flying with bike..packaging

[kenneth]

flew with ryanair last year, wrapped our bikes in bubble wrap, on arrival one of the bikes had buckled and broken rims.
fool that i am i,m again flying with ryanair and am looking for suggestions as how to better protect bike .we are flying to bergamo airport which has no left luggage facilities so this hinders the use of anything too bulky

[jimmny croquet]

i flew to dublin to cycle down the west coast of ireland last autumn with ryanair and found that by just covering the fram tubing with polystyrene pipe insulator i had no problems at all. i then straightened the handle bars, deflated the tyres and removed saddle, pedals and drinks holder. the pipe insulator was about 50p per meter from B&Q!