Travel abroad with bike.

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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ADIgirl
Posts: 2
Joined: 25 Jan 2023, 7:24pm

Travel abroad with bike.

Post by ADIgirl »

Hi folks, we an off to Gran Canaria next week.
First time I’ve taken a bike on holiday.
Looking for any advice. I have a significant birthday soon and my husband bought me a hard case for that which I’m packing ATM.
Questions, Can you carry chain oil? I THINK NOT but need confirmation.
I’ve read the weight limit on the cycle case is 32kg. Flying with TUI.
pal
Posts: 612
Joined: 22 Mar 2008, 11:49am

Re: Travel abroad with bike.

Post by pal »

Chain oil: officially not allowed, and I've occasionally been asked to confirm that I don't have any. So I would advise not risking it.

Generic advice: because all airlines have slightly different rules about bikes, and the person running check-in might not know what they are, it's worth printing off the bike-carriage rules for TUI (or bookmark the relevant page on your phone) so you have them to hand to wave at any relevant people (and to prove that your box/weight of box/whatever is allowed). 9 times out of 10 it won't be needed (in my, highly unscientific, experience!), but ...

You will need to take the bike to the outsize luggage screening area, after check-in. Depending which airport you're flying from, it's worth allowing extra time for that (partly because it can be a bit of a trek across the terminal; partly because there can sometimes -- especially at Manchester -- be quite long queues for it). It's quite likely that someone, at some point, will ask if you've deflated the tyres: I think the general consensus these days is that this isn't actually necessary, but it can be easier just to do it (or at least, to say that you've done it). You don't have to deflate them fully: just let a bit of air out.

At the other end: the bike will probably emerge on a different belt from the other luggage -- but this varies hugely from airport to airport (I've never been to Gran Canaria, so don't have any intell on how things work there...)
rareposter
Posts: 1991
Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 2:40pm

Re: Travel abroad with bike.

Post by rareposter »

This is worth a watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5kldjYzGUA&t=202s

The only thing you can't put in a bike box is gas cans. Everything else - tools, small bottle of lube etc will be fine. Just make sure that everything is wrapped up well and strapped down well. You really don't want a bottle of lube leaking all over your clothes!

When packing, lay everything out in order as you take it off - pedals, disc rotors etc. It's no fun arriving at your destination to find you've left one pedal under a pile of stuff in the garage... ;-)
ADIgirl
Posts: 2
Joined: 25 Jan 2023, 7:24pm

Re: Travel abroad with bike.

Post by ADIgirl »

Thanks for the links, the good advice and ideas.
Yes I am flying from Manchester :( . I didn’t want to remove the pedals but I’m resigned to doing so. I like to try to do my own maintenance and can only manage the pedal removal with a long pedal spanner so that will be coming along.
wirral_cyclist
Posts: 1024
Joined: 17 May 2010, 9:25pm
Location: Wirral Merseyside

Re: Travel abroad with bike.

Post by wirral_cyclist »

Do not take the pedal spanner as hand luggage as it will be seized as a potential weapon. Be prepared to go early to the oversize area as it is skiing season and it'll be busy in all likelihood.
rareposter
Posts: 1991
Joined: 27 Aug 2014, 2:40pm

Re: Travel abroad with bike.

Post by rareposter »

ADIgirl wrote: 25 Jan 2023, 9:55pm Thanks for the links, the good advice and ideas.
Yes I am flying from Manchester :( . I didn’t want to remove the pedals but I’m resigned to doing so. I like to try to do my own maintenance and can only manage the pedal removal with a long pedal spanner so that will be coming along.
I think, unless you've got a very small bike or a very large box, you'll need to remove a fair bit more than just the pedals.

I take off chain (cos it rattles around a lot and covers everything in oily marks), rear mech (cos it's fragile and easily bent), bars/stem, pedals, drop the seatpost right down, and often take off one or both disc rotors from the wheels - again they're easily bent if pushed against.

