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Flying with a Bike

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B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Who here has flown with a bike? What do I need to do to get it on the plane and off safely (and most cheaply...)?

Going to Sea Otter, and I'm debating between shipping it to Kadvang or flying with it...thanks.
 
chicodude

chicodude

The Spooninator
Mar 28, 2004
1,054
2
Paradise
What ever you do, make sure to take a large knife with you on the plane. That way, no one will take your seat
 
B

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
No no no, I was thinking of dressing up with a turban, beard, robe, etc...maybe chanting "allah akbar" as I boarded. You know, the usual :thumb:
 
Monkeybidnezz

Monkeybidnezz

Turbo Monkey
Dec 16, 2003
1,212
0
Pac NW
I flew my Enduro with me when I visited the Bay area. It was kind of a pain to take it apart, but sure beat riding an old rusty hardtail.

I have the Performance hard case, and it's pretty solid. I don't know if a heavier duty frame will fit in it, but most trail bikes work.

The cost can differ depending on airlines, but usually there is a higher charge for the bikes vs a piece of luggage. They can kind of take u to the cleaners if you arent careful.

I would suggest shipping it ahead of time to cut costs. It saves you the hassle of lugging it around in the airport as well, and can be cheaper if you ship via ground.
 
Bacardi

Bacardi

Monkey
Aug 16, 2002
394
0
Santa Barbara, CA
Cheapo solution
-----------------

1. Get cardboard bike box from friendly LBS. I selected "Hello Kitty" because who would think a V10 would be in there?

2. Get big bubble wrap. Wrap everything in it (fork legs, top tube, downtube...you get the idea)

3. Get some Foam in large chucks. Pack it every where. Where to get foam? That is the question.

I was lucky to work for a company that shipped electronic hardware devices. they used a lot of foam to ship those goodies, they always had extra. Maybe find an electronics company like that in your area and asked for their unused foam pieces.....yeah, goodluck, tell me how that goes.

anyone else got ideas?
 
douglas

douglas

Chocolate Milk Doug
May 15, 2002
9,887
6
Shut up and Ride
FedEx brought me this yesterday - I get back from cali/az on the 23rd and I'll let you know how it goes.





ps: I got 2 free vouchers from usacycling for united (they normally charge $80 each way)
 
SylentK

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,642
1,094
coloRADo
I'm planning on flying to Vegas to hit up Bootleg Canyon in March. Frontier Airlines charges $50 each way and apparently all you have to do is take off your pedals and handlebar. I'm planning on buying extra insurance, too, cuz right now they cap their liability at $2800.

Sounds much easier than assembling my ride in the hotel! Assuming it gets there in one peice!!
 
The Toninator

The Toninator

Muffin
Jul 6, 2001
5,436
17
High(ts) Htown
douglas said:
FedEx brought me this yesterday - I get back from cali/az on the 23rd and I'll let you know how it goes.


ps: I got 2 free vouchers from usacycling for united (they normally charge $80 each way)
Click to expand...
Hey douglas i got one of those too. my fsr rear triangle was a little wide and bulged the box out a little when completely closed. Just be sure to have a spacer to keep from crushing the rear and you will be fine.
also cram all the gear in there you can saves weight off of your normal luggage.
be sure to check your luggage requirements and weight limits
 
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