I’m going to northern Cyprus the first week in October, and thinking of taking the road bike, as it looks like hiring any thing out there is difficult.

We are flying Jet2 and it appears they charge £60.

I cant afford a bike bag, so was thinking of ringing around LBS’s for a box? Are boxes a good or bad idea?

Also, what happens if the bike is damaged? Are you insured through their expensive carriage rate?

Do you take both wheels out? Just one? All I am thinking is that we have a taxi transfer at the other end and a full size bike box wouldnt not fit in a car!

Any advice would be good, or is it all more hassle than its worth, as I wont be riding every day, just odd short rides out.

Ta

I cant afford a bike bag, so was thinking of ringing around LBS’s for a box? Are boxes a good or bad idea?

I’m not a fan others disagree…. some bike shops rent out proper bags too
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/flying-with-bikes-in-cardboard-boxes

Also, what happens if the bike is damaged? Are you insured through their expensive carriage rate?

It’s damaged and you will have signed away any rights, your travel insurance will probably not cover the value but away from home cover on household might

Do you take both wheels out? Just one? All I am thinking is that we have a taxi transfer at the other end and a full size bike box wouldnt not fit in a car!

Wheels, bars and probably post, rotors off if you have them and lots of packaging. A bike box or bag will fit across the back seats of any large family car (I’ve done this a lot) but if not an estate or minibus transfer works – I think it will go in a prius with the seats down too.

Doesn’t sound worth it then unfortunately 🙁

I take mine about 6-10 times a year sometimes more, only problem was when it got left in Sydney and they had it at my house that evening

Mike is that in a bag or a box?

I’d just go for a walk.

We did a similar sort of trip for a 10 day end of season break about 10 years ago. We spent 100 odd quid on transporting the bikes (in cases). The transfers at the other end were touch and go, had to pay for a taxi to take the bikes one way and (almost) threaten the coach driver the other. Then we only did about 100 remarkably dull miles over three rides. In 10 days. Spent most of the time trying to avoid suicidal locals.
A bus ride somewhere plus a 10 km stroll taking the scenery in was almost as much exercise, far more sociable and much cheaper.

Since then, it’s either been a cycling holiday, where we go somewhere geared up to it, and take the bikes. Or a not cycling holiday, where we don’t care. But we might rent some sit up and beg bikes to ride to the next town or something. 20 km round trip, no more.

I did wonder the other day about taking an old bike box checking my bike(s) could all fit and then using that as a starting point/template for making up my own from some more robust materials.

FunkyDunc – Member
Mike is that in a bag or a box?

Evoc Bag

I did wonder the other day about taking an old bike box checking my bike(s) could all fit and then using that as a starting point/template for making up my own from some more robust materials.

Problem is unless you have some very strong in the right direction materials it will end up being a dead weight and taking most of your allownace (see the flying to NZ thread most long haul is as part of your baggage allowance no extra available.

Take a look at the market leader as it were the Evoc
The base is rigid where it needs to be that prevents your dropouts being crushed, the rigid base means it’s protecting the length of the bike too, most frames have the mech sitting well inside the box too. Then add the wheels into the side pockets, they provide the vertical stiffness and support/protection. Finally any weight applied onto the top of the bag pushes down on to the large foam block that the BB sits on not a moving part. On top of that the staps mean that nothing can move inside the bad either which stops the rub/scratch problems. The susectible part is really a massive crush or a piercing which in reality will do for anything that isn’t the rigid plastic.

My solution- a cheap bike bag with a strong bike box in it, filled with assorted packing materials- is hugely inconvenient to use, it takes ages to pack a bike well in it and it’s not easy to store.

But what it is, is massively protective and durable, better than you’ll get from anything other than a full hardcase like a bikebox alan. It’s the box that’s doing all the hard work, the bag just adds a bit of waterproofing and the convenience of wheels, handles etc, and keeps it all together neatly.

If I didn’t have the bag already, I’d get a big sturdy box and laminate the crap out of it with tape, for abrasion and water protection. Halfords’ Apollo ones are good- they have the job of restraining 50lbs of BSO as it gets shipped round the world by the lowest bidder, the box is extremely tough