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If you were going to relocate and you knew that space for all your worldly possessions would be limited in the move, would you sacrifice a bike or two, or just find a way to take them with you?
Just an idle thought. Nothing to do with wistful glances at jobs in Australia.... Move along...
Depends where i was going as it may be more cost effective to sell bikes and replace when i got there
I'd be forced to keep my Kaffenback. Its dull as dishwater but it's brilliantly versatile, it can he used for long distances, on and off road, it can have racks and guards attached, big tyres and can work with drops and flats.
take them with me somehow.
None - they are only bikes. Sell the lot and get something appropriate (and new, shiny and the latest 1x12/ 28.75wheel/nanocarbonthing) for the new place.
id take something (one) simple and dependable, and replace the other 5 when i got there.
It is a real hassle taking bikes a long way on a plane. 3 months for shipping.
Take an mtb and some slicks for road duties, unless you will be road racing and speed is an issue who cares if is slower ? And panniers for touring duties.
I took the lot.
tripster...
Take one bike to tide you over and get new ones to suit local conditions at your leisure!
Take one on the plane, ship the others over cheaply?
Shipping is over £200 per bike to Aus. I flew (to NZ) with a my best MTB as sporting equipment for ~£50 and bought a cheap roadie when over.
Three months for shipping stuff by.. er, ship? Wow. Did not realise it took that long.
I'm really torn between taking a road bike or my hardtail with slicks for commuting, or just admitting that I could do without the hardtail and taking the full-sus instead.
My pink Fatty and powdercoated SS Sawyer.
Because they're special.
The full bouncer, xc 'race' bike, hard tail and roadie are all domestic appliances that can be replaced off the shelf.
Down to one it'll be the fatty 'cus there ain't nothing that can't be ridden on it in any country.
i wouldnt bother taking an mtb to aus, not unless you like driving hours to get to the trails and having to set off at 5am to avoid the heat in the summer, not to mention the flies.
Australia is a big country and depends where you live - I can only speak for Melbourne and its only really hot for a month or so, though a planned weekend away can get spoiled by high bush fire risk
Quite a lot of riding within an hours drive (that's living in the city for you, I used to ride out of the front door 🙁 and fantastic riding within a 3hr drive a bit like going to the Dales or Lakes from London I guess
I ride my hardtail because I'm not rad and am old school I reckon 90%+ of riders I see are on FS
Do the sums 2nd hand sale value versus shipping cost - if I was 100% committed to MTB, had a high value bike that I liked I'd fly with my MTB and buy a commuting bike
When I moved I flew with my CX and seafreighted the MTB as I knew I'd be riding more gravel and trails than bothering to drive to MTB
Spring and 20 degs today I will mostly be riding my SS rigid merlin malt shopper at the BMX track with a smaller antigee laughing at me
as to Fat Bikes rule - miles and miles of beaches!
When we emigrated we shipped a container specifically because of the bikes (tandems). Well, plus the employer was paying. Still took singles with us too so we didn't have to wait for the boat before starting to ride.
If I was going to Oz, I'd buy a Muru frame there, but take selected bits over with me. Namely the fiddly bits that are worth nothing until you can't find them and then have to go out and replace them.
take your favourite mtb on the plane (which is easy to do)
then take advantage of the shit aussie dollar to snap up a shiny bargain
unless you negotiate a relocation allowance, then take everything.
I shifted from UK to Hong Kong this year. I sold down most of what I owned and basically brought a suitcase, a bike bag and a cabin bag.
The bike that made the cut was the Chromag hardtail. I've bought a full-sus since. 🙂
Our employers paid both from London to Philippines and then from The Philippines to Thailand but, as someone said, bike's came on the plane so we could have them immediately. No books, television etc is fine for a month or two but not if you're bikeless too.
We chose an airline where although the tickets cost more, the cost per kg for excess baggage was significantly lower and therefore cost us less. You also got an extra 20kg each if it was sporting equipment. Think it was Emirates. Maybe Quatar... a M.Eastern company anyway.
We brought 270kg with us on the aeroplane including two bikes.