Bike bags

[steve]

I'm going to Portugal and was thinking of taking my bike ....... where can I get a bike bag and anybody else travelled on Iberia with a bike?

 

 

[linnega]

Travelled all over with my bike in a standard bag (R600 from any bike shop). Use a Stride splint to protect the fork, rear derailleur and hangar (www.strides.co.za).

[TheLegend]

use a bike box from your local store. for free and robust. get rid of it at the airport and before flying home get one there from a bike store.

[bruce]

Steve,

 

Remove your bottle cages - any force from the side of the bag can cause the bottle cages to bend the lugs in the frame.

 

I had a carbon frame destroyed because the bottle cages got pushed sideways and tore the cages from the frame.   And that was in a RaceCase that has a rigid frame around the bike to protect it.

bruce2006-11-06 12:36:38

[Guest Big H]

If you want your bike protected as soft bike bag is useless. A Rigid (Hard shell) or semi rigid (frame with soft cover) is preferred if you want your bike properly protected. If you are technically challenged forget about it as you semi diss-assemble the bike and have to get it right again when assembling. Major rules are is to carry all the loose items such as cateyes, water bottle cages, pump and pedals is a seperate large Ziploc bac. Remember to pack ALL the tools like pedal spanner. Use spacers to brace  your front and back wheel (if you do take it out) because when unsupported they WILL squash and get irrepairably damaged. Get aditional protection for your rear derraileur and dropout.

[dirtrider]

Like the Legend I have always used a bike box (carton) . But I have been using the same bike box for 3 years now and this thing is so taped up that it is actually super strong . I fly a lot with my bike and have never had any problems with the bike . Little of bubble wrap in the sensitive areas and of we go .

Then I also put all my cycling stuff (helmet , shoes , clothes , tent , sleepingbag ) inside the box as well .

[Guest Big H]

I had a look at the Splint as suggested by Linnega and that is definitely the way to go. A soft bag with a Splint can work. For aditional protection wrap the frame with some bubble wrap.

[bikemonster]

FWIW I have travelled to JHB and back from Cape Town with my bike in a soft bag.  I made supports for fork and rear dropouts by cutting 6mm threaded bar to size, and using four nuts and washers on each, so that forks and rear dropouts could not be squished.

 

I removed the rear derailleur and bundled it up with as much chain as I could in a plastic bag and taped the whole lot to the chain stay.

 

Medical examination gloves will keep your hands clean during all of this.

 

While you work, keep all of the tools that you use to one side and pack them so that you have all the tools you need for reassembly when you arrive.

[Kranswurm]

I use a TCS hard case which is indestructable and takes either my mtb or road bike.They are expensive and heavy which is the down side but my bikes stay in good nick.

I noticed with interest flying from Cpt to Jhb on Monday after the Cederberg stage race that lots of guys just put their mtb's straight on the plane without any bag or protection.I dont know if thats very wise.I felt quite sorry for that Ellsworth(lust)

[TitusTi]

I've tried a large number of methods for travelling with my bike, in the end what seems to be the best is, something small (even if a bit of disassembly is required), you want wheels on it, a hard case of some sort. I was just in the states flying about with my bike in a large ardboard bike box, the boys have no respect, I was often sitting just above the cargo door when they were packing my bike, it was hard to watch! And just rolling the bike in loose, I've done that as well and have the broken parts to show for it.

[ewep]

Steve, I have a BikeBag that I want to sell.  Only problem is it's a bit on the heavy side.  PM me if you're interested.

[Velouria]

If you don't want to buy a case, you can hire from www.securiplex.co.za

 

I took a my bike to France in one of these, and it was perfect. My only gripe is that they are perhaps a little heavy.

 

[steve]

I've given up with this idea.

Iberia say bike, box etc will be weighed as part of normal baggage where max is 20kg and will be charged as excess weight at a rate of 1.5% of the value of the highest Tourist Class adult fare for a one-way journey without stopovers (class Y) in force on the date on which the excess luggage ticket is issued. The above applies regardless of the service class in which a flight booking has been made. 

 Also passengers in the cheap seats are only allowed 1 piece of checked baggage.

[tamaties]

hi steve - i found the best way to travel with your bike is to bubble warp the derailers etc, and just roll it on as is, no bike bag.......HAVE YOU SEEN HOW THEY JUST TOSS AROUND THE BIKE BAGS???? they dont give a damn whats inside, just like the other luggage, it gets tossed around, and things get put on top of it , they sit on it etc etc - where as if you just roll it on, they know its a bike , and take care of it in that way - and no extra heavy bags to carry around either - you just push your bike, and carry your travel luggage....!!!!