Easyjet and bikes

xover_runner

Easyjet website says you have to remove pedals when they carry a bike. I have paid the fee and have a large rigid box which swallow the bike with pedals fitted. Does anyone know if you really have to remove the pedals and do they look? They are stuck pretty hard and I can't be a**ed to take them to LBS to get them off.

bigjim

They don't look. But if they are stuck pretty hard I would unstick them grease them up and put them back. Would not like to be stuck somewhere with a broken pedal that I can't remove. Don't need an LBS. Decent C spanner and a bit of brute force is all you need.

Jim

Special K

Don't forget, the left hand pedal is loosened by turning CLOCKWISE, i.e. the opposite of most other threads.

Chokingfish

Hi all,

I have the pleasure of taking by bike on its holidays again this year, with Easyjet.

I'm flying Stanstead-Bilbao and the website previously had a photo of how they liked bikes to be packaged (no longer there). The image was a bike wrapped in a clear plastic bag/sheeting. I've got hold of some heavy duty, v large bags from the C2C shop and will be using these (we're touring as soon as we get off the other end so carting a hard bike box around northern Spain isn't an option).

Has anyone used this method of packaging, how did it go? I havn't sorted any insurance out yet and ideally would like the wheels covered at the very least, any opinions/advice on the topic would be greatly appreciated

Cheers,
Kirsty

chewa

Chokingfish wrote:

Hi all,

I have the pleasure of taking by bike on its holidays again this year, with Easyjet.

I'm flying Stanstead-Bilbao and the website previously had a photo of how they liked bikes to be packaged (no longer there). The image was a bike wrapped in a clear plastic bag/sheeting. I've got hold of some heavy duty, v large bags from the C2C shop and will be using these (we're touring as soon as we get off the other end so carting a hard bike box around northern Spain isn't an option).

Has anyone used this method of packaging, how did it go? I havn't sorted any insurance out yet and ideally would like the wheels covered at the very least, any opinions/advice on the topic would be greatly appreciated

Cheers,
Kirsty

We did a few years ago. We made bags out of bubblewrap to cover the whole bike. Also used foam pipe insulation over the seat, main and top tubes (you can just fold it under a bungee on the rack when you get there) - my wife was a bit precious about her Roberts being chipped.

I took the pedals off and bungeed them to the rack. Easyjet were fine and at that time we didn't even get charged.

Chokingfish

Did you cover the wheels too? I've heard mixed reports of: 'if you cover the bike in a clear bag they are less likely to through it around' but also heard that leaving the wheels uncovered allows them to wheel the bike around - but if the handle bars are flush with the frame (as requested) would this make it dificult to wheel!??
:roll:

jay_clock

I have used Easyjet several times with no problems. TURN UP EARLY if only to stop any arguments. To pack it I use the http://www.bikeadventures.co.uk/shop.html bag - have just binned one after about 5 uses. They weigh 550g and will fit in a pannier or on the rack. I take tons of cables ties (fix wheel to bike, fix pedals to rack etc, and I also unscrew the rear mech (leave all cables on) and cable tie it to the frame to prevent the hanger being bent. To tape up the bag I use heavy duty clear tape from B&Q - has a checkered pattern, and tears easily, does not unstick in use, but can be peeled off afterwards.

TOP TIP, if leaving from smaller airports they may well not have an excess baggage Xray large enough for bikes, so do not seal the bag till they tell you they are happy, as they may do a manual explosives swab.

With new rules on carry on bags (max 1 and rigidly enforced), I will be checking in the panniers, but plan to put these inside a £shop duffel bag I got to avoid being charged on a per-piece basis!

For the pedals, i would get them loosened and refitted with grease. I had a fraught moment a few years back when I had to get them off, and they had set so tight I broke a spanner, and even the LBS with a yard long spanner found it hard

Bon voyage

Chokingfish

Great stuff, thanks for that, love the cable tie idea, i've been playing with bungee cords ...

I too broke a spanner the other day trying to loosen the pedals!

