# tips on bringing a bike on a plane



## HighTitan (Jan 26, 2007)

hey guys i was just wondering how you guys bring your bikes on the plane? im trying to get away without payin an extra 130 each way. i barrowed a friends bike box but its pretty big and would have to pay extra. 

so i was thinkin maybe getting a huge hockey bag for the frame and my clothes and then putting the wheels in a card board box or something so its under the size/weight restrictions. 

any tips? thanks.

btw it has to be under 50 pounds and under 62 linear inches


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## chooofoojoo (Feb 22, 2007)

You're on the right track. 
The best way to do it IMO is to get a large bag to put your frame / fork in, along with riding gear, protection, clothes, etc. If you have a dual crown fork you can slip the stanchions out of the crowns to further reduce the size. Putting your wheels in a box is your best bet. I would take my rotors off and put them in folded shirts or something so they don't get bent in transit.

Edit : I think there was an article about this in MBA a month or so back. They did a review of popular bike bags / boxes as well.


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## Ghaleon109 (May 18, 2007)

While I've never taken a MTB on a plane, I went the "bike box" route with my BMX when I used to travel for national races. It was ridiculous... If I was able to buy a seat for my bike on the plane and buckle it in, it would have been cheaper... I'm not sure if the prices are still that way (its been quite a while) but damn, I'd stear clear of that if you can find a cheaper way that still keeps the bike safe.

Chooofoojoo has got some good Ideas though.

Hope all goes well, and we see you out at Fontana! :thumbsup:


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## downhill mike (Mar 12, 2005)

If you join the National Bike Patrol, one of the benefits is 1 of the major airlines (Norhtwest? allows you to bring your bike for no extra charge.


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## HighTitan (Jan 26, 2007)

im gonna have to do alittle shoppin around and see what i can find. i was actually thinkin of the rotor/shirt trick myself haha.

Ghaleon109 i know what you mean about the bmx bike box. i have the bike bag and seems like if they didnt get you goin to, they got you comin back with a nice $80 charge. but its the price you pay when you travel and wanna do what you love. 

i wonder how all the teams get their bikes and such out to the races? do they just pay the fee or what? that would get pretty expensive after a few trips.

thanks guys anymore tips?

Ghaleon109 ill be on an 08 glory reppin nema gear, dont be shy.


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## Ghaleon109 (May 18, 2007)

HighTitan said:


> Ghaleon109 ill be on an 08 glory reppin nema gear, dont be shy.


I'll see ya there :thumbsup:

I'll be on the 4x track saturday, and shooting you guys sunday


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## chooofoojoo (Feb 22, 2007)

HighTitan said:


> i wonder how all the teams get their bikes and such out to the races? do they just pay the fee or what? that would get pretty expensive after a few trips.
> 
> thanks guys anymore tips?


MBA actually interviewed about 6 Pros on how they transport their bikes in the same issue where they go over all the popular travel techniques. I'll see if I have a copy lying around my shop and i'll scan it for ;you.

I know Steve Peat uses cardboard bike boxes...


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## Bobby Peru (Sep 8, 2004)

When I flew to Whistler from LA, the guy checking my stuff in was a total jerk. He charged me the max that he could. Oh well, I was expecting it and the flight back totally made up for it.

When I was checking in to come home, the guys asked me what was in the box? I told him it was my Santa Cruz Bullit. He was a DH'er! We started talking bikes and somehow he forgot to ring up the charges for the bike?!?! Imagine that? Hmmmmm.

So in one round trip, I had both of the extremes in the situation of flying with my bike. It is stressful though, because lugging your bike around the airport is a drag. Also, the worrying if it will end up in South Dakota or Mexico City or your destination is always on your mind.

That is my (one) experiance....

I've also heard that REI will ship your bike to a store near your destination as well...maybe someone can attest to that?

Oh, BTW... I took my bike to a shop and had it boxed up before I flew. There was a slight charge, not a lot. I figured it was better that way than doing it myself. They wrapped up everything real nice and nothing was damaged during the flight.


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## Atomik Carbon (Jan 4, 2004)

*Do this....*

I flew on Spirit Airlines because they only charge $50 for the bike. I downloaded the company policy and it is very vague, does not say if it is over 50 pounds and over 62 inches that you will be charged extra....I did not want to take a chance.

So, I did some research and found out the names of the company president and VP of Customer Service. I scribbled a date and their names on the policy for bikes I had printed. I also wrote " Bike charge of $50, there will be no excess weight or size charges as long as it is below the max allowed".

