Taking my bicycle on a plane for the first time

I've used the cardboard boxes before with mixed sucess. Most of the time, everything has been fine. The only time I've had a problem was during a trip to Mallorca - on a trip where there were a few dozen other cyclists - and had a dent in my downtube. Thankfully that was the only gotcha (steel frame) but others weren't so lucky. We guessed that the baggage handlers really didn't like the endless line of large boxes and didn't handle them with care.

Your local bike shop should have a suitable box. See if you can get some plastic inserts that clip inbetween the fork ends and rear dropouts. Cover the frame tubes with pipe insulation foam. Some folks like to leave the cranks and take their pedals off... personally, I perferred to leave the pedals on the cranks and take the cranks off. Depending on the size of the box you might have to take your saddle/seatpost out. Same with the bars/stem. I've had no issues with just removing the stem from the steerer tube and using a spacer and tightening the topnut to keep the fork in place and intertwining the bars/stem with the front of the frame. Undo the rear mech off the frame - I prefer to use some painters tape and tape it to the foam on the inside of the chainstays (after you've covered all the tubes in the spongy insultation tape.

I'd leave about 50 to 60 psi in the tires to protect the rims.

This website is pretty good for directions. I used it my first time and everything turned out well. I also packed around the bike with clothes, cardboard, and spongy foam stuff. Make sure to protect well anything that touches the cardboard so that it doesn't rub through.

jimlangley.netboxabike.htmlOpen ↗

I used a cardboard box I got from a bike store. I also got the plastic insert for the fork from them.

If you want a laugh on how not to do it take a look here at what I did taking it on a bus in the USA:
[IMG]cyclingforums.com252Open ↗[/IMG]
cycling2celebrate.comday 74 harrodsburg to berea ky november 11Open ↗

Yet, somehow my bike managed to get there without being damaged despite the terrible packing and bouncing around the cargo compartment of the bus for about 10 hours and getting transferred once. A miracle!

This website offers a hire service, depending on how long your going for, might be useful. The price isn't to bad, a mate of mine used one to transport there bike over to new zealand for a 4 wk north to south trek. good piece of kit by all accounts.

http://www.roofbox.co.uk/bike-box-hire/

swampy1970 said:

I've used the cardboard boxes before with mixed sucess. Most of the time, everything has been fine. The only time I've had a problem was during a trip to Mallorca - on a trip where there were a few dozen other cyclists - and had a dent in my downtube. Thankfully that was the only gotcha (steel frame) but others weren't so lucky. We guessed that the baggage handlers really didn't like the endless line of large boxes and didn't handle them with care. Your local bike shop should have a suitable box. See if you can get some plastic inserts that clip inbetween the fork ends and rear dropouts. actually the safest way in those areas is to adapt two axles that you will install like if they were the wheels skewers, but bolted on, they will prevent damage if those areas are pressed on by other baggage, in my last holiday i had a new carbon fork a bit too thin for the front axle, so i just installed a spare front hub that i had Cover the frame tubes with pipe insulation foam. Some folks like to leave the cranks and take their pedals off... personally, I perferred to leave the pedals on the cranks and take the cranks off. Depending on the size of the box you might have to take your saddle/seatpost out. Same with the bars/stem. I've had no issues with just removing the stem from the steerer tube and using a spacer and tightening the topnut to keep the fork in place and intertwining the bars/stem with the front of the frame. Undo the rear mech off the frame - I prefer to use some painters tape and tape it to the foam on the inside of the chainstays (after you've covered all the tubes in the spongy insultation tape. I'd leave about 50 to 60 psi in the tires to protect the rims.

.

I used boxes from my local bike shop at first and then bought a Crate Works box, the pro XL-C for $230. Their Pro-1 looks great if you're not shipping it a bunch of times. I could have gotten away with that one just fine given I've probably shipped mine only 4 times in it.

For what it's worth I've just Fed-Ex'ed my bike to the hotel or campground I stayed at my first night at arrival, or a local bike shop, and built my bike when I got there. With how expensive extra bags are on airplanes now it's not a bad deal really. I'll ship it an extra week ahead to be safe. I keep riding on my second bike for training purposes since I'm without my tour bike for about 2 weeks.

Just take the advice on here and use a cardboard box from the bike shop. It will be fine. Keep it well padded. I fly with my bike quite a lot and always use a cardboard box on the outward journey. On arrival I unpack the bike and leave the box intact against a rubbish bin. Just in case another biker arrives at the airport without a box.
I've never found one lying around though when I arrive for my return journey. Maybe one day the good Karma will kick in.