packing your bike for transport
biff55
Posts: 1,404
just ordered padded bag from merlin for forthcoming trip to USA and was wondering
if anyone with experience in travelling abroad with a bike had any tips for packing.
in particular , how do you protect rear mech and forks? bubble wrap ?
seem tricky bits to protect.
want to leave dis-assembly to a minimum due to multiple journeys.
cheers peeps.
if anyone with experience in travelling abroad with a bike had any tips for packing.
in particular , how do you protect rear mech and forks? bubble wrap ?
seem tricky bits to protect.
want to leave dis-assembly to a minimum due to multiple journeys.
cheers peeps.
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Comments
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Just planning this myself, most people say to line the bag with cardboard if you can to stiffen it up and improve the padding. Definately seems that removing the rear mech is the way to go, just unbolt it whole or remove the hanger and that way it'll go back on in 10 seconds. If you wear body armour that becomes bike armour. Foam pipe lagging seems a popular choice for frame protection... Oh and remember to take tape/cable ties so you can pack it back up.
Not an expert obviously, my bike bag just arrived yesterday
But these are common suggestions and I reckon they make sense. I'll be putting as much soft stuff in the bag as I can just to improve the padding. Uncompromising extremist0 -
as above, remove the rear mech (leave cable attached and chain) and zip tie to chainstay, loosely. Put mech in jiffy bag.
Get plastic spacers (from LBS? come with new unbuilt bikes) to put between dropouts if wheels are removed.0 -
pad spacers for disc brakes....."Time you enjoy wasting, is not a waste of time"
"I'm too young to be too old for this shit"
Specialized FSRxc Expert 2008
Kona Stinky 2008 (Deceased)
Trek Scratch Air 8 2010 (Work in Progress)0 -
Well i know some people get the hardpackbike bags which have a solid shell they seem to do the job right :P
The in thing is to remove the rear mech make sure disc brakes have something wedged between them so the pistons dont pop out if you have a powerlink then remove the chain and bag it or stick it in an oily rag. And otherwise i can only repeat what Northwind said otherwise.
Happy cycling over in the US though
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Get an old broom handle, measure the gap between your forks and your swingarm droupouts, cut two lengths of handle, bung a couple of screws into them, slide into your dropouts and tape up (unless you have Maxles).
Take your leg armour and wrap them round your forks.
It's up to you whether you remove your discs. I didn't the first time I flew and landed with a bent disc.
As has been said, an old bike box inside your bike bag helps stiffen it up no end, and I usually just tape my mech to the inside of my swingarm for the journey (cable attached).
I also get a lump of polystyrene to sit the bike on by its bottom bracket shell, rather than it resting on its chainring/bashguard.
If you have an air shock, delfate it. If your forks have adjustable travel, drop them down.
Become friends with the goods in dept. at your work and help yourself to as much bubblewrap as you can get your hands on.
*IMPORTANT TIP*
If you're asked at the check in desk how much your bike weighs because it won't fit on the scales, LIE THROUGH YOUR TEETH.
As far as the girl at Edinburgh airport is concerned, my Patriot only weighs 12kilos! 0 -
what's the reasoning for deflating the air shock? I'm travelling with my bike soon, but as we're touring from one place to the next we've got unpadded bike bags which we're just going to post on and hadn't considered deflating the fork0
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Not sure why you would need to let the air out of the shock if the seals are good.
I thought the aircraft hold would be the same pressure as the cabin, about 8000ft.
I've ridden bikes at that altitude so the shocks should be able to handle that.Shot by both sides...0 -
CFS wrote:Not sure why you would need to let the air out of the shock if the seals are good.
I thought the aircraft hold would be the same pressure as the cabin, about 8000ft.
I've ridden bikes at that altitude so the shocks should be able to handle that.
Even if it was pressurised (although much hold space is not), from being a passenger in the cabin you will probably have noticed that if you have a fizzy drink, the bubbles are bigger, you have a pack of crisps it is solid and seemingly 'full of air' so even at cabin pressure the air expands!
For a light person such as myself who requires less pressure I get away with it, but the more air there is in it, the more it could potentially cause issues.
I have taken a bike on an aircraft before, basically follow the packing advice on here, remove the wheels, pedals and rear mech, turn the bars, spacers bah blah....I also wrapped my entire bike in bubble wrap and those polystyrene pipe insulation things (which worked a treat). Took about half hour to sort it at the other end and no damage whatsoever Ride it like you stole it!0 -
No, no, no, your bike takes up less room in the bag with the suspension dropped/deflated, I'm not for a minute suggesting that your DHX Air might suddenly explode over the Atlantic!
If you have a bag designed originally for a road bike (like my first bag was), then it'll already be a bit of a squeeze to get a proper full-sus mountain bike in.0 -
After seeing the mess left by allsorts exploding on an aircraft, (I used to work as cabin crew)I woudn't take the risk with tyres although it might be OK.
Like I said I didn't touch my rebas but then I only have a low psi, I may have been cautious if they were pumped up to the max.Ride it like you stole it!0 -
Do you think the 'Merkhans would lock you up if your Rebas went boom in the hold?
Like that shoe bomber guy, you could be known as the fork bomber.0 -
Joe_Pineapples wrote:Do you think the 'Merkhans would lock you up if your Rebas went boom in the hold?
Like that shoe bomber guy, you could be known as the fork bomber.
Please don't let that nickname stick! Ride it like you stole it!0 -
You shall be known as Missy Boom Boom.0
