Packing a bike for overseas travel

[MTBeer]

I've also flown Emirates. Also boxed my bike in cardboard. Here's what I learnt...

 

1. The Box. Try and get a double ply carboard box. I used a single ply. It only lasted one leg of the trip. It had a hole big enough to pull a todler through. luckily we were in Switzerland and it seems baggage handlers there don't have sticky fingers. I had to replace it to come back. Peach's double ply box lasted the whole trip

 

2. The wheels. If you can fit your bike in the box whilst leaving the rear wheel on, then do it (it is possible, even on a large DH bike with crazy rake). This uses the space more efficiently, and also keeps your chainring and drop-outs off the bottom of the box where thay can get damaged. As for front wheel, remove rotor when packing. this will prevent it from bending.

 

3. Bubble Wrap. Bubble wrap the hell outta anything and everything. If you're traveling with protecting gear (like knee-shin guards) these also work well to protect your frame. strap them on to your downtube like it's your leg. Some polystyrene blocks are also useful. Especially for where your fork rests on the bottom of the box. This prevents your lowers from punching a hole in the box and getting damaged.

 

4. Cling Wrap. We did ours manually. Seems like a good idea, but here are some factors to consider. Your flight detail labels stick onto the clingwrap. Easier to fall off/be removed. If you're traveling with 2 bikes, the clingwrap causes the boxes to stick together. Pain in the butt when loading/unloading a trolley.

 

5. What to take apart. Remove the following:

• front wheel
  
• front rotor from wheel
  
• pedals
  
• rear derailleur
  
• bars from stem
  
• deflate tyres
  

Try keep the following on:

• rear wheel
  
• fork in headset
  
• stem on fork
  
• no need to let air out of suspension
  

6. Packaging tape. Like OmegaMan said, re-inforce the hell outta any corners, sides, and handles on the box.If you can, keep yuour packaging tape in your handluggae for any on site repairs to the box. But don't be surprised if they confiscate it at Dubai International (as mine was).

 

Other than that... have fun!

thanks for all the info. fun it will be. 10 days of Himalayan single track - how can it not be fun?

[SwissVan]

I bought a dedicated bike box exactly like this one

 

 

because i prefer to have the ease of mind that comes with it and dont mind doing a bit of work to get it packed and unpacked...BUT this one was a pain because I have a large frame and the frame with fork does not fit by a few inches...have to remove the fork to get it in man was ai pissed off when i found that out, the day before flying to SA for the epic

 

I'm gonna sell it before the next trip and get another slightly larger one....

[patches]

I bought a dedicated bike box exactly like this one

 

 

because i prefer to have the ease of mind that comes with it and dont mind doing a bit of work to get it packed and unpacked...BUT this one was a pain because I have a large frame and the frame with fork does not fit by a few inches...have to remove the fork to get it in man was ai pissed off when i found that out, the day before flying to SA for the epic

 

I'm gonna sell it before the next trip and get another slightly larger one....

 

If the weight limit here was similar to that in europe, then I'd get one of these

 

http://www.primera-sports.com/system/cache/evoc-bike-bag-price-match-_productImages_7857-1-12412_800_800_False.png

 

http://www.dirtragmag.com/userfiles/case.jpg

 

http://www.biketart.com/images/EVOC%20Bike%20Bag%20Wheel.jpg?width=800

 

But alas, we're only allowed 23kg luggage, 7kg hand luggage when flying international (30kg luggage, 7kg hand luggage if you're flying Emirates), whereas within Europe, passengers are allowed 32kg for bike, 20kg for luggage, then 7kg hand luggage. So when your bike bag weighs 9kg empty, and excess baggage penalty is R600/kg, then a cardboard box is a better option

[MTBeer]

If the weight limit here was similar to that in europe, then I'd get one of these

 

http://www.primera-sports.com/system/cache/evoc-bike-bag-price-match-_productImages_7857-1-12412_800_800_False.png

 

http://www.dirtragmag.com/userfiles/case.jpg

 

http://www.biketart.com/images/EVOC%20Bike%20Bag%20Wheel.jpg?width=800

 

But alas, we're only allowed 23kg luggage, 7kg hand luggage when flying international (30kg luggage, 7kg hand luggage if you're flying Emirates), whereas within Europe, passengers are allowed 32kg for bike, 20kg for luggage, then 7kg hand luggage. So when your bike bag weighs 9kg empty, and excess baggage penalty is R600/kg, then a cardboard box is a better option

is the overweight charge for Emirates R600.00 per kg? fekkit, I'm on 31.5kg at the moment. might have to do some creative packing in my hand luggage.

[Kranswurm]

I bought a dedicated bike box exactly like this one

 

 

because i prefer to have the ease of mind that comes with it and dont mind doing a bit of work to get it packed and unpacked...BUT this one was a pain because I have a large frame and the frame with fork does not fit by a few inches...have to remove the fork to get it in man was ai pissed off when i found that out, the day before flying to SA for the epic

 

I'm gonna sell it before the next trip and get another slightly larger one....

 

I have this one but it battles with my XL FS so just keep it for the road bike

Safe as houses

[patches]

is the overweight charge for Emirates R600.00 per kg? fekkit, I'm on 31.5kg at the moment. might have to do some creative packing in my hand luggage.

 

well that's the rate for JHB to Geneva. your flight my be different.

 

Check here

 

As for the hand luggage... yup! Because we were travelling with DH bikes, tools, spares and gear our bike boxes weighed in at 30kg excluding our clothes.

 

So we had to put all our clothing in our backpacks. I reken they weighed more than 7kg, but no one checked. We also had our full face helmets in a helmet bag, in our hands. Peach even packed his undies in his helmet to save on weight

[Guest Omega Man]

Peach even packed his undies in his helmet to save on weight http://1.1.1.4/bmi/cdn.bikehub.co.za/forum//public/style_emoticons/default/laugh.png

You took UNDERWEAR????

 

Sorry to digress. My mate Vince has booked. 500 Euro on Turkish. 6th July-17th July.

Edited October 25, 2012 by Omega Man

[patches]

You took UNDERWEAR????

 

Sorry to digress. My mate Vince has booked. 500 Euro on Turkish. 6th July-17th July.

 

Ofcourse we did! you have to have something to skidmark when you see some of those trails!

 

demmit, we're so keen for next year. We're just still deciding on dates and whether to do Mega as well.

 

*also sorry for the digression*

[Guest Omega Man]

Ofcourse we did! you have to have something to skidmark when you see some of those trails! http://1.1.1.4/bmi/cdn.bikehub.co.za/forum//public/style_emoticons/default/laugh.png

 

demmit, we're so keen for next year. We're just still deciding on dates and whether to do Mega as well.

 

*also sorry for the digression*

A friend of a friend has done the mega and he basically said you spend 95% of the weekend waiting and queuing. That's fine if you are a brit who's just popped over to do the race but for people like us who have flown halfway round the world and are pressed for time it's not such a good plan. We are gonna give it a miss. A day in Morgins is far more appealing to me.

 

Passportes is the 28th June so go after that. We are planning to leave here the 6th and arrive the 7th.

 

We are sort of looking at this accom.

 

http://www.skimorzine.com/chalets-morzine/catered-morzine/chalet-savoy

 

It's about 50m for the Super Morzine lift. If we can get a big crew together we might be able to squeeze a discount.

 

 

*also sorry for the indigestion*

Edited October 25, 2012 by Omega Man