Packing a bike for overseas travel

[MTBeer]

I'm busy packing my MTB in a cardboard bike box to put on the plane for an overseas trip. Anything I should take special note of or care with? Is it necessary to let air out of your tyres/shocks?

[JGR]

Deflate your tyres - not sure of the shock as ive only ever travelled with a road bike. What airline? I have only had exp interntaionally with KLM and they were quite particular regarding size, extra payment, only the bike in the box ect

[HappyMartin]

Air out of tyres. Remove pedals. Put a brace in between the forks and rear drop outs to prevent them being forced together and snapping or bending something. Drop the saddle or remove it. Wrap the whole thing in bubble wrap before boxing

 

No idea about the shock. Never thought of it. Did fly a MTB out the country once and didn't take the air out the shock. Seemed to cause no damage but I could have been lucky.

[MTBeer]

Deflate your tyres - not sure of the shock as ive only ever travelled with a road bike. What airline? I have only had exp interntaionally with KLM and they were quite particular regarding size, extra payment, only the bike in the box ect

emirates. no charge as long as you're under your 30kg allowance and bike must be in a hard box.

[MTBeer]

Air out of tyres. Remove pedals. Put a brace in between the forks and rear drop outs to prevent them being forced together and snapping or bending something. Drop the saddle or remove it. Wrap the whole thing in bubble wrap before boxing

 

No idea about the shock. Never thought of it. Did fly a MTB out the country once and didn't take the air out the shock. Seemed to cause no damage but I could have been lucky.

thanks

[Kranswurm]

I'm busy packing my MTB in a cardboard bike box to put on the plane for an overseas trip. Anything I should take special note of or care with? Is it necessary to let air out of your tyres/shocks?

 

The hold is pressurised so no need to let any air out.Your deoderant survives

 

The box can be damaged so I use a whole roll of packing tape to wrap the box and reinforce it

[MTBeer]

The hold is pressurised so no need to let any air out.Your deoderant survives

 

The box can be damaged so I use a whole roll of packing tape to wrap the box and reinforce it

that's what I thought about the hold, but have seen some forums where people suggest letting air out.

[Kranswurm]

that's what I thought about the hold, but have seen some forums where people suggest letting air out.

 

They prob do it in case the plane depressurises................but then you can prob kiss your bike and your own ass goodbye

[HappyMartin]

We had tubes pop flying from Egypt to Eritrea. Not sure if anything untoward occurred in the hold but we didn't deflate the tyres on that occasion and I have deflated ever since.

[JGR]

Tubes will pop - the first thing they will tell you at check is to deflate and its a mission unpacking it there ... trust me. I once forgot a bomb in the saddle bag and had to spend 15 mins unpacking, unplasticing ect ect.

[Excite_Bike]

The valve connection for the shock is exactly the same as that for a car tyre. There is a simple tool you get from any shop selling car parts and accessories which can be used to completely remove the valve. Really simple and it may be something you can do as a precaution.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Excite_Bike

[Guest Omega Man]

The valve connection for the shock is exactly the same as that for a car tyre. There is a simple tool you get from any shop selling car parts and accessories which can be used to completely remove the valve. Really simple and it may be something you can do as a precaution.

I would deff not do that.

[reteid]

dont take bombs(the co2 type)deflate tyres but not all that much.something to keep between the brake pads as well as between the fork.take off the rear deraileur , but sommer take it off with the hanger.where are you off to?

[Ryan]

Somebody told me once that if you are are happy to throw the box with the bike in it down a flight of stairs, then it is ready for the airlines to handle.

 

A bit extreme I guess.

[gummibear]

The valve connection for the shock is exactly the same as that for a car tyre. There is a simple tool you get from any shop selling car parts and accessories which can be used to completely remove the valve. Really simple and it may be something you can do as a precaution.

 

Why would you want to do that?

 

Bubblewrap and more bubblewrap .

Make sure your bars/brakes don't knock the top tube.

Fold a few pieces of cardboard and make a few hard wedges to to keep the box away from the frame.

[GLuvsMtb]

Remove the RD. Remove seatpost, remove pedals, remove QR skewers from wheels, if your chain has a quick link, remove the chain as well. Wedge the brake caliphers on a mtb to prevent accidental "bleeding". Tape the seatpost and RD to the frame and put all the loose bits (QR skewers, pedals and chain) in a ziplock bag with a stanley blade and insulation tape for packing the bike on the return trip. Throw in a few sheets of bubble wrap and box tape in the box as well for packing the bike for the return trip.

 

Don't let air out of anything and make sure that there are no loose bits in the box. Wedging the fork and rear stay is important and mark the box with something that will allow you to quickly identify it if there are lots of other boxes on the plane as well (IM, Trans Alps etc).

Edited October 24, 2012 by MorewoodMad