Fly & Ride?

[Kestonian]

Anyone got any experience of flying with a bike, especially on RyanAir?

I'm planning on packing into a cardboard bike box (sourced courtesy of LBS), with
- fork and rear-stay spacers
- wrapping the tubes in pipe insulation
- turning the stem 90 degrees and moving the bar along so I can tape it to the top tube
- removing the pedals and putting into a bag tied to the frame
- padding out the space in the box with newspaper to avoid rattling about

Anything else I should think of? Most people I've spoken to say a hard case is overkill.

Any experiences?

 

[agentorange]

bikes on a plane

I did the whole box thing on my first time out but it wasn't neccesary. To be safe I suggest I the following, max.

1. Air out of tires - leave tyres on bike
2. Bubble wrap around rub points - QR, cranks, headtube, top of seat tube and a foot wide piece around main tubes to be extra safe.
3. Take pedals off and put them backl on inside of cranks.
4. Turn bars 90 degrees.

In the past I've cycled to airports then packed my bike using T shirts instead of bubble wrap.

Also, don't take too many tools. Think hard about taking a lock, try not to if you can.

1. Mini pump
2. Alen keys plus adjustable - Kool tool is best here
3. 5 spare spokes plus spoke key
4. Crank extractor
5. Chain tool
6. Puncture kit
7. 2 x spare tubes

The best advice anyone ever gave me was always use steel bikes as you can get them welded anywhere.

I've taken my Clockwork accross Syria, Afganastan, Egypt, Libia & India. Love to know where you're going or are you just shipping your bike out?

Hope this helps

 

[cchris2lou]

Check on the Ryanair web site . I think that they are a lot of restrictions now .

 

[scant]

I'm unfortunate enuff to have to fly to Oz (relatives) every so often & take a bike with me everytime. if you've got disc rotors take them off as they'll get bent. get the bike insured coz the airlines wont care less if its bent in 1/2. take the cables out of the cable guides. all other advice as above. & take the r.mech off the hanger.

if u can take a jalopy bike so you wont cry as much when it falls off the back of the baggage cart & gets dragged for 1/4mile down a runway

 

[Kestonian]

Thanks for the responses ..

AgentOrange - of course I'm taking a steel bike! Do they make them out of anything else? ;-)

Seriously, though, thanks for the tips. I'm doing a 2 day race in Austria. It's multi-stage and there should be mechanics at base so I'm hoping to keep tools to a minimum of what I'll need for each stage + a track pump as a luxury

Chris - RyanAir have http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=bag&quest=sportsequipment which doesn't suggest anything too restricted. We've paid the extra to transport the bikes so hopefully won't have to pay excess baggage

No disc brakes, Scant, but will pass on to others in the team. Why remove the cables out of the guides though?

 

[scant]

take the cables out so it doesnt rip the cable guides off your frame!

 

[Kestonian]

More questions ..

Anyone got any ideas on whether it's ok to pack a Supaflate in hold luggage given the current restrictions?

This seems pretty hopeful that I can ... but you never know

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=bag&quest=prohibitedchecked

Cheers all