Sure enough the clerk wanted to charge me for excess pounds and excess size. I showed her the note and said I called the company prez and he forwarded me to the VP of Customer Service and then showed them what I was told........:skep: .

Worked like a charm, do you think they would not believe me after I told them I spoke to their company prez'z office???


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## Nut! (Nov 2, 2007)

Take it to your LBS and get them to box it for you, it'll save time and frustration, plus they should have tons of bike boxes lying around anyways.


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## Raptordude (Mar 30, 2004)

Hockey Bag eh? That's not a bad idea.

I have the NikeBauer Vapor XXX Bag...and its flipping huge. You can fit PEOPLE in it. So, if you need a gigantic bag, that one is it. (It's like 30 bucks or so too).


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## HighTitan (Jan 26, 2007)

i think i might have it all good now. i broke it down to the frame,cranks and such and put it in a BMX bike box and fits perfect and put my wheels and fork in a hockey bag. and split up my clothes in each bag/box.


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## Demodude (Jan 27, 2007)

*What we did*

4 dudes going from SoCal to Whistler
We all bought 42" rolling duffle bags on Ebay for 25$ each. We lined the sides with cardboard to give it some crush resistance. I went to a upolstrey shop and bought their scraps for padding of th inside of the duffle (2"works the best). I put my demo 8 frame in there with the derailler hanger off so it wouldent get bent and a small box around the head tube to protect the bearing journals from dents. I also tossed the 888 in it's protective bag inside the duffel. I zipp tied the handlebars to the frame with foam btw. You can also stuff clothes inside for more protection, I also fit my helmet inside the bag.
We packe the wheels, tools and armor in the wheel box (tires deflated).
This was the cool thing. When asked what was in the bags and boxes, we just said" bike parts". Also when hoisting the bag vertcally onto the scale, I left one corner off the scale and my bag came up to 35 not 45 lbs. Cool, Didn't pay any extra. None of us did except one guy whose bag came to 65Lbs. (he was asking for it).
None of the bikes came out damaged.
When sending large cardboard wheelboxes through the airport, cut some hand holds on the sides for easy grasping, the handlers will appreciate this as well. Write DO NOT CRUSH on the side so they wont lay the box on its side and stack on top of it.

This worked so great because its cheap 25$, and the duffle folds down flat so it dosent take up lots of space like a oversized bike carrier.


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## Demodude (Jan 27, 2007)

This is the exact bags tha we used http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-42-BLACK-RO...yZ16085QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemt


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## wayodh (Nov 13, 2004)

First check the airline regulations for taking bikes. In some cases the employees don't know these regulations of their company and they will try to charge as much as possible. If you know that they don't charge too much, then show that regulations. Try always to say that you have a race and you are almost out of money and maybe they can leave you without paying for the bike.

Get a not hard case. It's better if you find those flexible bags and of course not too big. You can pack all your bike with your protections that can be around your bike to protect it.

Take away the rotors.

Put a spare rear hub in your frame to prevent your frame bent.

Put your used socks at the top so if the agent opens your bag, he will close it immediately and say please continue, have a good flight!


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## dtufino (Feb 6, 2006)

http://www.nsmb.com/gear/bike_bag_02_07.php


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## =ChrisB= (Aug 8, 2006)

Fly southwest, 50 each way and no hassle of all the splitting up.


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## psycoben (Feb 5, 2008)

dont tell them it is a bike. they hear bike at the check-in line. they hear bike or cycle and it sends up a red flag- $80.

put the box on the scale, if they ask what it is, say its circus equipment, a wheelchair, get creative.


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## PDB (May 16, 2006)

I just found this thread as I'm flying with my DH bike soon. Last time I flew with my bike was 2006 - i flew from denver to Seattle (meet up with friends and drove to whistler). 
I didn't pack my bike at all. I took off the handlebars - bubble wrapped them and my entire bike, and taped the bars to my frame. I got to watch the guys put my bike in the plane - it was the last itme put on the plane, and it was gently placed in the cargo area. There were several other bike boxes being literally thrown into the plane. My friends made fun of me - but my bike arrived better than theirs did - AND I got to ride my bike out of the baggage claim area and into the parking lot to my friend's car. 

I'll try boxing it up this trip - but I'm going to just ship it instead of checking it at the gate.


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## Mr. Blonde (May 18, 2008)

I usually just box it up and ship it Fed Ex to my hotel. Ends up being $50-60


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## sickspeed16 (Apr 9, 2008)

HighTitan where are you at?


