So the planning for my forthcoming cycle tour continues.

I’ve read a few suggestions of just turning up to the airport with your bike without any packaging, turning your bars and that’s it. The thinking being baggage handlers will treat it with more respect as it’s not hidden in a box.

Has anyone ever actually done this successfully? It would really help not having to stash a bike bag for the duration of my tour and more importantly opens up the option to fly in and out of different airports which would suit my potential route. Not sure I’m comfortable taking the risk though…

Cardboard box it up.

And then for each flight buy/blag a cardboard box.

In the good old days BA used to provide a see-thru plastic bike bag.

Get something like this (I have one and used it sucessfully a few times)

http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/product-detail-BOD-BAG.htm

I’ve seen people do that but these days most airlines have a policy of “it must be in a proper bag/box”

I have taken a bike on Virgin in just a giant polythene bag from Wiggle. It was fine. But their regulations do stipulate it has to be in a bag of some sort.

If nothing else the oil from the chain could get on to other people’s bags.

Maybe you can rent a bike box/bag, check LBSs.

I did it once, knowing that they would supply me with a very big cardboard box when I got there. Charged me £20 though, but it was cheaper than the bike bag I didn’t have.

Was torn to shreds by the time I got to my destination though, I saw handlers during the transfer dragging it about and abusing it despite it being very obvious what was inside by that point.

The thinking being baggage handlers will treat it with more respect as it’s not hidden in a box.

Sniggers! 😀

I have never used a bike box seems such a struggle to get the bike to fit, but I have used a bike bag and a big plastic bag.
Suffered damage in both over the years, plastic bag frame was scratched and bike bag before my present packing system slight buckled wheel.
Now use bike bag and stuff it full of a combo of bubble wrap and air bags like the ones from screw fix send out for packing.
The theory is the baggage handlers can not crush the bag, worked the last few years.

Never done it but seen it done. Straighten the bars, screw the pedals back on and ride out of the airport.

Those days are gone.

Bike bag it is then I think, and just try and stash it somewhere during the trip. Was just curious as to whether anyone had done it with success.

Thanks all

Worked as a baggage handler as a summer job. Not boxing/bagging is a very silly idea. Half of it will be stolen and the other half broken by the time it gets there. Witnessed first hand a very expensive at the time carbon bike broken in a hold when a handler tried to ride it on the wet aluminium floor for a laugh.

There is also the point regarding oil and damage to other peoples’ property and the potential damage to hold/baggage handling equipment such as belts etc.

Did a tour last year with a different arrival and departure destination so had to use a CTC plastic bag…

Turned out ok, apart from the fact they lost our bikes for 3 days and we had to wait around until they arrived (and do the tour in half the time). Sleazyjet compensated us (after a lot of complaining) for more than the holiday cost thou 🙂

Never tried this but go to a bed shop. they get matresses in such big bags. Prob could blag one

I saw a guy at Brussels airport on Friday getting his road bike security wrapped in one of those cellophane wrapping booths – seemed like a reasonable idea for €6

Back in the 80s I rode out to Heathrow, whipped the pedals off, turned the bars, handed it to the checkin guys and flew off to Pisa. I did the same thing on the way back. No wrapping at all. I doubt it would be possible now.

re read the post…

Did similar back in 1994. Took bikes out to Vancouver. To make weight limit I did have to take crankset off along with a few other bits and carry them as hand luggage 😯

Can’t see that happening now.

Know of a few people who have tried it (I run a bike holiday company!).

Don’t do it.

Thanks Stevo, I think I’m going to compromise on the route and fly in and out of the same airport so will use my bike bag.

E-mail a couple of bike shops in the destination city and blag a box.

Box up properly in cardboard and you can add a few extras into it if you want.

On the return leg pick up 2 rolls of tape and some bin bags and use clothes in bages etc to pack the bike.

[video]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ph_-SLXbDPE&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dph_-SLXbDPE&gl=GB[/video]

I used a bike bag on a trip around Lewis, I stashed it in this salt bin just outside the airport, luckily it was still there when I returned a week later.

On various transatlantic trips I’ve used bags and boxes in equal measure, had buckled wheels, bent rotors (remove them now), dented frames, bent chainstays, scraped/scratched paintwork. I reckon the only fail-safe way of transporting is with a rigid plastic/metal box – however this eats up weight allowance and they are considerably more expensive to purchase.

Arrived at Vancouver in 2009. My bike arrived safely as it was well padded and inside a cardboard box. The other bike on the flight was in a plastic bag and arrived on the reclaim area in several separate pieces.

Seen it on Geneva, bike arrived with a nicely bent seat stay

E-mail a couple of bike shops in the destination city and blag a box.

This. I was in Italy a few weeks back and wanted to ride back to the airport. Found a friendly shop a few minutes from the airport, they gave me a box and a place to change/re-pack. Threw it all in a taxi and away we went. Granted you might not always be that lucky but a bit of prior planning/emailing and I’m sure it’s workable. Better than having to lug a flimsy bike bag around (which will still weigh a couple of kg) and even then not be confident in lack of damage to bike.