CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
phoog
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Joined: 5 Jun 2012, 2:11pm

Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by phoog »

I thought I'd add to this thread in case it proves useful to anyone :)
I was using my 1.9 kg unpadded fabric bike bag (£20 from fleabay) as a "floor" to my tent porch area, got chatting to a guy in Siena who had just got back from the supermarket with 5 euros worth of value cling film, his plan was to "wrap" the whole bike at the airport for the flight home, said he's done it a few times without any issues, It's probably a well know way of travelling without a bike bag, but was new to me and seem'd like quite a good idea.
simonhill
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Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by simonhill »

I have used the clingfilm method.

AirAsia Saigon to Bangkok, no problem. Then Emirates to UK. They weren't happy and said it was inadequate. I argued that last time I flew with no wrapping, they told me to get it wrapped at bag wrapping. They let me fly.

Unfortunately domestic clingfilm isn't really up to the job and punctures, comes undone, etc. Some of that commercial stuff would do the job, but is much heavier. By chance I was looking at a roll of it only a few hours ago.
nmnm
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Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by nmnm »

Not Easyjey (sorry) but today I saw someone arriving at the airport for an SAS flight check-in, bike uncovered, with a BOB trailer too. :shock: Not going to end well, I supposed. But it did end well - look at this dream line from their website, puts the others to shame:

If you check in your bike without a bike carry case, turn the handlebars a quarter-turn, remove the pedals & reduce the tire pressure or deflate them entirely. We also recommend covering the chain.

Magnificent!
hillspecial
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Location: Geneva, Switzerland.

Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by hillspecial »

nmnm wrote:Not Easyjey (sorry) but today I saw someone arriving at the airport for an SAS flight check-in, bike uncovered, with a BOB trailer too. :shock: Not going to end well, I supposed. But it did end well - look at this dream line from their website, puts the others to shame:

If you check in your bike without a bike carry case, turn the handlebars a quarter-turn, remove the pedals & reduce the tire pressure or deflate them entirely. We also recommend covering the chain.

Magnificent!



Wow, might have to have a Tour in Scandinavia.
kolb
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Joined: 8 Sep 2014, 8:22pm

Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by kolb »

Does anyone have my experience of using the CTC poly bag and simply wheeling the bike into it before taping it closed? Many of the examples I have seen show the bike being at least partly dismantled. I want to use a bike box on the outward leg and carry the CTC bag for use on the return. Therefore the least dismantling I can do the better.
Also has anyone used a CTC bag flying from Barcelona?
borisface
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Joined: 19 Feb 2010, 3:48pm

Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by borisface »

From my Gatwick experience the issue with simply wheeling your bike into the CTC bag is that it is then to big to go on the oversize handling equipment that they use. When you go to the oversize luggage area they put the bike and bag through a xray machine with bars, saddle and front wheel, unless you have a small bike, the bike is simply too big to fit. What I do is turn the bars, drop the saddle, remove the front wheel and strap it to the bars, and remove the pedals. it only takes 10 mins or so to reassemble.
simonhill
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Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by simonhill »

Easyjet, June 2015.

I put my whole bike in a poly bag I got from bed shop. Lowered the saddle, turned handlebars.

I just handed it over at Southend Airport, no questions.

At Jersey airport they said it was oversized for XRay, etc, but they used a portable sniffer machine, and accepted it.

On both occasions they punctured the bag to completely deflate my tyres. Whyyyyyyyyyyy???????
ubert767
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Joined: 4 Aug 2013, 8:16pm

Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by ubert767 »

simonhill wrote:Easyjet, June 2015.

I put my whole bike in a poly bag I got from bed shop. Lowered the saddle, turned handlebars.

I just handed it over at Southend Airport, no questions.

At Jersey airport they said it was oversized for XRay, etc, but they used a portable sniffer machine, and accepted it.

On both occasions they punctured the bag to completely deflate my tyres. Whyyyyyyyyyyy???????


Eeeeee, you were lucky.
The kind baggage handlers at Bournemouth Airport punctured my tyres to fully deflate them!!!!!
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bigjim
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Location: Manchester

Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by bigjim »

Ridiculous that they are still obsessed with letting tyres down! Whoever trains them needs to explain that it is not the 1950s.
jk49
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Joined: 6 Apr 2013, 7:51pm

Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by jk49 »

Bournemouth airport seem to have it in for us cyclists. I had my small cable lock taken from me at security, presumably they thought I could use it to garotte the pilot. Meanwhile they ignored my belt, shoelaces, daysack straps and countless other passengers with thin leather hand bag straps. As our American cousins might say " go figure ". So you've been warned, pack those cables in with your bike!
Vorpal
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Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by Vorpal »

kolb wrote:Does anyone have my experience of using the CTC poly bag and simply wheeling the bike into it before taping it closed? Many of the examples I have seen show the bike being at least partly dismantled. I want to use a bike box on the outward leg and carry the CTC bag for use on the return. Therefore the least dismantling I can do the better.
Also has anyone used a CTC bag flying from Barcelona?

I turn the handlebars and take the gear hanger off and strap it to the chain stay, and the last couple of times I've flown with CTC bags, I took the pedals off as well. Previous trips, the pedals went through the plastic.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
kolb
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Joined: 8 Sep 2014, 8:22pm

Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by kolb »

simonhill wrote:Easyjet, June 2015.

I put my whole bike in a poly bag I got from bed shop. Lowered the saddle, turned handlebars.

I just handed it over at Southend Airport, no questions.

At Jersey airport they said it was oversized for XRay, etc, but they used a portable sniffer machine, and accepted it.

On both occasions they punctured the bag to completely deflate my tyres. Whyyyyyyyyyyy???????


Thanks. That's useful information as I'm flying from Southend. Perhaps I shouldn't bother with a box on the way out but just settle for the CTC bag which I'll need for the return.

"I turn the handlebars and take the gear hanger off and strap it to the chain stay, and the last couple of times I've flown with CTC bags, I took the pedals off as well. Previous trips, the pedals went through the plastic."

Thanks for the that. I'd rather not remove the gear hanger (have doubts about the ease of reconnecting it) but I can see why that would be a good idea. I'm thinking of tying the pedals to the rear rack.
My bike is an older tourer - late '90s Galaxy, horizontal top tube - so not sure how manageable it will be in the CTC bag. In the past I've had problems getting a bike box large enough to take the bike with both wheels attached.
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bigjim
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Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by bigjim »

I'd rather not remove the gear hanger

Cut the top off a small plastic milk bottle and fasten it up over the hanger with tape or cable tie. Always works for me.
Vorpal
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Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by Vorpal »

kolb wrote:
Vorpal wrote:I turn the handlebars and take the gear hanger off and strap it to the chain stay, and the last couple of times I've flown with CTC bags, I took the pedals off as well. Previous trips, the pedals went through the plastic.


Thanks for the that. I'd rather not remove the gear hanger (have doubts about the ease of reconnecting it) but I can see why that would be a good idea. I'm thinking of tying the pedals to the rear rack.


viewtopic.php?f=16&t=100505&p=940397 is a thread about removing versus protecting the gear hanger for travel. That may give you some ideas, if you don't want to remove it, or some confidence, if you do.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
borisface
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Joined: 19 Feb 2010, 3:48pm

Re: CTC Poly Bike Bag and Easyjet Questions

Post by borisface »

Last time I was asked to let my tyres down I said that they were special aircraft-grade tyres that didn't need deflating with a straight face and a hint of authority. Worked for me.
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