NivenT Posted April 29, 2016 Posted April 29, 2016 Advise needed on the cheapest way to get bicycles to Geneva for the final week of the Tour de France.Please help.
shaper Posted April 30, 2016 Posted April 30, 2016 Consider hiring as TheV says. I went to france for a week cycling and took my bike, airline charged me USD100 each way... so check with your airline regarding cost. I then had the hassle of packing, transporting and hoping it arrived safely having to change flights both internationally and internally in France. I was cycling around Ventoux and there were many cycle shops hiring quality bikes. Here is one http://www.bike-rental-ventoux.com/index.html You can even send them your bikefit measurements and they will set it up ready for you. Next time l will just take my saddle, kit and pedals and hire, fitting my saddle while using.
Patchelicious Posted April 30, 2016 Posted April 30, 2016 We did the sums too. We are renting, think it's costing about R1700 for 3 days in final week.
tombeej Posted April 30, 2016 Posted April 30, 2016 I was in Spain for a week in March and rented a bike there too. Best decision. Cost me about R2k for Mon - Fri and I had a brand new 11 spd carbon Cannondale Synapse. Good value for money, esp. When considering how much it costs to get your own bike onto a plane, not to mention the hassle of boxing, transporting, etc. So besides your own repair kit, shoes & helmet, the only thing from your bike that you'll probably have to take with you are your pedals (my Spanish bike rental company required this - they don't supply pedals with their bikes). And of course you're not allowed to take CO2 cartridges on the plane with you, so you either buy them there or take a small frame pump that can pump to 7 - 8 bar. The Europeans laugh like mad at our word for them: 'bombs'. They think that's an hysterical name for them .
NivenT Posted April 30, 2016 Author Posted April 30, 2016 To all, thanx for the suggestions.Rental it will be.Special word of thanx to Lerouc. If only we had the time
carbon29er Posted April 30, 2016 Posted April 30, 2016 The CO2 canister ban by airlines is up there in the sillyness stake with SAA requiring the blinds to be open for landing. Every seat has an inflatable lift vest near it. Guess what inflates these? No, not the cord. A CO2 canister! Last week of TDF is high demand time, when our bikes where stolen last year we tried every rental shop in the Alps. I can still hear them laughing. So don't delay, get on it straight away. And pay by credit card so you have some recourse if they oversell you.
Lurch the stalker Posted April 30, 2016 Posted April 30, 2016 The CO2 canister ban by airlines is up there in the sillyness stake with SAA requiring the blinds to be open for landing. It's not just SAA.The blinds actually have to be open in case they have an emergency landing and rescue crews need to see into the aircraft.
tombeej Posted April 30, 2016 Posted April 30, 2016 Take a handpump .Tubeless is a unknown to them Yip, and then you just have one of those little shrader to presta adapters in your repair kit, so that you can use the air compressor at the next petrol station to get the high pressures needed for road.
carbon29er Posted April 30, 2016 Posted April 30, 2016 It's not just SAA.The blinds actually have to be open in case they have an emergency landing and rescue crews need to see into the aircraft.Does not happen in Europe, US or Australia. Maybe Civil Aviation in SA. But certainly last time I flew in to Cape Town on KLM they didn't gives a rats arse about blinds being up or down. I suppose it's the same that some airlines allow the use of cell phones during takeoff and landing and have wifi while others don't. http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2015/05/08/faa-can-allow-cellphones-during-takeoff-and-landing.html All to do with arbitrary rules. Like CO2 bombs on a plane.
Kranswurm Posted April 30, 2016 Posted April 30, 2016 My son flew to Geneva a few years ago to watch the TDFin the Alps and he just took his bike,shoe helmet etc in a bike box taped up as his luggage and carried his clothing on board.You dont need much clothing.cause you on the bike every dayI not sure it cost him anything.I paid for the flight and there were no extra charges
BigDL Posted April 30, 2016 Posted April 30, 2016 Does not happen in Europe, US or Australia. Maybe Civil Aviation in SA. But certainly last time I flew in to Cape Town on KLM they didn't gives a rats arse about blinds being up or down. I suppose it's the same that some airlines allow the use of cell phones during takeoff and landing and have wifi while others don't. http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2015/05/08/faa-can-allow-cellphones-during-takeoff-and-landing.html All to do with arbitrary rules. Like CO2 bombs on a plane.Happens on any overnight flights I have taken in Europe, Asia and the US http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/airline-staff-reveal-why-window-shades-must-be-kept-open-during-takeoff-and-landing-a6899681.html
NivenT Posted May 1, 2016 Author Posted May 1, 2016 Thanks all. Going to Greece first, so the shorter interconnecting flights are the problem. Their rates for bike luggage start adding up.
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