrap it in with some plastic wrapping and your fine to go!

(also in the future you could ask your travel agensy to check, if it's possible to get your bike on for free. For example we went to iran with my friend and we got our bikes there for free)

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So I can pack my bike the same way I would pack it for ParcelForce? thats really good to know

I have some big air bags (that you send large items in post) that should help me out

My friends have/had some spare boxes, I will ask for them

The only problem is what should I do with the box when I will be over...

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Yup, I was going to mention that.

How big is your tent? Does it have a porch? If it rains and it gets wet, you'll be royally f**ked. So keep it under cover.

Just ask around and see if you can store it anywhere. The disabled portaloo maybe?

Edited by Ross McArthur
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http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_910581_langId_-1_categoryId_236902

I am going to get this tent probably so I can put the bike on the porch an just throw the box inside the tent

I was sleeping on a festival, drunk in a tent on a beach mattress,I should be fine

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I'm a part time baggage thrower, when it comes to packing up bikes too much is never enough. Although you can't really throw a box around as easy, chances are it will still get covered with suitcases and what not inside the hold. When you pack it up, make sure it's done well! Also, it's good to have your flight number on the box in case the tag comes off as that's the main reason why bags get lost. Oh and easyjet are a rip off when it comes to bikes, go with BA if possible. It's honestly hassle free with sports equipment

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http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_910581_langId_-1_categoryId_236902

I am going to get this tent probably so I can put the bike on the porch an just throw the box inside the tent

I was sleeping on a festival, drunk in a tent on a beach mattress,I should be fine

I genuinely don't think that box will fit in your porch.

Or bike.

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Has anyone ever tried to completely disassemble a bike and put it in a regular suitcase and get it checked in? as long as your suitcase is within max dimensions and weights you should be fine... I have never done it but I think it would be the cheapest option

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In the past I've avoided paying the bike charge by arguing incessantly that it isn't a bicycle but rather a box containing a selection of bicycle parts. Eventually they got fed up with me and just checked it in anyway.

No bag handler can throw my bike about as much as I do so I've never been particularly concerned about that side of things.

A friend of mine has a suitcase that his BMX fits in nicely, so that travels for free with him - I'm not so sure if you'd get a trials bike in one though.

As for the cardboard box, sleep on it! Problem solved. It's the mattress of choice for vagabonds!

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Get a plastic spacer to put inbetween your forks so they don't get crushed. or use a spare hub / axle / whatever. The bike shop should have shit loads, just ask for some.

My stem was resting on my toptube (with bubblewrap in between) when I went away, and it dented the top tube. However, that was on a Koxx Sky which has major thin tubing. Watch out for any sharp or cornered objects that could interfere within the box, or pierce the box.

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just ask someone there if you can keep your bike in thier tent or van or something, obviously with trust issues but i saw some people doing it last year from germany i think, only because one of them said shitzer when it didnt fit :P

Edited by JJ Leigh
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Do you have to let the tyres down on a flight? I was told once that the cargo bay isn't always pressurised in the same way as the cabin..

I don't think it is you're right.

I brought some aftershave with me to Spain and it f**ked up the bottle and it leaked everywhere :(

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Hi mate,

I went to radfest from Ireland last year, I flew ryanair and used a bike bag. First advice, if you can get lumps of polystyrene, pack the bag or box and then use the polystyrene to prop in the areas around the frame, this will stop the pressure being on the frame when shit is inevitably f**ked on top of it.

Next, anything that can bend, like your discs, take them off the wheels. as above, tensioner too! (I learned the hard way!)

If you've got an old hub, or anything to place between the stays when the wheel is off, that's pretty essential.

There's some decent guides on YouTube and if you choose a bike bag, CRC is normally cheap enough.

Oh and finally, label everything clear as day, and weight check before you leave for the airport!

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so plan so far:

GEt the tickets (duh) to the plane

Get a bike bag, so no worries regarding cardboard box, it fits nicely and easier to carry and more durable then a big cardboard box.

Thank you very much for everyone to help in this thread!

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  • 1 month later...

I bought the tifosi xl bag, and it was ok, just ok, it did the job like. the reason I bought the xl was so I could pack my tent and all that with the bike. (used my tent and clothes as padding).

I heard good things about the brand x as well, the only thing I did hear was that it won't withstand too much bad treatment.

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