Flying with a bike.

[Macaroni Sandwich]

I'm moving to Nevada next month and would like to bring my bike with me. Whats the best, and cheapest way to get my bike on the plane?

Would it be easier or cheaper to just mail it there? Because I have an entire PC setup that I need to take with me too.

[sloppy]

Hiding it in a golfbag or hockey bag is good, also you should keep parts in separate bags, that way you are not bringing a take on the plane, only parts.

[properrider]

I'm moving to Nevada next month and would like to bring my bike with me. Whats the best, and cheapest way to get my bike on the plane?

Would it be easier or cheaper to just mail it there? Because I have an entire PC setup that I need to take with me too.

Its probably easier to just ship it out there... but then you run the chance of it getting lost, but you also run that chance at the airport.

[Brendan O.]

sent everything you need by mail and bike the trip, make it a roadtrip. 1900 miles can be done within 60 days I think.

Usefull: the search button will provide some good threads. (Not meant witty, there is a lot of this covered readily).

[Andras]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38040000/jpg/_38040004_et.jpg

???????

[ashesofthewake]

I dont know what the rules are in the US, but flying with a bike isnt too difficult. If you go over your luggage allowance youll have to pay a surcharge, but you are allowed to take your bike on. MTBs are far more difficult to travel with, but I think some BMX companies (cant remember who exactly) have started producing 'golf' bags specifically for bikes. If you are taking loads of other crap with you, there might be a, perhaps slightly more expensive but less hassle alternative, like hiring a van and getting a friend or two to drive with you, then they can take the van back.

[Macaroni Sandwich]

Ok. I can not buy a $200 bag for my bike.

I'll probably just ship it with my computer. I wont be able to ride as soon as I get there anyway, I need to build some trails.

[drewfunk]

I've flown multiple times with a bike, no charge. Just take it all apart and put in in a big hockey/duffel bag. I think you only get charged extra if the bag is over 50lbs, so you shouldnt have any trouble with todays bikes ;)

[Macaroni Sandwich]

I've flown multiple times with a bike, no charge. Just take it all apart and put in in a big hockey/duffel bag. I think you only get charged extra if the bag is over 50lbs, so you shouldnt have any trouble with todays bikes ;)

Thank you. I guess its worth a shot.

I'm still not sure what airline i'll be using, so when I find out i'll look into their specific rules.

Now I need to bum a duffel bag from someone.

[PosiDave]

go to REI or an outdoor store and get a travel tote they are big enough to fit everything minus frontwheel pedal and bars on. they are like 35 bucks just pad it so nothing get messed up.

[Tony13]

I've been to china twice and always brang my bike in an hockey bag
You got to remove everything exept cranks mostly..

Just cover all the parts in two layers of newspaper, then tie-rap the part to your frame. Put something like foam on sides and under the bike so you won't get any dents.

Like I said, I travelled to China twice and had to stop by Toronto or Vancouver both times for going and coming back and never had one scratch/dent on my bike or anything like that, didn't need to pay for oversize, and carried it everywhere very easily.

Just need to buy the bag!

[Dropkick]

http://www.danscomp.com/731010.php

You said $200.

[brenden.]

Its probably easier to just ship it out there... but then you run the chance of it getting lost, but you also run that chance at the airport.

99.7% of ups packages are delivered to their destination, on time..

[IndianaTom]

im going to montana in a week and i really want to bring my bike on the plane. I found a bag that would fit my frame, forks, and bars. So what im gonna do is put that stuff in that bag then put my wheels in my other bag. You dont think they will charge me for taking a bike? its 175 to bring a bike which is rediculous. Btw my bike is in the 24-27 pound range. I know they dont check your lugage at the ticket booth but could they charge me when they check my bag?

[distressedbikes]

go to REI or an outdoor store and get a travel tote they are big enough to fit everything minus frontwheel pedal and bars on. they are like 35 bucks just pad it so nothing get messed up.

Very true, my sister worked at an rei, and got me one of the larger duffel bags from them, it works great. I have made five plus round trip flights with my bike (padded with some egg crate foam) at no extra charge as one bag and my clothing in a second bag... You could even just plastic wrap around your bike and get most of your clothing in as the padding for your bike and be under the weight limit ( done that for a shorter trip and it too worked well)...

[Macaroni Sandwich]

Thanks for bumping this thread up, because im flying back to Indiana for a week at the end of June and needed some info.

Will probably just get a huge duffel bag.

If you're walking around with metal on metal clanging together in a bag, are they more likely to check it? Should I just stuff a bunch of towels in between everything to keep it quieter?

[Macaroni Sandwich]

Couldn't find a large duffel bag so...

Friday I order a DK Golf bag and various things from Dans Comp.

Saturday I realize, its supposed to arrive Thursday.... my flight leaves at 12:05 AM Thursday morning so there is no way I would of gotten it.

I call Dans Comp, ask them to intercept the package and refund my order, they were cool about it because I was cool to them. Apologized and told them it was my fault, not theirs.