Cheers

priory

Iwent from e midlands airport to faro on easyjet the other day and had no problem, but my bike was a folder dismantled to go into a large suitcase. It was booked on as a bike so that I could have the full 32kg plus hand lggage allowance, which Ineeded.The case was not all hard, so I took off the pedals and rear mech plus hangar and included cardboard liberally, with the repair kit included.I use string or ties to stop things crashing about and put small items in a carrier bag as well. total weight was bike 10kg alone or 19kg in the case ready to go.No damage so far. They did not make me deflate the tyres. I wrote bici and bike all over it in chalk.

I like to show up with the bike looking not-controversial.I believe that I will be less likely to get any problems that way. I would hate to be told at the last minute to sort out some other packing system. But I also believe they throw the bike about with gay abandon, and usually have found damage after or during a trip. So far nothing catastrophic, but I usually take an old cheap bike so I won't be too upset. The more it looks like a suitcase the less care it gets I would expect. Last year I saw one of a number of properly hard -cased bikes coming off at east middlands fall off the escalator and fall +/- 12ft to the concrete.

I have travelled with other people who simply turned the bars , added a sheath of
cardboard with the saddle poking out and a bit of each wheel exposed so it could be rolled along.Their bikes were treated carefully so far as we could tell and mine was the only one damaged , dismantled in a bike bag.Fortunately I was able to hammer the larger chainwheel into better shape with a handy rock.

To gather panniers into one lot I have used heavy duty plastic bags(rubble or garden waste bags from the hardware store) tied at the top with string and labelled by string attachment and marker pen.

enzo berzot

Hi Folks,
a slight change of topic here but while we are on the subject of packing, what is the deal when flying with Ryanair to Northern Ireland? On the 'checked baggage' part of their web site they state: 'with combined dimensions of more than 81cms (height), 119cms (width) and 119cms (depth)'.
My box is around 19cm x 78cm x 136cm. What exactly are the combined dimensions/will they accept a bike in a regular bike box given to me by my LBS? As you have already spotted I have never travelled by air with me bike and don't want a fist fight at the check in desk!
cheers, Iain.
Glasgow

alfablue

If it works like couriers, you simply add the three dimensions together, so your box is less than the combined dimensions they state; however they may mean each dimension is a maximum. I guess it's a bit vague, no doubt in order to cause maximum anxiety and trauma at check-in.

clanton

Alfablue - I'm not at all sure that is correct. When I was trying to fly a bike out to France they said these dimensions were fixed in stone because of the size of the door they would be loading the bike through. ie if it exceeded ANY of the stated dimensions it wouldn't be going! In the end I had my bike driven across by the bike tiouring company.

alfablue

clanton wrote:

Alfablue - I'm not at all sure that is correct. When I was trying to fly a bike out to France they said these dimensions were fixed in stone because of the size of the door they would be loading the bike through. ie if it exceeded ANY of the stated dimensions it wouldn't be going! In the end I had my bike driven across by the bike tiouring company.

That's a bu**er!

enzo berzot

Hello again folks,
our trip from Prestwick to Derry with Ryanair went like clockwork with bikes in boxes. Bars turned, both wheels off and pedals off and bubble wrap placed round the jaggy bits, tools packed in the box and everything was plain sailing. No questions, quibbles, nowt apart from the fella at the security desk asking for the 17mm spanner in my hand luggage to be sent to the cargo room and shoved in my box. I politely asked how it was a dangerous weapon and pointed out that we all had belts and could strangle someone just as easily as bludgeon them with a small spanner. He almost smiled at the absurdity of our ridiculous laws.
Lovely route too - I'd recommend the Downhill Hostel 25 miles north of Derry. Lovely!

priory

It distresses me to hear you had a conversation with the security man about methods of killing people and concealing innovative weapons.
They are told and may be inclined to take any such talk seriously. They could take you aside and probe you for more information, if you get my meaning. Especially in US or Israel but anywhere. And it's no good demanding to see your lawyer once they've got the hump.
I recommend you concentrate on being absolutely as nice as pie next time.
TerryJ

Chokingfish

Hi folks,

Well the trip to Spain with Easyjet and the bikes went well! We wrapped the delicate bits with bubble wrap and put them in a giant plastic bag. The staff at outsized baggage at Stanstead were the perfect definition of pesimistic but they arrived to Bilbao in obe piece - its a shame the only way to leave the airport over there is on the motorway!! Lol.

Great riding though.

Thanks for all the helpful tips!