I'm taking my bike by air for the first time this year, does anybody have any tips for packing it in a soft bike bag?

I'll be removing the dérailleur and pedals but do I also need to remove the cranks?

What's the best way to protected the shifter and break leavers?

I did find this from a previous discussion – but I haven't tried it in anger yet! First plane trip for the bike at the end of august!!!! 😀 😀

Packing Bike for Flight – BasqueMTB

Here´s how I pack my bikes, not saying it´s perfect but I´ve been OK so far!

I took my cranks off, was just as easy as taking pedals off!

I also put some old used hubs in the dropouts and cut up an old bike box to put down the sides of the bike bag!

Grab a cardboard bike box from your LBS and cut to size to have inside your bag (make it a tight fit) will give it a load of rigidity.
I've been through a few attempts at this over the years to get it quite right, but even on the 1st go it made a big difference.

it helps protect the bike quite well and stops the whole thing leaning over to one bulging side when you're wheeling it around.

Also worth wrapping the frame in Karrimat.

I'd take the cranks off. When the baggage handlers drop test your bag it lands on the big ring. I also take the discs off, a bent disk is a right pain on your hols.

doug_basque's website is a good guide which I pretty much follow. I do like using a camping mat to wrap around stuff. I leave stems on and remove handle bars. May be OTT but I also remove brake levers and calipers and disks from the wheels too… Leave cranks on but have bash guards.

Get a bike box from a bike shop and cut it down to use the side to run along the bag sides – keeps the bag shape and adds a bit more proctection without much more weight. Remove your disc rotors! I best mine! Detatch hars from stem and buble wrap bars and run the vertical next to forks – cable tie.
Put spacers in disc calipers. Remove derailleur and hanger.
I left crank on and put my knee and elbow pads in a stuff bags and put them under bb.
Try and keep seat and seat post attached if you can

they'll ask you if you've let the air out of your tyres – you don't need to do so, but just say 'yes'. I did get asked if I had drained any hydraulics once but lied again.

Get an aisle seat on the plane. I had a window seat and watched a baggage handler drop the bike bag about 10 feet from the hold directly onto the tarmac (Easyjet and Turin) – it was too big to fit onto that wee conveyor belt thing they use.

Thanks for the advice every one – lots of useful information.

Get an aisle seat on the plane. I had a window seat and watched a baggage handler drop the bike bag about 10 feet from the hold directly onto the tarmac

Good Advice – Last trip to with Ryan Air; as I got onto the plane I noticed a bag hanging from a radio antenna under the fuselage. After we were all seated the pilot announced that we were going to be delayed while they fitted a new aerial!

I take the forks off (and handlebars) and zip tie them to the frame. Perhaps a bit ott but it makes the bike much smaller and fits in the bag a lot easier.

Right that's the bike packed – one last question. do the wheel bags go inside the bike bag or do I check them in separately?

In the bag, should work well with one either side of the frame. You really don't want to get there without the full compliment of wheels! Or get stung for additional pieces of luggage.