00:00Flying with a road bike can be quite nerve-wracking. I'm sure the biggest concern that we all have
00:05is ensuring that it makes it to the destination unscathed and in one piece.
00:11Baggage handlers, conveyor belts and internal airport luggage systems all provide for the
00:16opportunity for your pride and joy to come to unwanted harm. So here are nine things
00:21that I wish I knew before I put my bike on a plane. The first hurdle to navigate is choosing
00:31the vessel to put your bike in and happily you do have a few different options. First is a hard
00:37case. Benefits are that they are the strongest and they generally provide the most amounts of
00:43protection. The downside is is that they do tend to be heavy and rather expensive. There are soft
00:49bags which come in a little bit cheaper but in some cases might not offer the same level of
00:54protection. Lastly there's the trusty cardboard box but this one does come with a couple of caveats.
01:01While they are by far and away the cheapest option, most likely free from a friendly bike shop,
01:07they do have inherent weaknesses to impacts and water damage. Also some airlines do stipulate that
01:14bikes need to be packaged in a recognized bike bag. If you're heading off on a bike packing
01:19adventure then perhaps the cardboard box route could be a really good way to go because you'll
01:25be able to recycle it upon arrival and then hopefully track down a new one when you've finished
01:29your adventure. Just be sure you have good access to plenty of tape, scissors and bike protection.
01:36Soft bags alike, the prep is absolutely key to making sure your bike has the best chance of a safe
01:42journey. Another top tip to ensure the airport process is as smooth as possible is to print out and
01:48highlight your airline's bike transport T's and C's. This will mean that if you're challenged on
01:53anything you can ensure that you are in the right. Also I would suggest that you get measurements of
01:59your bike bag or box and have those on hand in case they are called into question. If you do
02:05want
02:06to fly with a hard case but you don't want to invest in one then hiring is a really good
02:10option. Again
02:11just be sure that it fits within the allowed measurements of your airline because not all bike
02:16boxes work with all airlines. If you do want to see a list of all of our favorite bags and
02:21boxes then
02:22I've left a link to our buyer's guide in the description.
02:29If you're looking to fly for the least amount of money then you may be making a beeline
02:33for a budget airline but before you do be sure to check out their policy on bike transport and more
02:40importantly the associated fees. It's not uncommon for more premium airlines to have more of a generous
02:46baggage allowance and in some cases not charge you to fly with your bike at all meaning that a more
02:52expensive ticket up front could actually be cheaper than a more seemingly budget option.
03:01As I mentioned earlier prep is the absolute key to giving your bike the best chance of survival.
03:07We do have a guide on how best to pack a bike which I've linked below but the key takeaways
03:12are to
03:13remove your brake rotors, your rear mech, handlebars and seat posts. Then cover everything in bubble wrap
03:19or foam pipe lagging making sure to cable tie all the loose parts to the inside area of the frame
03:25essentially so no vulnerable parts are left as an extremity. Also be sure to drop the pressure out of
03:32your tyres so that they aren't rock solid. You want them to be squishy enough to be able to adjust
03:37to
03:37pressure changes and take an impact but not so soft that you risk the seal of the tyre breaking.
03:43Especially important if you're running a tubeless setup.
03:50When you have packed your bike you may be left noticing a bit of spare space inside the box or
03:56the bag.
03:56And there are a couple of things to consider here. First, how much does the entire thing weigh?
04:02If it's under 23 kilos then it could be worth grabbing some dry bags, popping some of your clothes
04:07in there and then filling up some of that space. Again be sure to check in with your airline because
04:12some will only want the bike in there. Alternatively you could fill it out with more bike protection in
04:18the form of big air bubbles or bubble wrap. If you do decide to fill it up with any of
04:23your clothing
04:23just be sure that you have all of your essentials in your carry-on. And in this I would include
04:28your shoes, your helmet, your pedals and a change of kit. Because that means if anything goes wrong
04:34with your bike and you're left without it for a day you can still go riding. And also whatever you
04:39do,
04:40do not put CO2 canisters in your hand luggage or in your bike box because it will only end badly.
04:50If you're hopping to the other side of the world and you're taking a couple of flights to get to
04:55your end destination, using an Apple AirTag or other tracking devices can be a really useful way
05:01of keeping an eye on where your possessions are. Hopefully they'll always be in the same airport
05:07as you. However, if you get off your flight and you see your bike is still in the airport you
05:11took off
05:12from, then you'll know to get in contact with your airline pretty quickly. Or if your bike has ended
05:17up in a completely different part of the world, then again, it's great to have that knowledge of
05:22where your stuff is so you can help the airline quickly track down and get you your stuff.
05:32It goes without saying, but if you're really concerned about what might happen to your bike,
05:37then getting yourself some insurance does mean that if the worst does happen,
05:40you'll hopefully not be too out of pocket. Of course, there are plenty of cycle insurance
05:46companies out there like Yellow Jersey Insurance, so if you do want to get some for yourself,
05:52be sure to do all of the research and make sure you get something that's right for you.
06:01Something that I always tend to forget when I go away is to bring all of the right tools
06:05and spares. Everything that you use to pack your bike, you'll need to bring with you. But also,
06:12it's all the things that would be near impossible to get hold of when you're away from home. So,
06:17things like spare mech hangers, brake pads and spokes come in really handy should any of those things
06:23need replacing. A multi-tool with a chain breaker and a widespread of allen key sizes will also keep you
06:30pretty covered. But if you're left wondering whether you should or shouldn't bring something,
06:34just bring it to be safe. Extra cable ties, scissors, tape and plastic bags are also really
06:41good to bring, especially when it comes to packing your bike up again.
06:48There's a bit of a hidden headache that comes along with flying with your bike and it's one that doesn't
06:52even involve a plane or an airport. It's just about getting there in the first place. Bike bags and
06:59boxes take up a lot of space and they are really cumbersome and quite tricky to maneuver in and out
07:06of cars. You will then obviously have that same problem when you arrive at your destination. So,
07:11if you're hiring a car or getting a taxi, just be sure that it's of an adequate size.
07:21The last thing that I wish I knew before I flew with my bike was to do my research on
07:26local bike
07:27shops and mechanics. Going somewhere new armed with this knowledge, if things were to go wrong,
07:33is really valuable. And also, it's not just useful for if things go wrong, but as we all know, local
07:39bike shops are a hub of knowledge for the best local riding spots and the staff might be able to
07:46share
07:46with you some absolutely beautiful hidden gems that otherwise you may never have known about.
07:52Clearly, flying with your bike comes along with a lot of things to think about and there's a lot of
07:57opportunity for things to go wrong. So, consider this. If it all gets a bit too much, then perhaps
08:03hiring a bike at your destination is a better route to go down. If you're heading somewhere with a good
08:09cycling culture, then you'll likely have some pretty good options available to you. I understand that going
08:15bikepacking in remote places demands that you bring all of your own gear, but if you're heading away
08:21for a week of riding with friends or just on a solo trip, hiring a bike really will make life
08:27a whole
08:28lot easier. Consider this. How much extra value and enjoyment are you going to get just from being on
08:35your own bike? Let me know down below. Is there anything you wish you knew before you flew with your
08:40bike? If you enjoyed the video, then please do drop it a like, subscribe to the channel for more content
08:45and I will see you again very soon.
Comments