Bike box for airline too short

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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matt2matt2002
Posts: 1126
Joined: 25 Oct 2009, 7:45pm
Location: Aberdeen Scotland UK

Bike box for airline too short

Post by matt2matt2002 »

Hi folks.
I know some of you use a plastic bag for air travel.But I have decided to go for a box.
The one given to me by my local shop is 177 cm long but my Thorn Raven is 185 cm.
I don't think turning the wheel will achieve much so it looks like I'll have to remove it.

Any thoughts?
Is it advisable to put some kind of spacer between the fork ends if I remove the wheel?
Any other solutions, apart from going with plastic bag?

Thanks
Matt
2017 Ethiopia.5 weeks.
2018 Marrakech 2 weeks.
2023 Thailand 8 weeks.
Always on a Thorn Raven/Rohloff hub.
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Bike box for airline too short

Post by simonhill »

The normal way is to remove front wheel. I usually have to turn the forks round, but this time - as in 3 hours ago - I didn't. Never known front wheel not to come off.

I use a plastic spacer for the forks. You should be able to get one from LBS, the new bikes come with them.

Some people remove QR axle on front wheel to make it slimmer and avoid it puncturing box. Again LBS may have nifty plastic discs that go over axle ends.

I always keeo (and carry with me) the spacer, axle covers and some tube protection, etc., in case I can't get them when I rebox.

One more portable thing for protecting tubes is a sort of stiff plastic open tube that can be rolled onto bike tube. Much less bulky than pipe lagging.

I suggest a trip to LBS to see what goodies come out of a new bike box.
whoof
Posts: 2519
Joined: 29 Apr 2014, 2:13pm

Re: Bike box for airline too short

Post by whoof »

I take boh wheels of the bike and remove mudguards. Never had a problem fitting inot any box. You could go back ot the shop with atape measure and see if they have alarger box.
As above I put in plastic wheel spacers and put the disks with spikes into the axles to stop them sticking through the box. I've got both of these item from the LBS and they have loads of them.
My touring bike is old and was second hand and had scratches on it when I bought it I'm therefore not that bothered about the paint work.
I put the box in a bin on landing and for the return flight buy a plastic sheet or cheap tarp.
kolb
Posts: 14
Joined: 8 Sep 2014, 8:22pm

Re: Bike box for airline too short

Post by kolb »

I have had a similar problem with a Dawes Super Galaxy - the average bike box isn't long enough. I like the idea of keeping the bike whole rather than removing a wheel as I believe it is more solid that way. On a couple of occasions I have opened up the end of the box, cut the last few inches off the end of another box; and then pushed them together, overlapping them. They can be taped together with strong tape; I have found Duck tape to be good. When the box has been packed I tape it all the way round, vertically and horizontally. This was accepted by BA (three times to the US - one-way each time) and NZ Air (2 separate flights each way to Australia), but it was over 10 years ago so you would need to check current dimensions, etc. I think (but my memory is not sure about this) that I used a few small cable ties through both boxes to help keep them positioned without having any concertina effect.
nmnm
Posts: 470
Joined: 14 Nov 2010, 6:03pm

Re: Bike box for airline too short

Post by nmnm »

Here's someone's blog write-up to show a common packing approach:
http://iikmisc.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/p ... light.html

Bigger boxes don't fit sideways in old style London taxis, if that's an issue, but the wheel-off ones do. Be careful if you push past 190cm - the BA website mentions "We will accept non-motorised bicycles up to 190cm", though this is the bike, not the box, of course!
swscotland bentrider
Posts: 299
Joined: 3 Aug 2008, 4:38pm

Re: Bike box for airline too short

Post by swscotland bentrider »

I've flown my recumbent (which is longer than a conventional bike). I did it by using two boxes. I cut off the end of one and cut the other in half. I placed the bike in the one with the missing end and slid the other over the open end like a sleeve. I secured the boxes using cable ties so that they would not easily telescope and risk damaging the bike. The airlines accepted the resultant box without comment.
eileithyia
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Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)

Re: Bike box for airline too short

Post by eileithyia »

When we used a cardboard box from LBS we needed to take both wheels out, and had to slightly angle the frame and wheels to pack it... but it was packed tightly, we also used plastic spacers also from the bike shop for the fork ends.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
Vorpal
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Re: Bike box for airline too short

Post by Vorpal »

There are some packing tips on the CTC site http://www.ctc.org.uk/cyclists-library/ ... /bikes-air

A previous thread with information about packing a bike in a box...
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=67410

And some handy step by step instructions...
http://travellingtwo.com/resources/packingyourbike
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
MartinBrice
Posts: 464
Joined: 13 Nov 2007, 9:57am

Re: Bike box for airline too short

Post by MartinBrice »

There were no bike boxes available when I needed to pack the bike a few days ago so I went to the local supermarket and collected a load of empty cardboard boxes, cling film and gaffer tape. Then I dismantled the bike (including taking the front forks off) and wrapped it all in cling film to help hold it together. (There were cable ties also holding it together.) Then the box was made to fit the bike, then wrapped in cling film to give it all a bit more strength, then wrapped in parcel tape and gaffer tape. I even added a handle and labelled it in the local language.
I did this because the journey home includes a minibus, flight, airport trolley, left luggage office for two days, airport trolley, flight from Chile to Brazil, then flight Brazil-heathrow, then a car journey. I thought putting the bike into a box made the journey easier. Usually I prefer the plastic bag option cos then the baggage handlers can see it's a bike. The bag needs to be strong: the ctc bag is very good but you can buy strong plastic and make a bag for about half the price. The plastic bag can then be used as a groundsheet protector.
MartinBrice
Posts: 464
Joined: 13 Nov 2007, 9:57am

Re: Bike box for airline too short

Post by MartinBrice »

Also, I've just read the advice on the ctc page about packing the bike and agree with every word. I might add that you can swivel the brake levers so they are protected when the bike goes down a chute from a conveyor belt on to a cart. STI levers are quite fragile and if you turn them inwards the handlebars take the hit.
MartinBrice
Posts: 464
Joined: 13 Nov 2007, 9:57am

Re: Bike box for airline too short

Post by MartinBrice »

An afterthought: once pedals are off (for gawd's sake do this a week before flying and not at the airport as pedals can be really stubborn*) you can just put them back on the other way round. This way, if the bike is dropped on to the chainring, the pedal takes the strain.
*if it won't come off, add heat by using a camping gas stove and then wrench it. Repeat until it moves. Then put coppaslip in so it doesn't jam.
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Bike box for airline too short

Post by simonhill »

Re packing bike eg in poly bag so handlers can see and treat better!!! Not so sure.

I remember a few years ago at Gatwick when I used to bubble wrap my bike. The guy at the oversize luggage said the handlers hate bikes packed like that and would go out of their way to treat badly. I also used to have problems in Australia as well. Basically the handlers didnt like any thing that made their job a tad more difficult.

In places like Asia, they often did treat better, although not always a good thing. One baggage handler tried to 'straighten' my handle bars after in had tightened them parallel to the frame.

This is why I favour a box if poss/available.
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