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hiya guys, going trail riding in spain in the first and i need some advice please! Ive heard loads of horror stories about people flying with there bikes and during the flight one of the fork arms being bent... what can i use to prevent this from happening?
thanks alot
Alex
block of wood or old hub in between them secured with a QR or bolt through. Same on the rear.
so obvious! thankyou very much mate:)
You can get the plastic protectors that come with new bikes from most bike shops, FOC usually. Don't forget to do forks and rear dropouts and remove the derailleur as that's a prime vulnerable bit to get bent.
Some plastic overflow type pipe may be a little lighter and easier to sort that a block of wood. While you are at Bodgeit & Quit get some foam pipe insulation for the frame and stanchions as well.
ok ill go and ask in my local, thanks mate:) & yerr i going to take all them parts through as hand luggage!:)
haha!Bodgeit & Quit
but yerr i have all the pipe cover stuff ready! just need to get either the overflow stuff you suggested or the new bike things and im ready to go!:D
I packed my bike as above suggestions and all was well. Only damage was a bent rotor . So my advice would be to remove the rotors from wheels for the flight.
For me: shaped blocks of wood between drop-outs, derailleur off and taped to rear shaped block, foam + block taped under BB, chainset in other luggage, handlebar out of stem and taped between fork legs, stem left in normal position to try and keep forks in a normal position, skewers out, wheel bags positioned/secured so they don't damage frame, seat in whatever position that makes for a snug fit in the bag. Plus plenty of padding!
I suppose you could make something to go between the BB and the fork dropout in case they (and be sure they will) drop it on its nose but I never have.
I've flown to Colorado a few times changing planes at Schipol and within USA and my damage list is:
One bent big ring before I started removing the chainset
One shifter gear indicator
Scuff on frame from an axle
Holes in the bag from axles
Thinking about it, these days with a double & bash, I'd leave the chainset on but still have something chunky under the BB.
Rather than have to protect the fork stanchions, let the air out of the fork and cable tie/tape the brace to the crown. 🙂
Take discs off the wheels.
Buy new when you get there
I used old lock-on grips cut to size as fork spacers.
How much weight do you have to play with? The more protection you can fit in/on/around the bike box/bag, the better. I've got a pretty nice bag, which is just the right size to fit a specialized bike box in for a second layer of protection, with a bit of extra padding between the two. Too heavy for some airlines but you'd have to work very hard to hurt my bike (they did try, last time, smashed up the bag and dented the box but no more)
Easy solution: Evoc bike bag, or CRC copy.
Cardboard bike box or Plasma TV box painted with PVA. Leave the back wheel fitted, remove the bars, pedals front wheel and rear mech. Pad as appropriate.rottor can stay on if you project them using a stack of [ shaped bits of card to brace them against the spokes. Lighter and cheaper than a bike bag/case and much much cheaper.
check out
http://www.bikingandalucia.com/information.asp#bike
on
http://www.bikingandalucia.com
most important, have a spare mech hanger and remove the rear mech, and remove the rotors. In our opinion, the cardboard box usualy available free from the bike shop, is better than a bike bag
99.9% of bikes coming to us usualy arrive unscathed.
old hubs if you have them. I'm guessing you dont though otherwise you wouldn't have started the thread.