[danennis]

Anyone got any ideas on how to fly with 2 bikes and not get totally raped with fees?

I've seen some 2 bike cases but they are way out of the airline sizes, and i've also seen folks take bikes apart and put them in duffel bags, just wondering if anyones got some tips, ideas, etc?

the bikes are a dh bike and a fs slalom bike, so i could take off swingarms if need be.

 

[Mulestar]

Anyone got any ideas on how to fly with 2 bikes and not get totally raped with fees?

I've seen some 2 bike cases but they are way out of the airline sizes, and i've also seen folks take bikes apart and put them in duffel bags, just wondering if anyones got some tips, ideas, etc?

the bikes are a dh bike and a fs slalom bike, so i could take off swingarms if need be.

I would pack the yeti in a standard bike travel box, but try to take the sx apart and fit it in a large suitcase maybe? The sx seems small enough to pull that off.


You could always ship one early and fly with the other as well...but that's not cheap either.

 

[Jeremy R]

"Flying with 2 bikes?"

Your arms are gonna be so tired.

Is there any chance you have a place to ship them to ahead of time?

 

[danennis]

yeah i may end up shipping one and flying with one. i want to have bike with me when i get off the plane just in case i need some transportation.

 

[LOOnatic]

Southwest has the cheapest bike policy. But hey, guns and golfclubs are free
To save the most i would put the wheels in a box and put some armor ,pads whatever to cushion, break down a bike the best u can and put in a suitcase/bag of some sort.
Checking 3 bags on southwest is cheaper than paying their bike fee which at some airports is 50 and some 75.
Flying with a dh bike and paying 50 each way is cheap but having that big ass box and your other luggage is a royal pain. Plus, new TSA rules state that they have to open your carefully packed bike box and root all through it. With a dh bike, some tools and spares its a miracle to close it and TSA will not let you repack but you can watch them do a horrible job.

Shipping a bike before hand in an actual bike case its still gonna cost close to $100 with fedx b/c a bike case weighs slose to 30lbs before you pack it. If your on a budget or dont have a bike case use a cardboard bike box and that can save money with the shipper due to reduced overall weight.

 

[danennis]

yeah i don't have a travel case so it'd be a cardboard box for sure. im leaning toward the break it down and bag it idea.

 

[Mike Fitz]

my DH bike in a bike case was 68lbs.
Try good will for a large suit case. I have seen them cheap there and try to fit the SX in. A hard side that is. I work on the ramp for a airline up dont want it in a soft side lol.
Tsa did go though my box but they seemed to repack it good this past trip.

 

[bizutch]

Call Marty over at Pro-Bikes. She used to have a 2 bike BikePro case, which is what the pros use internationally. I shipped my DH bike and virtually everything from my apartment once in it. I took it and my carry on bags and had more than enough stuff for a month of riding. I was dumb to airlines and walked up to the counter and had my 2 little bags in hand and asked if I had to pay extra for the BikePro.

They looked at it, saw it had wheels, giant zippers for easy opening and padding and handles all over it and counted it as my luggage. This was with a flight on Delta on the way out to SLC.

On the way back, United did the same thing.

They hate cardboard boxes or crappy packaging and will pummel you if you pull a ghetto box. If you can get the BikePro, it will hold both your bikes and just take an extra $100.00 with you to barter with if needed.

 

[bizutch]

here's the link:
http://shop.bikeprousa.com/Double-Race-Case-A-21.htm

 

[danennis]

sweet thanks for all the info, im gonna check out that bikepro case for sure.

 

[danielsapp414]

Fly Southwest if you can...2 free bags and you can take bikes for free as those bags, just make sure you get the sizes right. If you go over it's not that bad either.

 

[bizutch]

Thought of you Dan. This is on Asheville Craigslist. says $180 retail.

http://asheville.craigslist.org/bik/1742975063.html

 

[LOOnatic]

Fly Southwest if you can...2 free bags and you can take bikes for free as those bags, just make sure you get the sizes right. If you go over it's not that bad either.

Just to clarify, a bike broken down into a suitcase can fly free as one of those bags but a bike in a bike does not.

 

[mangler]

i fly with a bike quite a bit, although a bmx bike, same rules apply. your goal is to have as little bags as possible and keep them below 50lbs. i use an ogio monster golf bag and i can fit all of my bmx bike in there plus more.

i was talking with Phil Sundbaum a while back, we were both at woodward west on separate filming trips and i asked him how they flew with their bigger bikes. he told me he could get all of his 26'er into a monster bag except his fork i think? but had to take his tires off his rims and some other stuff.

but golf bags are the best for flying with bikes. you can get those ogio monster ones off ebay for around $115.

good luck!

 

[ChrisKring]

here's the link:
http://shop.bikeprousa.com/Double-Race-Case-A-21.htm

I have one of those double oversized double downhill bike bikepro bags. I'll sell it cheap if anyone wants it. I pretty much have to fly northwest due to where I fly out of and they have a weight limit at 100 pounds. The case is 47 pounds empty so I can't take 2 bikes in it anyway.

 

[bizutch]

I have one of those double oversized double downhill bike bikepro bags. I'll sell it cheap if anyone wants it. I pretty much have to fly northwest due to where I fly out of and they have a weight limit at 100 pounds. The case is 47 pounds empty so I can't take 2 bikes in it anyway.

name a price...find a buyer.