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Travelling with your carbon bike


Healthnut

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Could anyone cast some light on the best way to package / transport bikes for international flights? My bike is full carbon (MTB) and we plan to fly via Italy to Slovenia in August. Is a bike box sufficient, or should we purchase bags?

 

Renée

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Depends on the weight of your bike...As dedicated bike bags are aruond ~8kg each and you get a max single bag allowance of 21 to 23kg depending on airline (assuming economy class). So you may sukkel to come in under that limit with a dedicated bike bag once you add a little more padding or a spare tyre and some tools too.

So I use a cardboard bike box. Reinforced with duct tape in appropriate places. R20 pool noodle cut up protects things like stanchion tubes. Take pedals off and put on facing inwards, take front tyre off and place next to bike, handlebars off. cable tied to bike. then a tiny bit of bubblewrap. Simple enough.

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Or build a bike box out of corex. It's still super light but way sturdier and can get wet etc...

Dude come to think of it I think there is a place in CT that sells them premade out of that?

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Dude come to think of it I think there is a place in CT that sells them premade out of that?

I know of a company from George called 'The bike box co' that sell pre fabricated ones but I think they are pricey. 

 

I built one out of 4mm corex for AR and it's still going years later. Got 2 x corex sheets from the signage shop for 250zar a pop, some rivets, some washers and some hardcore adhesive velcro and boom!

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@the Original Poster.

 

You have 3 options available to you. With all 3 options if this is your first trip get a shop to pack your bike for you

 

1. Cardboard box. They are light and cheap/free. I've done 11 Euro bike trips with carboard boxes and never had an issue.

  • Get a shop to pack your bike and leave the top open
  • Take pics so you can repeat what the bikeshop did on the way home
  • stash soft stuff around the tubes and tape that into place
  • close the box and force yourself to use 2 rolls of packing tape to close er up
  • Write your name and number on several panels of the box

2. Rent a bike bag. You should be able so source rental bike bags in PMB

 

3. Buy a bike bag

  • Expensive
  • Hard to store
  • Unless you are planning to do many many many trips IMO they are a waste of money

 

Edit. I did 1 trip with a bike bag and it was so K@K and unwieldy that I actually picked up a rotator cuff injury dragging it around.

Edited by Duane_Bosch
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@the Original Poster.

 

You have 3 options available to you. With all 3 options if this is your first trip get a shop to pack your bike for you

 

1. Cardboard box. They are light and cheap/free. I've done 11 Euro bike trips with carboard boxes and never had an issue.

  • Get a shop to pack your bike and leave the top open
  • Take pics so you can repeat what the bikeshop did on the way home
  • stash soft stuff around the tubes and tape that into place
  • close the box and force yourself to use 2 rolls of packing tape to close er up
  • Write your name and number on several panels of the box
2. Rent a bike bag. You should be able so source rental bike bags in PMB

 

3. Buy a bike bag

  • Expensive
  • Hard to store
  • Unless you are planning to do many many many trips IMO they are a waste of money

Edit. I did 1 trip with a bike bag and it was so K@K and unwieldy that I actually picked up a rotator cuff injury dragging it around.

I bought a bike bag for not very much and it has looked after my MTB now for 4 international trips. I’m not sure I would stick my carbon road bike in it, but it’s great for MTB (Alu). I agree on the awkwardness, but it’s not the end of the world

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There's it...

 

But making one yourself is wicket cool and easy

I think the nice thing about these is that it looks like they can fold up fairly small, making it easier to transport or store once at your destination?

 

Waaaay smaller than the scicon one I got on special on Takealot, that I will probably never use... hindsight is 20-20

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I think the nice thing about these is that it looks like they can fold up fairly small, making it easier to transport or store once at your destination?

 

Waaaay smaller than the scicon one I got on special on Takealot, that I will probably never use... hindsight is 20-20

Exactly. If you build it properly it packs away flat so it only takes up the space under a bed or behind a couch etc.

 

 

That is actually quite cool

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I think the nice thing about these is that it looks like they can fold up fairly small, making it easier to transport or store once at your destination?

 

Waaaay smaller than the scicon one I got on special on Takealot, that I will probably never use... hindsight is 20-20

And they come with all sorts of bits to protect the various parts of the bike. Worth it imo.

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I bought a bike bag for not very much and it has looked after my MTB now for 4 international trips. I’m not sure I would stick my carbon road bike in it, but it’s great for MTB (Alu). I agree on the awkwardness, but it’s not the end of the world

For sure. 

 

Just my opinion. But whatever works for you is great.

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