I’m going to Italy this summer and I’m taking with me my MTB. All flights are booked but after much research I still haven’t made my mind up if to get a bike bag or just to use a heavy duty cardboard bike box which I can either get free of charge or for very little money. Having looked as many bike bags I found that the ” Chain Reaction Cycle Pro Bag” is just the amount that I was looking at spending. However the same amount of money could get me a super duper TLD full face helmet which I’ll need to buy anyway as I’ll be using some bike parks on enduro like descents. As I’m not flash with money after booking a rather expensive holidays and it’s either one or the other what do you guys think is the best investment of money and have you got any other suggestions. Many Thanks

Links of the products I was looking at are below

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/chain-reaction-cycles-pro-bike-bag/rp-prod114204

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/troy-lee-designs-d3-composite-speed-blue-white-2014/rp-prod115044

My CRC bike bag has just turned up today.
bargain i reckon for £130, its real good quality.

Good to know mate. Much appreciated.

Bike box and wrap the whole thing in gaffer tape. Buy TLD. Smile.

I guess the answer is obvious, you have limited funds and you need a full face lid.
Get free cardboard box and buy lid.
You could even buy a cheaper lid and use the saved coin on beers.

Box and buy helmet. My CRC bag lasted 3 flights before handles ripped down the length off bag. You need your head to last a lot longer. Bubble wrap pipe insulate everything.

Thanks guys for the feedback. I think it’s a no brainer and will go for the TLD helmets. 😀

Have a mate who’s a baggage handler here in Tenerife who tells me that in general bike bags are a pain as they don’t stack too well and the soft ones tend to fall over. He reckons that a good old cardboard box is easier for them and therefore gets a bit less hammer. Just no wheels on it when you have to move it around and if it get’s wet it can be a nightmare.

To stop it getting wet wrap it in the 100mm wide tape that you use for repairing haylage/silage bales. Cheaper and wider than duct tape.

We at bikingandalucia in Spain see about 100 bikes a year arrive through the airport, and, in my opinion if used correctly the cardboard box (that bikes are delivered to the shops in) can perform as good as anything. The Evoc makes it easier though the cardboard box is free or cheap and sacrificial. It is a good idea to take a spare mech hanger, also you may want to refer to, http://bikingandalucia.com/useful-information/, 7. Bringing your own bike, and http://roadcyclinguk.com/sportive/travel-air-bike.html/1#BueyZIKV3UhekvI4.97

About to load the evoc up for the next flight. It packs in about 15 mins, not had any problems, it’s significantly easier to move around with and handle. I’d look at hiring/borrowing if I could. Up to more flights than I can count the but on average it’s doing 20 planes a year for the last 3. Been on multiple trains, hauled round cities and in and out of vans, hire cars and taxis. It also doesn’t melt when left on the tarmac in the rain.

If this is basically about money then it’s got to be the cardboard box.

Decent bike bags are grand, but they’re not cheap.

If you take the carboarrd box, take plenty of gaffer tape and keep it handy just in case they open it at customs. Also try and reinforce the handle holes a bit as they get ripped easily. If possible bin the one you take out and try and get another one from where you are going. I reinforced mine with knee pads and elbow pads, . Mine was in one piece when I arrived in Chamonix and also when I got home, but there were lots of rips in the cardboard especially by the handles.