Options for bike transport when touring

gsk82

I've written off my Nice to Bruges ride for this year. Hopefully next summer we'll be back to normal and I'll be able to do it then.

I'm trying to come up with an alternative for September based in/around Provence (I appreciate that this is far from certain to be able to go ahead). I want to use all my camping and touring kit, so I won't have a fixed base where I can store my bike box. What do you guys do for bike transport/ box storage when you go on an overseas tour?

Thanks
Gary

mercia_man

If you’re flying with a bulky bike box, you could stay at a small hotel or B&B near the airport for the first night and ask if you can leave your box with them. Stay there again on your final night and collect your box. Some cycle tourists use a non-protective clear bike bag which they can easily carry with them - the theory being baggage handlers take care with it because they can see it’s a bike. I’d be too worried to do that.

The most hassle-free way of getting bike and camping gear to Provence in my experience is the European Bike Express in which you go on a coach and your bike goes in a big trailer on the back. The coach stops and picks up at Orange which is really handy for a tour of Provence. But I don’t know whether Bike Express will be operating this year due to the virus.

http://www.bike-express.co.uk/