Bike Bag idea??

[Woodtourer]

I recently saw on a thread a link about making a "cloth type" bag for the bike for transport. Last year we flew to Europe via Iceland Air and used plastic mattress bags. They survived the trip but TSA slit them open for inspection. The link

http://europebicycletouring.com/Comment ... Housse.htm
show a bag that is of interest as it would allow easy inspection without destroying the bag.
Based on the link it seems like the spacke size and weight might be comparable to the plastic on I used.
Thoughts??
Thanks!

[thirdcrank]

Thinking only about what you used before:-

To me, a plastic mattress bag would be transparent ie it would be easy to see through it for an inspection, unless it contained some sort of container such as cycle pannier(s).

Then, the big benefit of the item in your link seems to be that it's closed only with Velcro and therefore easily opened. Why not fasten your mattress cover with something easily unfastened for inspection then retied?

[simonhill]

I often think about getting one. The one most recommended is a NZ one from Ground Effect. https://www.groundeffect.co.nz/products ... t-bike-bag

I always box on the way out and then find another box for return. This is always a bit of a worry as I have struggled sometimes to find a box. Carrying one of these would be a good insurance policy.

If you don't fancy doing the work yourself, you could probably get a tent or sailmaker to do the work - although nowadays they are pretty rare.

If the cloth is fairly thick and tough, it may be too much for a normal domestic sewing machine. The article rather glossed over this. I think my mother would have had a heart attack at the thought of using her high quality domestic sewing machine to make one of these.

[ANTONISH]

In the past I've made bags for train travel out of reinforced plastic tarpaulin.
With padding it works ok and it's light enough to take with me if I'm touring.
Last year I bought a bike bag - Rockwell - bought on e-bay - about £25- reinforced nylon. Smaller than the bike bag I use for transporting the bike when I'm carrying it in my car or flying to a fixed location.
This bag weighs about 2kg and I used it to get by train from Calais to Narbonne and then carried it on my return ride to Dieppe.
I had to do some bike dismantling to get the dimensions to the required limits.
If you are flying the dimensions are not critical but I prefer a more robust bag with plenty of padding.

[Matt25]

I use a bike shop cardboard box (always free) on the way out, and one of these on the way back (when damage is perhaps less of an issue, although I've never had a problem) :

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/ctc-cycling-uk ... N8QAvD_BwE

[Sweep]

I use a bike shop cardboard box (always free) on the way out, and one of these on the way back (when damage is perhaps less of an issue, although I've never had a problem) :

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/ctc-cycling-uk ... N8QAvD_BwE

How many trips, barring serious mishaps, do you reckon one if those famed ctc bags would last?
Do folk tend to duct tape repair them ir are they very much single use.

[simonhill]

I used a mattress bag for one return trip. I s'pose it could have done more, but by then it had plenty of holes in it. As I didn't need it for the foreseeable, I binned it.

Some holes were made by wear or bits poking through, but others by the baggage handlers who ripped the bag to access the valves and completely flatten the tyres.

You could be lucky and with some tape keep it going for a number of trips, I think you'd be pushing more than 3 returns. It gets to the point whether you value saving a few quid or risk the bag not being usable and or accepted by the airline.

Now some will say they have 10 year old one and it's pristine.

[Woodtourer]

OP here with another question/idea.
Last year we used the mattress bags, with extra padding, on our flight to Europe. Is was quite easy to pack up the bike. But one "glitch" was handling the "package". The counter person had to take it to the inspection area and was having a challenge getting a hold of it.
So I had an idea and thought I would get you input. How about a few pieces of rope or nylon webbing attached to the frame and coming through the bag to serve as handles?

[simonhill]

Pieces of rope, etc would work, but could easily catch on the automated belts used for baggage handling.

I did use some synthetic string type stuff on my last return, because the box was very small and needed extra fastening to close it securely. These were useful to carry it as there were no handles on the box. They were still there when box arrived.

Carrying a packed bike is difficult, unless boxed or in a bag with a handle. Even putting it on a trolley. This is why I always use box, plus I have never been refused with a box.

[Woodtourer]

Thanks for your reply.
Yes the snagging is something I was wondering about. Maybe I could form a few handholds with some stretch wrap. Since I have the idea over wrapping the whole thing!
I will probably have a job unpacking in Helsinki!!!

[Matt25]

I use a bike shop cardboard box (always free) on the way out, and one of these on the way back (when damage is perhaps less of an issue, although I've never had a problem) :

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/ctc-cycling-uk ... N8QAvD_BwE

How many trips, barring serious mishaps, do you reckon one if those famed ctc bags would last?
Do folk tend to duct tape repair them ir are they very much single use.

Hi,

I've had a couple that were done after one trip (although probably repairable, they had holes and I just binned them). My most recent one survived in tact for use on another trip. They are only a tenner though.

I personally think they are better than a padded nylon bag as the baggage handlers can see what they are handling and treat it accordingly. The only time I've had a bike sustain serious damage on a flight it was in a padded nylon bag, and the bike was written off (bent frame).

Matt