So i have booked flights to NZ with emirates for a month in November. Would quite like to take a bike out with me but flying with it seems a bit of a mission. I have 30kg allowance but have to take other stuff with me as well. Also not all the flights are with emirates, think most are quantas and the last one is jetstar, bit wary that one of them might refuse to take the bike.

Was wondering what the options were for getting a bike out there?

Considered so far:

1. Buy a bike out there and then sell it after a month.
2. Ship my bike out separately to a mates house and do the same when i come back.
3. Hire a bike when i am out there.

Option 3 i am not so keen on as would quite like to have a bike the whole time to get around and also dont want to just hire a bike for the odd uplift day. Would quite like to do some of the more exploring style/ enduro stuff out there.

Anybody got ideas/ experience on things i could do?

Thanks very much

Pack light, abuse hand luggage rule, buy another bag as that’s usually cheapest, if it’s a single ticket then you just check it in.

Also, if you take one scrub it to within an inch of its life. Go through red channel in Auckland , declare it and you get through fast !

As long as you are booked on one ticket through from the UK to NZ, your allowance will be dictated by the operating carrier for the longest segment. It’s called the IATA Resolution 302 Most Significant Carrier rule. Adding excess baggage is very expensive because of the number of legs you have, I would guess up to GBP500 each way.

I am aware shipping can cost less if you are very organised and use ‘by sea’, but it can take 1 month or more, each way, so you would be without your bike in the UK either side of your trip.

Two other options:

1. Upgrade just part of your flight. If you can upgrade at least one leg (segment) of your trip outbound and return to Premium Economy, under Qantas rules you would get 40 kg. You would have to ring whoever issued your ticket to see if you can make any changes and how much it would cost.

2. If the longest leg is with Qantas on both the outbound and the return, you can join Qantas Club for AUD720 which will give you 42 kg checked baggage allowance in economy. It will also give you + 1 guest entrance to the business class lounges on flights booked under the QF or Jetstar flight number (if your flights are operated by Qantas but booked under the EK flight number you would get the extra baggage allowance but not the lounge access).

Im living in Queenstown at the moment so feel free to ask any questions.

There are loads of places to rent bikes in town, but they are quite pricey £40-£50 a day for a reign or a glory

If your going to buy a bike here in NZ – this is the best QT facebook group to buy from https://www.facebook.com/groups/879901602116694/?ref=bookmarks

There is also trademe but you can’t ask questions or buy from outside nz. If you have a mate out here he might be able to do it for you.

I will be selling my 2016 giant reign 1 around that time as i will be heading to AUS in november if you’re interested?

Definitely take NZcol’s advice about customs they do not mess about when it comes to outdoors equipment any tiny spec of mud will land you with a fine!

Even though you are on different carriers, when you check in luggage it will be checked straight through, you shouldn’t have to worry about that part.

Every time I have taken a mountain bike have done as NZcol says, scrub it to brand new state. Put new tires on it, much easier. It is always checked IME.

Every time I have taken a mountain bike have done as NZcol says, scrub it to brand new state. Put new tires on it, much easier. It is always checked IME.

I get checked every time, my Aussie mate never gets checked.
Clean under the saddle and inside the head tube/fork Crown they know ow where to look for slack cleaning. No option bar the declare in Auckland these days, everyone gets a quick chat.