Alternatives to flying own bike to Australia...

alan_a
alan_a Posts: 1,550
edited February 2012 in Tour & expedition
I'm going to Adelaide for 4 weeks. The plan is / was to take my own bike (cannondale six13) with me. I've just discovered that the round trip will cost me £480 in excess baggage. I've got a lot of training miles to do whilst out there. Does anyone have any experience of buying then selling a road bike whilst out in Australia? Or renting a road bike over there?

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Comments

  • TommyEss
    TommyEss Posts: 1,855
    I wouldn't buy to then sell - the prices over there are much higher, and you'd take a massive hit selling it second hand - could easily cost you more than the excess baggage. A quick glance on bikeexchange.com.au puts the cheapest second hand road bike in South Australia at around $800 (~£6/650 at the moment).

    Maybe head over to http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/index.php and ask there - you will get better local advice and you never know, you might find a friendly soul to lend you a bike for a month.
    Cannondale Synapse 105, Giant Defy 3, Giant Omnium, Giant Trance X2, EMC R1.0, Ridgeback Platinum, On One Il Pompino...
  • jc4lab
    jc4lab Posts: 554
    Maybe best to Take the bike within your normnal allowance and forget your bags.clothes etc and buy those afresh..Some airlines and ticket classes also have more generous allowances but the baggage savings maybe lost in higher ticket prices..TNT website and Magagizine is a useful Guide to Austrialia travel .Its mag is good for backpacking Down under...its has lots of couriers advertised in it
    http://www.tntmagazine.com/news/world
    jc
  • RonL
    RonL Posts: 90
    When visiting Perth WA for the first time in 2004 I discussed my requirements with a local bike shop, I enquirerd about renting which was around 250 dollars at the time, the guy then offered to sell me an old but well equipped road bike for 200, I bought that and kept it there for future visits. Good advice, really helpful but it took around three days to source. I did the same in the Auverne France last year. Paid 160 euro for an old steel racer equipped with Mavic Cxp. 2 wheels and 105 group set. Again I have kept it at friends and will use this year. There are bikes out there,not top of the range,not ultra modern but enough to make you work and keep training while enjoying your visit. For both bikes I bought a new tyre in Aus and a new stem in France. Again basic, cheap heavy gear but did the job.
    Pedaling spans generations.

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