I then call Empire, who DOES have the DK Golf bag, and for some reason I thought they did not. So I reorder it through them, with two day shipping with various small parts.

I then get a call from them later. Due to the size of the bag, the shipping has to be much more. So i'm spending like $60 on shipping now.

Then I get an email this morning, and my card was declined? Psh. I told them to try again Monday and keep taking the other various small stuff I ordered off untill it goes through.

So my DK Golf Bag should arrive Wednesday. If it doesn't, I will be heart broken.

I'll take photos of it and show how well a standard BMX bike fits in one when it gets here. Let you know how it went flying with it and stuff.

[Justin_cc]

Should of just bought a cheap hockey bag, always see em on sale for like 30 bucks.

[Macaroni Sandwich]

I live in the middle of the desert. I don't see "cheap hockey bags" anywhere near me.

I was going to get one on Ebay, but I fucking hate Ebay. I can't trust a unknown seller to quickly ship my items.

[Justin_cc]

Drive into town?...

[Tom Perry]

Military surplus store duffel bag for about $20 and you're set fo' life.

[Macaroni Sandwich]

Drive into town?...

Its a 50+ mile drive. I live where I work, and I was provided with a truck but i'm really only supposed to X amount of miles in between going back and forth to the airport to pick my boss up.

[Macaroni Sandwich]

So, I got the DK Flight Bag... its supposed to save me all this money while flying...


EXCEPT

American Airlines checked baggage policy on flying with "Golf Clubs"

One golf bag containing no more than 14 golf clubs, 12 golf balls and one pair of golf shoes .... .... Charged the applicable checked bag charge for the 1st or 2nd checked bag. When in excess, each item will be subject to the baggage charge for a single piece. .... ... Maximum free weight on golf clubs is 70 lbs. Size is limited to the size of a hard-sided golf case.

The DK Golf bag is fucking HUGE (51" x 15 1/4" x 12"), it is quite obvious that more than "14 golf clubs" would be inside of it, judging by its size / weight.

And, if I get caught then guess what? I get to follow these guidelines:

$100 in addition to the applicable checked baggage charge, based on the number of checked bags.
Exception: If bicycle and container are less than 62 dimensional inches and under 50 lbs., the bike is charged the applicable baggage charge for the 1st checked bag.


If I have to pay $100 to fly with this both ways, I am going to fucking cry at the airport. I just spent $200 getting this fucking flight bag here on time, using 2 day UPSair shipping.

I am now worried, that after reading all these reviews, the bag will not live up to what it is supposed to do. <sighs>

My bike does fit in it easily though, only had to remove pedals, pegs, handlebars and front wheel. Lot of extra room in it after that, so I packed some clothes in it too.

[Justin_cc]

Its a 50+ mile drive. I live where I work, and I was provided with a truck but i'm really only supposed to X amount of miles in between going back and forth to the airport to pick my boss up.

Sounds like shit.

[mutinous]

Ive always used a frame box and put wheels in a suitcase.

[Macaroni Sandwich]

So do they actually look in the bag when you check it, to see if its really golf clubs or what?

Im beggining to get nervous. Delta Airlines charges $175 to check a bike in... one way. American Air charges $100. I payed $200 for the bag to get here, that would be $475 so I can ride my bike one or two days in Indiana....

[Cankles]

i put my bike in a bike box with all my clothes and it counts as 1 piece of checked baggage and because i have nothing else theres no charge

sounds like you should be able to do that if "Exception: If bicycle and container are less than 62 dimensional inches and under 50 lbs., the bike is charged the applicable baggage charge for the 1st checked bag."

as for the dk "Size is limited to the size of a hard-sided golf case." yeh, your pretty much fucked

[Macaroni Sandwich]

Then why the fuck would they advertise this god damned bag as a way to avoid extra airline fees?

I wasn't able to find a large duffel bag locally, and I got on eBay searching for ones about a week and a half ago but was too scared to get one as I was afraid it would not arrive in time.

I figured I would be flying a lot more now, back and forth to Indiana a few times a year so I thought, "Well, the DK Bag is expensive, but it will pay for itself after flying a couple times."

God damnit.

And at this point I can not NOT take it, I already got all my riding buddies back home pumped that i'm bringing my bike. Plus, I don't really want to spend a full week with my family and girlfriend. Curtis needs a large amount of "Me" time to be happy.

I'll let you know when I get to Indiana how the airport went with having it. If I get charged a bunch of fees, I hope Empire will refund because I sure as shit won't use it again.

[tario]

If it isn't oversized they don't usually scan it, so you should be ok. Big non attention grabbing bags full of "bike parts" are the best option.

Just tell them you use your golf bag as a duffle bag too. Non chelantly say something about it being a nice bag and wanting to use it. If it's full of clothes too then you aren't lying.

[Tom Perry]

Literal rendering of thread title:

http://www.originalprop.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/et_moon.jpg

<aka what ANDRAS should have posted on the first page which I just now noticed after posting this>