Pro and Cons of a Bike Bag

Gazzaputt

I cannot find anywhere in the SE London area to hire a bix box I'm looking at using a bike bag for my trip to Lanzarote.

Anyone give my some heads up advice on using a bike bag.

Bronzie

I built a wooden frame for mine that just fits in the bag and holds the bike at front and rear dropouts - this protects the rear mech so you don't have to remove it - bit of overkill probably but the bottom half of the bike is well protected. ProBikeKit (I think?) used to sell metal frames that would do the same job.

If you use a soft bag without a frame inside, remove the rear mech and zip tie it to the frame, wrap the main frame tubes in foam pipe insulation and zip tie the handlebars etc in place to the frame to stop bits getting twisted in transit.

The other option is to get a cardboard bike box from your LBS and use it just for the one trip but they are awkward to carry.

dave noble

http://www.ctcshop.com/product.jsp?style=29977
This is teh way to go - £4 - the baggage handlers can see it's a bike - tape/fix something over your rear mech as a precaution.
The bag is light enough to carry if necessary and hardcore tourers can use it as a bivvy bag as well.
Every time I've flown with a bike in a padded bag it has been damaged - this way you meet airline regulations.

Monty Dog

GB Cycles in Croydon used to rent bike boxes. Baggage handlers don't like bike boxes because they're heavy - they don't carry, they drop them instead. IME a well-packed bie bag is better - it's lighter and less likely to get damaged.

nickwill

I use a Neil Pryde bag, with cardboard inside. I put pipe lagging on the bike, and fill the voids round the bike with bubble wrap. So far so good over about a dozen flights.