Pack the box out with clothing, a small roll of the tools you need, shoes etc. I usually put the tools inside one of the shoes. I use vacuum bags for clothing, it packs far smaller.

Do NOT put CO2 canisters or any spray lube like GT85 in there - that's just going to get spotted and your whole carefully packed box will be opened to remove them. Make sure the tools are in the box, not your hand luggage. Large spanners in hand luggage don't go down well at security checks...

Manchester and GC are both well used to bikes. It's been a couple of years since I've been to GC so I can't remember the oversize baggage stuff but just ask if necessary.

Have fun, it's a great place to ride!
nirakaro
Posts: 1578
Joined: 22 Dec 2007, 2:01am

Re: Travel abroad with bike.

Post by nirakaro »

rareposter wrote: 26 Jan 2023, 8:39am Large spanners in hand luggage don't go down well at security checks...
Same is true of any tools - I had a set of Allen keys confiscated. Not sure how effective they'd have been as a weapon.
eileithyia
Posts: 8399
Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)

Re: Travel abroad with bike.

Post by eileithyia »

Be careful with items in the case, as they will move around and you don't want tools bashing into your carefully packed bike. Buy spacers for the drop outs once the wheels are out. Pipe lagging is always a good idea and have an old rag with you.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Travel abroad with bike.

Post by simonhill »

To avoid confusion, you check in first at the Tui desk, have your bike case tagged (and maybe weighed) and are then directed to an/the oversize. A large airport may have a number of oversized places.

If you are weight limited then you may even be accompanied to oversize for weighing. The 32 kg limit is the international norm to avoid injury to handlers. It is not (necessarily) your Tui allowance.

I don't usually take a pedal spanner. If there is a bike shop anywhere near (Google map search) they will tighten and loosen (enough to ride to packing point) so I get away with Allen key.
gxaustin
Posts: 890
Joined: 23 Sep 2015, 12:07pm

Re: Travel abroad with bike.

Post by gxaustin »

When I pack my bike I take a photo so I can get everything back in it's place. I wrap up a small bottle of lube in rag and stick it in a zip lock bag.
Atmospheric pressure is 1bar or 14psi - even in space your tyre pressures would only go up by that amount. Nevertheless I do take a bit of air out and make sure I've told check in. A friend had her bag forced open once, hopefully a long time ago.
I have a plastic track pump which weighs very little and another idea is to take a frame pump if on a road bike. They are cheap, light and get up to pressure sooner than a mini pump.
I was worried my tubeless tyres might come off the rims after letting them down (a bit) so I also took spare fluid and also took an airshot to reseat them. I took that in my hand luggage so I could show it was not pressurised. I had no trouble and didn't need it anyway :roll:
I take a short pedal spanner and stand on it to loosen the pedals. I hate pedals which only have allen keys because of the risk to one's hands if one slips.
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cycleruk
Posts: 6065
Joined: 17 Jan 2009, 9:30pm
Location: Lancashire

Re: Travel abroad with bike.

Post by cycleruk »

Pipe lagging round the frame tubes. Other padding between metal parts that might touch.
Pipe lagging on the crank-arms.
if you don't remove the chain then wrap in cloth. We use "quick links".
I've never taken chain oil, not for a two week hol'.
Watch out for the chainwheel teeth.
If you have to lower the saddle then remove instead and put a piece of tape around where the post enters the frame. Sets the height when refitting.
If you do let some air out of the tyres then remember to inflate them before riding again. (pinch puncture prone)
I normally use plastic bags for shoes & helmet etc. I take a couple of bottles and they may fit in the bottle cages ?
There is 99% chance you have to remove the peddles so pack them securely and don't forget the spanner.
I presume that you will not be going on your own so share any tools between you.

Have a go at lifting the box as they can be awkward to lift, besides being heavy. An extra strap around the box (through the handle) can help, as well as help with identification at the airport. We've also fitted extra handles to boxes to help with manhandling. Weigh the box before going to the airport.
bike box.JPG
Other items still to fit - Helmet, shoes, bottles, bits and bobs.
You'll never know if you don't try it.
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