Right, i’ve got the padded flight bag (Neil Pryde version) and some heavy duty cardboard, should have some bubble wrap type stuff arriving as well.
Bag has padded wheel bags so that shouldn’t be a problem.

Whats the best way of packing a bike to ensure it arrives still bike-shaped and usable?

Something in the dropouts to hold them apart, a mix of cardboard adn polystyrene / bubble wrap around the bike

I’m going to use the maxle’s to hold the drop-outs in place. I’m toying with the idea of taking the crankset out completely and wrapping it in bubble wrap – it’s a HTII so a doddle to put back in.

What else?

Take rear mech off and tape to frame
I also did the same with brake calipers
Take the rotors off the wheels and pack seperate in heavy duty cardboard

What’s the best way to do the handlebars then?

Take bars from stem or just remove the whole bar/stem combo?

Got some packing slips for the calipers that came with the bike 🙂

Looks like suggestions and your reply so far have just about covered it – the only thing I’d add is to put some spacers between your brake pads, just in case the brake lever gets squeezed in transit.

edit…oops, just seen you Xposted reply above.

Handlebars – just take stem faceplate off and bubblewrap bars complete, then tie/zip tie to frame if they’re floppin’ about.

Thats what the packing slips are for – they came with the brakes which was a nice touch!
The rear mech bit should be easy enough as it’s a Quad 140 maxle drop-out that unbolts from the swing arm, nice and easy that!

Do airlines still insist on tyres and shocks being deflated?

don’t deflate tyres, they’ll give more protection to the rims inflated. take the mech hanger off too.

Refered to and folllowed this 3 times – no problems

lots of good tips which I will just reiterate

dont deflate tyres as they will protect your wheels from baggage handling ruffians, if unscientific paranoia dictates you must, deflate them 1 atmosphere, but no more

remove rear mech

fork spacing things or maxles

handlebars from stem, not stem from fork

pedals off

pray

maxles won’t stop the rear stays or fork legs being pushed together if a heavy weight is put on it as the axle only has expanding/threaded section at 1 end.

Lined the bag with cardboard down the sides. I used a thick bit of rolled up card cut to 135mm to put between my dropouts, feels quite solid. Frame was padded with foamy pipe lagging – light and seems to do a great job of it. I left my crankset in with the pedals off. Rotors off and zip-tied together to make them less likely to get bent. I put foam blocks between the levers and grips to stop the brakes getting pulled.

They didn’t even ask me at check-in about tyres or shocks. I deflated the tyres a bit as they squash into the bag a bit easier that way.

I have two bits of light pvc pipe that i use to space my fork and frame – as said above qr15/maxle etc are only attached at one end, so put tube inside and maxle through. I use boxes normally so ama bit less into full breakdown but mech off and inside frame, rotors off for flights, pedals off everythign padded and atatched together, tyres left solid.

I remove the rear mech and the hanger together ,
let a little air out of the tyres,
let the air out of my forks/rear sus (more room in bag),
Bars off the stem,
seat post out,pedals off .
Then use pipe insulation /cardboard/bubblewrap as last line of defence.

Have fun. It never gets packed as neatly for the return flight!