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## mandown (May 20, 2004)

i've done it a ton of ways. the easiest travel ever was as follows - 
1st - check the different airlines you can get tix from. alaska is pretty easy on their bike regs. each airline has different size and weight restrictions, as well as costs. 
2 - cardboard box - as small as you can get away with for the frame, wheels, and fork you have. pull the fork off the bike and lay it flat in the box. use body armor, riding clothes, and light foam padding to secure items in the box from moving much.
3 - pedals and anything else that is kind heavy and easily removed from the frame should go in your luggage (it should be kinda hard for you to get up to the 50lb limit on your regular luggage with just clothes). keep the weight of the bike box down, not just to meet the maximum limit standard, but so the luggage monkies behind the scenes don't have a big heavy bike box to move around. the smaller and lighter it is, the less they will beat it up. this also makes it easier for you to lift and transport the box too  
4 - the air travel inspectors may open your stuff up. if they can't just flip the top of the box open and look inside and see everything, they may cut the box open. i've had it happen and i'm lucky they didn't cut my brake lines with the box-cutter. make it easy for them to look inside and get a feel for what is there. 
5 - if you need wheels - i've found a skateboard makes a great dolly that is easily tucked in the bike box at the airport just before you check it. it doesn't add much weight to the box, but makes it easy to wheel the box around the airport and manage your other luggage (even easier if that other luggage is a backpack).

the cardboard box method is the easiest and whatever damage gets done to the box is minimal, and the box gets thrown away at the end of each trip. i've found most bike boxes (hardshell) are bigger than airline restrictions and way heavy. keep it simple.

almost forgot - i traveled from LA to portland with a softshell bike carrier without a problem, but on the way back, the airline told me that i couldn't check the bike on the plane becuase it was not in a "box." the rules specifically stated it must be in a box and the softshell case did not qualify as a box in their world. the manager wouldn't even give approval and i almost missed my flight arguing with them. they made me buy one of their bike boxes ($50 carboard box) and it was so big i was able to just shove my softshell carrier into their bike box. btw - their bike box was bigger than the regulation sizes they allowed. [email protected]$$e$.


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## dezul43 (Apr 26, 2006)

i use a thule 669 hard case. i usually fly from san diego to new york via jetblue and they only charge $50 each way.


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## rollertoaster (Jun 11, 2007)

I'm looking at the Dakine bike bag.... Any suggestions. I'll be flying from philly to Whistler in August. It's a direct flight each way. I think I'd rather go the bag route, the hard cases just seem to bulky.


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## dwnhlldav (Feb 2, 2006)

Just so you guys who are trying to sneak it in as a second bag are aware, most, if not all of the major airlines are allowing only one checked bag and charging extra for two. The charge, plus any over weight charge is equal to just checking a bike as your second bag. For Midwest it's 80 bucks each way which is about equal to shipping a bike ahead of time now. 

Unless you can fit everything you are taking into one bag and have it under 50 pounds, you are getting charged something. The trick is to figuring out what way is the least expensive. If you're a real good BSer tell the counter person it is a car seat for a child, that doesn't count as a checked bag.

BTW the over weight charge went from $50 bucks to $80 in most cases.


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## FoxRider77 (Jul 28, 2005)

Now with the higher airline prices and all, It's gonna be easier/cheaper to ship your bike FedEx or UPS. As some said before, MBA had a great article on how to pack your bike so it doesn't get damaged.


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## snow-man (Aug 19, 2004)

Find the cutest checker inner girl at the desk and flirt like mad, distract her by asking a ton of questions and just engage her in conversation.
Be COOOL!!!!
Jerks get NOTHING, avoid DUDE personell at all costs.

2 cardboard bike boxes, one to house the frame and fork with random armor pieces and the other to house the wheels and anything else you have left over. Bring a backpack on board with full-face and clothing.

Worked perfect for the Whistler trip


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## Christine (Feb 11, 2004)

I'm all about shipping the bikes FedEx or UPS. That always worked, even in a regular cardboard bike box if it's packed carefully.

We were supposed to leave this morning for a trip out west. BF didn't want to ship the bikes for whatever reason, figured he knows what he's doing, had it all figured out. Got up at 5 to get to the 8am flight. Turns out it would be $175 PER BIKE + $50 for the extra bag.  No freakin' way. We're back home now looking into rentals and taking a flight this evening instead. We thought it would be $75 per bike, max.

I'm pretty aggrivated to say the least. If it were up to me, I'd get a flight on another airline altogether, but the penalty might be substantial. :madmax:


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## psycoben (Feb 5, 2008)

...


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