WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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CJ
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by CJ »

nmnm wrote:
BeeKeeper wrote:Removing the derailleurs is a sensible thing to do - it reduces the chance of them being damaged.
Beware with alu frames, it's quite possible to break the fragile hanger in the process of removing/reattaching the mech. I almost sheared the thread at the airport this year on day 1 of my hol. I bought a spare hanger as soon as I got back - hangers are quite tricky to buy (many different shapes that won't fit your frame) and broken/sheared hanger = no chain tension = no pedalling.

Taking a spare hanger is a good idea in any case. But if your frame has replaceable hanger, better than removing gear mech from hanger: leave the mech attached to the hanger and instead remove hanger from frame!

This makes the hanger even less likely to get bent or broken, but more importantly it eliminates any risk of damaging those fine threads when re-attaching the mech. The hanger will usually be secured by fasteners that are much easier to re-fasten without risk of cross-threading than the fine-threaded mech bolt. You will have to take the wheel out to get at these fasteners, which makes the packing and assembly jobs take even longer in situations where the bike may travel with this wheel in-situ. But if it avoids damage, it's worth it.

Even those who do NOT have a replaceable hanger may find it advantageous to remove their rear wheel BEFORE attempting to re-attach the rear mech. This avoids all of the struggle with chain tension whilst you try to line up the mech bolt with the hanger, which is the usual cause of mis-aligned assembly, AKA cross-threading.
Chris Juden
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
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bigjim
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by bigjim »

I think a lot of problems could be avoided if the CTC would use a bit of common sense and print their bags with a large picture of a cycle bag and Bicycle in large letters on it. I've used the CTC bag and been informed at check in that "No it's just a plastic bag" on more than one occassion. On my last trip I used an inferior less protective £6 bag off e-bay that had pictures of bikes all over it and it was accepted by check-in with no problems.
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nmnm
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by nmnm »

CJ wrote:leave the mech attached to the hanger and instead remove hanger from frame!
...
Even those who do NOT have a replaceable hanger may find it advantageous to remove their rear wheel BEFORE attempting to re-attach the rear mech. This avoids all of the struggle with chain tension whilst you try to line up the mech bolt with the hanger, which is the usual cause of mis-aligned assembly, AKA cross-threading.
This tension was exactly my problem in reattaching the mech. Now I think about it, I should have just derailed the chain at the chainset. Too excited. Or tired from packing the bike box all night!

One good tip for reassembly at airports - take some of those blue nitrile gloves (20p a pair on ebay) for a clean getaway.
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CJ
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by CJ »

bigjim wrote:I think a lot of problems could be avoided if the CTC would use a bit of common sense and print their bags with a large picture of a cycle bag and Bicycle in large letters on it.

We know that, and I have asked the firm which supplies the bags to do that, but they tell me they have no facilities to print on bags of that size. And as it was hard to find a firm that could supply bags that big in the first place, made out of polythene that thick, I am not hopeful of finding another supplier that can do EXACTLY what we want.

On my last trip I used an inferior less protective £6 bag off e-bay that had pictures of bikes all over it and it was accepted by check-in with no problems.

That is an option. When I made my enquiries and set this up for CTC (several years ago) it was easy to find suppliers of thinner bags - with printing too. But 125 micron or thicker was hard to find.

Seems like you can have tough and plain, or flimsy and printed. You choose.

However: if any of you clever people can find a firm who will supply 125 micron or thicker polythene bags, at least 1.2m wide by 2.5m long (bags this size are generally made by welding and cutting pre-manufactured lay-flat tubing of corresponding width), printed with CTC BICYCLE BAG etc., please PM me and our next batch will be better.
Chris Juden
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
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bigjim
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by bigjim »

However: if any of you clever people can find a firm who will supply 125 micron or thicker polythene bags, at least 1.2m wide by 2.5m long (bags this size are generally made by welding and cutting pre-manufactured lay-flat tubing of corresponding width), printed with CTC BICYCLE BAG etc., please PM me and our next batch will be better.

Probably need to talk to the Chinese. Thats where my printed bag came from. :)
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cycleruk
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by cycleruk »

bigjim wrote:
However: if any of you clever people can find a firm who will supply 125 micron or thicker polythene bags, at least 1.2m wide by 2.5m long (bags this size are generally made by welding and cutting pre-manufactured lay-flat tubing of corresponding width), printed with CTC BICYCLE BAG etc., please PM me and our next batch will be better.

Probably need to talk to the Chinese. Thats where my printed bag came from. :)


Or how about make up a stencil and spray decals on the bag.
You'll never know if you don't try it.
nmnm
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by nmnm »

CJ wrote:if any of you clever people can find a firm who will supply 125 micron or thicker polythene bags, at least 1.2m wide by 2.5m long
Maybe BA could help point the way. They gave me a thick plastic (printed) BA bike/pram bag at Nice airport. It was big enough for a bike and well over 125 microns, I'd say.
kieran.whelan
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by kieran.whelan »

Hi, I have read every post on this but wonder if anyone has asked any airlines if it is viable for the airlines to acquire some RIGID 'bags' or boxes specifically for the carriage of bikes and CHARGE people for using them. I'd pay £25 per trip to: a) not have to bother with acquiring a bag, b) not have to bother about it at the other end c) especially if it was of a RIGID variety and properly protected the bike...Is this a Dragon's Den idea? LOL
Mark1978
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by Mark1978 »

I guess their main problem will be if there's a bike on the outgoing leg they'll have to have one on the way back otherwise it'll be either taking up space at the destination airport or they'll have to ship it back empty - which is a waste of space again. Keeping the same box in storage when you are on holiday isn't really practical either.
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BeeKeeper
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by BeeKeeper »

Just flown from Bristol to Geneva with EasyJet. No problems with bike in CTC bike bag although I did add a single layer of bubble wrap (which I am ditching) to the bike before putting it in the bag.
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CJ
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by CJ »

nmnm wrote:
CJ wrote:if any of you clever people can find a firm who will supply 125 micron or thicker polythene bags, at least 1.2m wide by 2.5m long
Maybe BA could help point the way. They gave me a thick plastic (printed) BA bike/pram bag at Nice airport. It was big enough for a bike and well over 125 microns, I'd say.

