Anyone taken a bagged Dahon as normal check-in luggage?

Gotte

My friend and I are exploring the possibilities to flying to Munich and cycling the Bodensee-Koeningsee radweg. I've got a couple of Dahons, and I'm wondering if it's possible to take them bagged as normal check-in luggage. I see, to remember reading something about there possibly being problems with the size of the machines the bikes have to go through, and also maybe the reaction of the check-in staff concerning there being a bike in the bag.
Anyone here succeeded in getting a Dahon successfully on and off a plane?

Gotte

Sorry, should have mentioned that I'm talking about D7s.

jc4lab

Helllo again.You have replied to my own threads .Doing the same Myself but doing the Romantic road flying to Munich.I have a 26" dahon Jack and a Brompton.and dont know which to take...Theyt accept a bag if it is made for the purpose ..There are some on Ebay for £19.99 if you search folding bike bags and have ordered one for my Jack. Dahon do their own range of Bumbag,folding bike bags for bikes up to 20"wheels which I have used on BA to Newyork and KLM and had No problem being accepted. but Beware The Bolso one doesnt zip seal .On Easijet you book it in as Sports Equipment and paiy !£18.50 each flight for it.Check sports equipment policy/charges with each airline.They will have a policy

mroli

Gotte - if you check the Dahon website - there is some good stuff on there. I think there is a link to Guerlain (sp?) which has recs for getting the Dahon into an ordinary (or just "slightly" large) Samsonite case.

I should think it would be a problem for check in luggage at all - the only issue with the suitcases that Dahon provide is that they are slightly too large, but I've never had an issue with size of luggage, it has always been with weight - so you should keep an eye on that.

mroli

I would also be pretty suss about putting a bike on not protected at least by a suitcase of some description - putting it in an unstructured nylon bag is, imho asking for trouble.

Here are the comprehensive instructions - they look pretty good to me. http://www.gaerlan.com/dahon/pack.htm

Gotte

Thanks for that, chaps. Much appreciated.
Main problem is that we would be flying Easyjet, and you have to pay for baggage. With two cases (bikes and some stuff) and the rest as carry on, it's £150. For one piece of baggage, two bikes as extra luggage and two bags as carry on, it comes to £210. As you can see, the difference is only £60. I'm not sure how much suitcases cost, but I'm betting ones that would take a bike would be more than £30. Of course, I could look on it as an investment, I suppose, but for £30 each, it might be easier to just take full size tourers in the CTC bags, which at least means no reassembly at the other end.
Again, thanks for the links and the input.

phil

jc4lab

Have a hard case specific made for the Brompton.Cost £125 from Wiggle.They stock hard and soft cases inc CTC plastic bags of various kinds.

priory

I have a dahon jetstream xp and have taken it dismantled into a standard large suitcase which should quite easily have gone as ordinary luggage, but I booked it as a bike because I was afraid of the checkin desk refusing to cary it because it's a bike, and because the weight restrictions are so tight that I would not be able to take much more than a razor which causes problems with the wife.
the suitcase came from a local charity shop which seems always to have them and charges about 6gbp. It is not very heavy but you need to keep an eye on the weight as you pack. I considered cutting off the wheels and handle but did not. I write bike, velo, bici all over it in big chalk letters. pad it with cardboard and clothes etc and include the saddlebag and pump. The case fails the james bond test (he would not be seen with it). But so do I.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z122 ... ahon36.jpg
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z122 ... port08.jpg

TerryJ

Gotte

priory wrote:

The case fails the james bond test (he would not be seen with it). But so do I.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z122 ... ahon36.jpg
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z122 ... port08.jpg

TerryJ

Ha ha. Thanks for that. Phil

jc4lab

Dahon is prob more popular is the USA. I asked them about it on one of their bike forums and they recommend the Dahon Airporter hardcase..They seem to want to pass off their bike as normal luggage..Weighs a staggering 9.,5 Kilos though without the bike.Looks like they have just started selling them here in the UK..£150ish.One of many suppliers..Ive seen
http://fudgescyclestore.com/index.php?p=104715

priory

http://pbckt.com/s8.TSZ

this should link to some photos of the dahonxp in a normal old suitcase

I sent a reply which seems to have disappeared, the gist of which was that the airporter is bigger than maximum normal suitcase size for most airlines, twice the weight, costs more than 6quid, weighs a third of your total allowance if you have booked it as sports gear and I don't see the point; unless you want a quick getaway instead of a 15minute rebuild.
TerryJ