Cycling UK Forum

hi all, this subject has bothered me since being stopped at check in for incorrectly packing my bike for air travel at stansted but I had a eureka moment the other day and think I may have cracked it [though I still need to test it out next Jan. when I go to S.America] Firstly Get an empty bike box from any cycle shop [they throw them out] then cut it into three equal parts. Two of the parts fit nicely into one making a pack approx 40" x 24". Weight isn't a problem. It then fits neatly into one of those orange survival bags which are inexpensive and obtainable from any Hiking shop. These bags fold down small are waterproof and might have other uses when on tour .though it is bulky [traffic might give you a wider berth because of it] it fits onto the bike with luggage straps quite well. Take a large roll of gaffer tape and maybe string with you and when you get to the airport you just tape it all back together and put the bike inside it, simple, or is it!! You ought to be able to obtain a bike box from any town for the trip back if you are returning from a different airport so you don't have to cart it around on tour. I will let you know. Bob. J.

...I carry a CTC poly bike bag cut to size. It doubles as a bike cover at night and or extra cover in a serious down pour (not needed yet though). I also have a b&Q tarp Blue ground sheet/tent footprint...this is what i use to wrap up all of my panniers into one bag at t he airport to avoid excess baggage fees.

Interesting tip about the tarp. I often see people and books etc give intstructions for packing bikes but had never seen anything about how to pack panniers/barbag/etc.

I was wondering whether to take a tarp/basha and use it as a bike cover and tarp on tour and then tie/tape it round the bike to put on the plane.

btw what is the 'ctc poly bag'? I just had a look at the ctc homepage and shop and couldn't see anything.

they call it a bike bag...costs abot £4 ish i recall..take a look in the ctc shop.
http://www.ctcshop.com/product.jsp?style=29977

It's just a thick poly bag big enough for a bike...in fact you could use it as a ground sheet as well I suspect...or a big survival bag...or to grow stuff in

The tarp might not be a as useful for the bike because the handlers cannot see it's a bike inside = chucked on the heap instead of placed down with care I suspect. I taped up my package with parcel tape available at the check in desks mostly. Here's a pic taken at Montpellier airport at 5am

Hi again, I have one of those clear poly bags and agree that baggage handlers can see through it and prob. take more care of your bike but....many airlines state that bikes have to be packed in a box. I once witnessed a young guy in stanstead frantically taping bits of cardboard, which he had obtained from airport shops, onto his bike with sellotape.[I luckily had some spare gaffer tape to lend him]. It looked a mess and still don't know if he got through [I didn't]. Also, I know it's inconvenenient, but a bike in a box should give more protection or once again, does it? I hope my posting might help someone contemplating taking their bike on the plane. By the way I think there is a website about airline conditions, try googling "taking your bicycle by aeroplane" or something similar. Cheers Bob. J.

P.S. Gaffer tape is much better than the tape offered at the airport. Oh yes, don't forget the scissors.

After several years of putting bikes on planes, I've found a plastic zip tie handier and quicker than messing with sticky tape. I wheel the bike into the CTC plastic bag and gather the end to tie like a toffee wrapper. You need a long tie! If you have fingernails, you can loosen the tie for re-use.

It also saves the embarrassment of all those loud ripping noises in the airport while people stare at you like a zoo specimen. Or if you're struggling outside, all the smokers gather to ogle. Just what you need!

The CTC bag is a nice size for a groundsheet.

If you don't want to lug the bag around, stash it in bushes near the airport, or if on an A-B tour, get plastic sheeting off a roll from a DIY centre. And then you need brown tape.

I also wrap a pannier and small tent together in a plastic bag (saves the pockets mysteriously becoming unzipped), zip tie the bag and put them in a cheap recycling plastic bag, again tying the handles together to keep it all snug.

My carry-on pannier also goes in a recycling bag - I can then shove my water bottle, little day rucksack, butties etc round the sides as well - and it all comes to "one item of luggage" to carry on.

When I flew home from Basel in July with the bike Easy jet had a flight box available for me to buy (14euros). The lady on th edesk insisted I should put all my panniers etc into the box as well, I subsequently found out this was/is against easyjets policy but it was just so much easier for me, I flew with just the bar bag as hand luggage and just one (large) item of checked in luggage. I still have the box.

Bottom line has to be to check th eairlines requirements in good time before you fly.

14 € for a box, that sounds reasonable. Why don't all airlines sell these. It could be a nice little "earner" for them as well. Just a point, how did you get the box back home, presumably you had a car available at your destination airport. Also as regards airline policy, never assume that the staff know the rules, so always print out appropriate details and keep them handy for inspection. Bob. J.

...on my return from Germany I had a lift back from the airport yes. On my return from France however a few weeks later I rode home from Stanstead...which is where the poly bag is better over a box.

I fly longhaul/scheduled and normally bubblewrap my bike leaving it in 'wheel on' condition. Sometimes I have an arguement in the UK, always in Oz where they insist on boxes, but in Asia there is never a problem. You can normally find bubblewrap and bits of plastic most places.

One advantage of boxing is that at Heathrow you can't take a bike on the tube - its ad eep station - but you can take a bike box!! This meant that I was able to manhandle my box and 2 panniers on the morning rush hour services all the way to Barking. If I'd been allowed to take 'a bike' I would have unpacked and waited till the appropriate later time.