I've sent them an email enquiry, but won't hold my breath. Call me a cynic, but commercial confidentiality is such an easy excuse for whoever answers their webmail not to bother finding the person in BA who can tell me that.
Chris Juden
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helsinkifox
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by helsinkifox »

I'm thinking of taking an oldish 27" wheel touring bike (Dawes Galaxy) on a plane for a jump to Finland. Ryanair's site says bag/box - I wrote to Stansted (not Stanstead!) Airport themselves and was told Ryanair prefer BOX. Norwegian also fly to Helsinki from Gatwick. My idea is to get a cardboard bike box from a bike shop, the "ones new bikes come in" (do they?). But are bike shops liable to give them/sell them, or do they just chuck all boxes into a crusher straight away? I should phone to a local bike shop first to confirm they'll let me have a box.
But how big are these boxes? Does one need to remove both wheels? Are the boxes wide enough to take bike with wheels either side, like a sandwich?

And what about the plastic inserts to go between the forks, to stop the fork from getting squished, where does one find these?

My plan would be to wrap the frame + wheels in bubble wrap (where does one find this?) before putting them in the box. The box should be taped, info marker-penned on the box (flight number, from where to where, date, time of departure, contact details, Fragile + exclamation marks!). String round the box helps handlers to lift/carry it. (there is a theory that writing 'Fragile' on a parcel only encourages British workers to throw something around until they hear something break - no? I used to work at a Royal Mail sorting office, seen it - so perhaps not to write Fragile?).

Problem is the saddlebag + panniers + all your stuff - where does that all go? Into a rucksack would be handy, but where does that come from? You wouldn't want to be cycling a few days to a place near airport with a rucksack on your bike. Bag for hand luggage, yes, as that'd be smallish and light.

What are peoples' experiences with popping into bike shops and asking for boxes? I read recently that men that work in bike shops are usually miserable unhelpful types, and indeed I have found that to be so too.
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bigjim
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by bigjim »

But how big are these boxes? Does one need to remove both wheels? Are the boxes wide enough to take bike with wheels either side, like a sandwich?
Yes. Remove wheels and slide around frame.

And what about the plastic inserts to go between the forks, to stop the fork from getting squished, where does one find these?
It's a steel fork so doubt it will be damaged but a piece of wood gaffer taped between dropouts will work.

My plan would be to wrap the frame + wheels in bubble wrap (where does one find this?) before putting them in the box. The box should be taped, info marker-penned on the box (flight number, from where to where, date, time of departure, contact details, Fragile + exclamation marks!). String round the box helps handlers to lift/carry it. (there is a theory that writing 'Fragile' on a parcel only encourages British workers to throw something around until they hear something break - no? I used to work at a Royal Mail sorting office, seen it - so perhaps not to write Fragile?).
Mine always marked fragile and never had a problem, but remember to remove rear mech and ziptie to frame. You can buy bubble wrap on e-bay or the skip at the rear of electrical shops is usually full of the stuff. Pipe lagging from B&Q works or cardboard. Most bike boxes have cutouts for lifting. Don't trust string, it can snag.

Problem is the saddlebag + panniers + all your stuff - where does that all go? Into a rucksack would be handy, but where does that come from? You wouldn't want to be cycling a few days to a place near airport with a rucksack on your bike. Bag for hand luggage, yes, as that'd be smallish and light.
Saddlebag and panners left on bike in my case. Luggage in a stuffsac as hand luggage. Stuffsac folds down to size of a fist when not in use.

What are peoples' experiences with popping into bike shops and asking for boxes? I read recently that men that work in bike shops are usually miserable unhelpful types, and indeed I have found that to be so too.
Bikeshops usually happy for someone to dump the box onto. They have to pay for rubbish collection.

helsinkifox

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andymiller
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by andymiller »

helsinkifox wrote: But are bike shops liable to give them/sell them, or do they just chuck all boxes into a crusher straight away? I should phone to a local bike shop first to confirm they'll let me have a box.

But how big are these boxes? Does one need to remove both wheels? Are the boxes wide enough to take bike with wheels either side, like a sandwich?

And what about the plastic inserts to go between the forks, to stop the fork from getting squished, where does one find these?


My only experience with scrounging boxes was with Decathlon who very kindly let me have a couple of boxes - but these were designed to take a fully-assembled bike, so pretty difficult to handle. I had been hoping for something closer to the size of boxes used for frames.

Whenever I've bought a frame or forks they've come with the plastic spacers. So again they should be something bike shops have. alternatively you can buy them from here:

http://www.framebuilding.com/Sundry-Components.htm

Bubble frame from any office supplies shop, or eBay, or a self-storage place.
Italy Cycling Guide - a resource for cycle touring in Italy.
nirakaro
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Re: WARNING: Bicycles in aircraft !

Post by nirakaro »

I got a 65 litre rucksack on ebay for a fiver. Put two panniers and contents in it, and threw it away on arrival.
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