Taking your bike by plane...

[Herman Toothrot]

If they took your bike into space the pressure in you’re tyres would increase 15 psi. It’s really not an issue unless you have them at max already.

[whirlybird]

My lad & his mate have just flown from Stanstead to Milan, to then ride on to Croatia. I just popped to Halfords, got 2 cardboard bike boxes, popped off he front wheel, pedals, and drops, plenty of packing tape and all sorted, bikes now built back up, 4mm & 5mm Allen Keys, 15mm open end spanner and they've just arrived at Lake Garda,

[BeirutTaxi]

I rented my Bike Box Alan from Southern Bike Box hire. Couldn't be happier with the customer care or the bike box. £50 for the week or so also.

[whirlybird]

Forgot to mention, my lads bike box was sacrificial, so there a dustbin at Milan Airport with 2 Halfords cardboard boxes chopped up and stuffed in !!!!
They've sent fabric bike bags on ahead with friends for the flight back from Split.

[Rich_W]

There's enough places renting hard bike boxes that it really isn't a problem imo

[oddman]

millen said:

Wow, oddman, that's high! I've paid #42 each way with Easyjet for Palma (April) and Inverness (Sept).
For Inverness we found that BA will classify a bike as 'large hold baggage' (I forget the exact term) rather than the 'sports equipment' that Easyjet insists on so BA was appreciably cheaper for person + bike.

murray said:

Are you sure? Just checked my Geneva flight for the etape and it’s £84 for both legs.

You're right £84 both ways - website was confusing - had 'add luggage' for both flights

Enjoy the etape it's a great day out.

TwistingMyMelon said:

imo id rather just hire if possible and bring my pedals and saddle

Less chance of it go wrong

Even if the the airport don't break it , parts break sometimes when you are reassemble them.

This is a sensible option if you're heading to a bike tourism Mecca.

Our hire bikes last year were about £120 vs £80 for luggage and they were good quality. Certainly weren't the limiter on Ventoux!

Edited by oddman on Thursday 21st June 07:25

[Pulse]

Thanks all for the advice. I reckon I’ll end up renting.

Taking my bike will only cost about £50 (uplift in fees from hand luggage to hold luggage with BA), but I figure it’s not necessarily worth the hassle. I was planning on cycling from Vienna to Budapest down the Danube, then heading off to Tirol (hence wanting my MTB), but I can always rent in Tirol too.

[Johnny]

I brought one of my bikes out to Budapest recently.

Boardman box from Halfords, plenty of bubblewrap, tape and the usual bits off. Arrived in perfect condition.

OP - If you fancy some riding when you reach BP, give me a shout!

[Gio G]

We are off to Morzine for Pass'Portes Du Soliel next week, flying with BA. First time taking the bike abroad, so a bit nervous. We are renting the EVOC bike bag, these are meant to be good for up to XL 29ers.

G

[gazza285]

Herman Toothrot said:

If they took your bike into space the pressure in you’re tyres would increase 15 psi. It’s really not an issue unless you have them at max already.

You'll have to show your working out.

[rs4al]

Haha dare you to space walk without a suit then !!!

Trust me you do want to deflate the tyres when flying, I’ve seen what it am do to crisp packets and water bottles.

[georgezippy]

A top tip if you're using the cardboard bike box method.

Attach a piece of wood (floorboard) in the bottom of it and screw on some small castors. That way you can drag it through the airport.
I took a bike (old racer) to Rio De Janeiro a couple of years ago, had to drag the box a long way through the airport at each end, and it would have been far too heavy to carry, trolleys weren't always available, and the bus didn't park directly outside the hotel. Am glad I found this advice before.
it also helps strengthen the box too.

As you dismantle the bike, put each tool in the box as soon as you've finished so you've everything you need to re-assemble.

The bike was just fine with fork spacers (wood) and pipe lagging on the frame, nothing broke, it wasn't nicked and got home all safely too. I used clothes and towels for extra padding in the bike box. A crappy looking box may also make thieving types at the airport think it contains a crappy bike....

[Herman Toothrot]

gazza285 said:

You'll have to show your working out.

Simplistic view, sea level atmospheric pressure 1 bar ~ 15psi, depressured hold of a plane upper atmosphere isn't negative pressure, at best could be zero (which it isn't, not even outer space is zero) therefore maximum effective increase tyres will see due to no external pressure on them is 1 bar ~ 15 psi. Most plane holds are pressurised anyway. If you are really worried let a little air out but absolutely pointless making in them flat. Same as suspension forks, shocks, the planes own tyres that no one ever mentions anything about

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Sunday 24th June 09:48

[gazza285]

Herman Toothrot said:

gazza285 said:

You'll have to show your working out.

Simplistic view, sea level atmospheric pressure 1 bar ~ 15psi, depressured hold of a plane upper atmosphere isn't negative pressure, at best could be zero (which it isn't, not even outer space is zero) therefore maximum effective increase tyres will see due to no external pressure on them is 1 bar ~ 15 psi. Most plane holds are pressurised anyway. If you are really worried let a little air out but absolutely pointless making in them flat. Same as suspension forks, shocks, the planes own tyres that no one ever mentions anything about

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Sunday 24th June 09:48

The pressure inside the tyre doesn't increase though, there's just less pressure on the outside.

[Herman Toothrot]

The tyre no longer has the external support of 1 bar it’s the same result. It’s like putting weights on either side of a balance. I.e. exactly the same result as putting in an extra 1bar. As I said a simplistic view.

[gazza285]

Herman Toothrot said:

The tyre no longer has the external support of 1 bar it’s the same result. It’s like putting weights on either side of a balance. I.e. exactly the same result as putting in an extra 1bar. As I said a simplistic view.

Same as the weights on a balance, there's no extra weight on one side if you remove the weight from the other, the difference changes, not the pressure in the tyre.

[Maracus]

Just come back from Malaga. We went from Heathrow.

I was unsure whether or not to hire a bike, rent a bike box or buy a bike box. In the end I bought a second hand box -



Worked great to be honest, although on the return at Malaga we had to go to a different check in to have it scanned. My mate however, had a thinner but taller bike box. We had to go to an X-Ray scanner in the depths of the airport to have it scanned and taken to the aircraft. It certainly added to the time to get through Passport control and security!

I have decided in future to rent a bike, so I'm selling the box/case The fact that I will need to hire a larger vehicle to get the box from an airport to any accommodation, plus I have to put the seats down in my car to fit it in the boot. It worked this time as we had a large minibus both ends.

[Gruffy]

I've travelled quite a lot, with cardboard boxes (I often travel one-way) and hard cases. Perhaps I've been unlucky but I've seen damage using both options. A carbon wheel got trashed using a hardcase and my frame was recently wrecked using a very well-packed cardboard box. Definitely remove derailleurs, protect the most delicate parts and pack spares for irreplaceable parts, like your hanger. And be insured.

[Mark83]

Take out insurance. We landed in Stansted, from Lourdes, on Monday. All three bikes didn't arrive. My Parlee and my mates' two Cannondale Super Sixes.

[ALawson]

Mark83 said:

Take out insurance. We landed in Stansted, from Lourdes, on Monday. All three bikes didn't arrive. My Parlee and my mates' two Cannondale Super Sixes.

Holy st......insurance company will not be happy about that.

John Lewis cover my bike whilst its with the airline. i am happy to self insure once I have got if from the airline.

Most travel insurance I found didn't cover the bike whilst with the airline (which was a sensible cost).