Don’t worry this is not a new dodgy film staring Samual L Jackson, but merely a thread about adventures on a bike.

I’m looking to do some BMX races in Europe, but have never flown with a bike before and was wondering for this that have done it, what your experience was? Which airlines are good, cheap and who to avoid?

Ship it in advance, especially for a bmx you could get it in a very small box and would be cheaper and easier than taking it on the plane.

There’s a really good guide for packing a bmx for flying, I think on the G-Sport website. I’ve only flown my mtb, flew with thomas cook in an avenir bike bag. All tubes etc were protected with pipe lagging. Pain in the arse to carry though (I didn’t have any airport transfers to my hostel!) – if I were doing it again I’d get that POC wheeled bag.

There’s a BMX ‘golf’ bag, available as golf kit is usualy cheeper to fly with (golf and ski = expensive = rich people = more hollidays = bigger market = comppetative prices).

Just generaly pad things as much ass possible, I’ve a CRC bag with a box inside it and some scrap bubblewrap for detachable bits like forks, post and bars, that and wheel bags mean nothing can move inside the bag.

Been flying with bikes since 2001 ish – Europe, US and Canada. Never had an issue. Get a decent bag, pack it well, throw clothes in. Fly back and forth from UK-Irl regularly during the CX season, Ryanair, Aerlingus, BA (who were c*&%s), UA, Air America, are all more or less the same KLM are a pain to deal with, don’t think they do bikes any more.

THink my bike bag was weighed once in Lanzarote and thats about it.

Be aware that the weight limit for a bike on BMI Baby is 18kg, over which it’s £12 per kg per flight. OK for a BMX but nowhere near enough for a road bike in a proper box or mountainbike. If your bike and box weighs the usual c:30kg, you would be looking at an extra £300 for a round trip. 😥

A Race BMX should go in largish regular case with the front wheel and bars off? now a 29er – that’s gonna be a challenge…

I have flown with bikes a few times with no great issues – one small dent once. Just pack it well and it will be fine

Found the guide I was on about – http://www.gsportbmx.co.uk/support/rideuktech/flying.html 🙂