Air Travel

rflynnr

Dear all, newbie to this forum but long time/committed cyclist. Just came back from a four day tour of Scotland (Inverness to Glasgow at least) with some friends and thought I might share our experiences with bike transport. We confronted to usual problem of what to do with a bike bag once we arrived, particularly since our arrival and departure points were different. The solution we used proved extremely workable.

We purchased five lengths per bike of Climaflex, a pipe insulation foam from B&Q, cut them to size then fitted them around the frame and forks, securing them with re-usuable zip ties. The foam is around 22m thick, more than enough to withstand all but the most brutal treatment. They cost 90c per length and weight just 40g each (or about 200g in total). When we arrived in Inverness we simply removed the foam, threw them in our panniers and brought them with us across Scotland, refitting them when we arrived at Prestwick. Both Aer Arann and Ryanair were more than happy and the our setup had the advantage that the bikes still looked like bikes (i.e. were less likely to be chucked about like any other anonymous luggage).

This doesn't address the knotty problem of protecting derailleurs but I suspect nothing short of a hard case would definitiely address that. Anyway, it worked for us - perhaps it will for others.

blorg

A common suggestion with regard to the rear derailleur is simply to unbolt it from the frame; then if anything bashes it it will just swing rather than get bent. I have been OK thus far just leaving mine attached as is.

tunney

I going to have to say, don't try this at home.

Travelling without a hardcase is a potential disaster in the making. Espeically if there is any carbon fibre on your bike, or your bike is carbon fibre, or you like your bike.

blorg

It really does depend on the bike. I've travelled with my tourer as is many times but as you say I would be slow to travel with my carbon racer in anything other than a hard case.

rflynnr

Fair enough: let me clarify. I agree with Tunney and Blorg re: carbon fibre frames. A box is probably essential: indeed I simply wouldn't bring such a bike on a journey where use of a bike bag was precluded. (The same would probably also be true of any brand new frame where I was still being obsessive about maintaining the paintwork.)

However, most of my bikes (and I suspect most bikes full stop) are not in that category: my tourer is a five year old Sirrus which I also use for commuting. Frame and parts are sound but hardly pristine. My suggested use of the insulating material is designed to limit some of the deleterious effects of carriage: scratches and dents. A bike box would always be the preferred solution but limiting oneself to overseas journeys that can be arranged around a bike box is effectively allowing the bike to determine your travel choices: a case of your objects coming to own you.

Given this I would politely suggest that you do at least consider trying this at home bearing the previously mentioned caveats in mind.

rflynnr

And while I think of it: this suggestion is not based on the experience of a single trip but a total of six flights with three different carriers: Aer Arann, Ryanair and Flybe.

Also - thanks to Blorg for the derailler tip.

Ghost Rider

The other proviso about Tunney's hard case point is that it's probably not even practical if you're arriving and departing from different airports in your destination country, as is (I imagine) often the case with people touring.

rflynnr wrote: »

And while I think of it: this suggestion is not based on the experience of a single trip but a total of six flights with three different carriers: Aer Arann, Ryanair and Flybe.

Also - thanks to Blorg for the derailler tip.

coggs

as said earlier it your own decision . Arriving at your destination and finding you race bike in pieces , is a gamble i just would not take . Have just sent 3 bikes to beijing . 2 went in boxes the 3rd was a track frame unbuilt in a bike bag wrapped in about a mile of bubble wrap and frame protectors . And after all that i will still be nervous opening them up in a few weeks ! so save the hassle and the worries just buy a bike box sure it will pay for itself after a few trips , and can double as suitcase for cycle gear .:cool:

blorg

I think we are at cross purposes here to an extent; what might be appropriate for a racer may not be so for a tourer. As Ghost Rider points out many tours will not start and end in the same point; my last started in Biarritz and ended in Santiago for example. Bike box simply would not have been possible, I don't think I could have towed it behind the bike

Going to the Alps with my carbon racer I am planning on investing in a bike box.

coggs

fair point , its just the thought of some aul baggage handler and your bike just sends a shiver down the spine , are the folding jobs used much or are they just commuter bikes ?

blorg

Not a lot really although there are some they aren't too popular. There are often compromises over a standard bike.

Moulton produce full performance small wheel road bikes that seperate although they are neither UCI legal nor cheap.

Ritchey's BreakAway and S&S Couplings let you split a standard full-size bike with no ill effects though it is just making the thing a bit more compact for travel, you would still have the same problem of a case, it's just a bit smaller (still too big to carry on the bike though.)

http://www.ritcheylogic.com/dyn_category.php?k=97991
http://www.sandsmachine.com/
http://www.alexmoulton.co.uk/