Bike tyres on aircraft.

Monza
Monza Posts: 27
edited May 2011 in Tour & expedition
Next month I'll be flying to Inverness for JOGLE. Are there any issues with tyre pressures on bikes stowed in the baggage hold of aircraft, or can I safely inflate tyres to 100psi?
Thanks. Any other advice gratefully accepted.

Comments

  • Leesykoi
    Leesykoi Posts: 338
    Hi Monza,

    Sorry i don't know the answer but would very much like to know exactly the same as you !!!!! (off to Majorca on Saturday) As well as the tyre pressure question can anyone verify if it's also OK to carry co2 cannisters in checked in baggage ?

    Thks.

    Lee.
    I like shiny bikes - especially Italian ones.....!!
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    most airlines state that tyres must be deflated.

    contact the carrier.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • yossarian82
    yossarian82 Posts: 15
    When I flew back from Geneva with my bike I left the tires inflated and it was not an issue. Afriend of mine though was told he had to deflate his when he flew back from Berlin. I think they ask that you do as a precaution but as I said mine were fine
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    It is perfectly safe to have your tyres inflated. Passenger aircraft are pressurised to approx 6800ft, you can ride higher than that. Many airlines ask that they are deflated, but this is based on bad (or no) science and / or myth. However, if thats what they demand you have little option. (I did decline to deflate my tyres last time I was asked, didn't cause a problem). As I am touring right from the airport when I arrive I don't want to have to make do with mini-pump pressures.

    Gas cyclinders (small CO2 ones) in hold luggage. I surveyed about 8 airlines, they are all over the place on this. Some say no, not for any purpose, some say yes for your mechanical limbs! Some say yes for life jackets (I took 2 for this purpose). BA said yes, if I call them first, I did, they were totally disinterested and said fine (didn't even take my details). :roll:
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    When I saw the thread title I thought ' don't be stupid, aircraft tyres have to be massive and really really strong'.
  • stardude
    stardude Posts: 255
    NapoleonD wrote:
    When I saw the thread title I thought ' don't be stupid, aircraft tyres have to be massive and really really strong'.

    same here! :lol:
    2006 Giant TCR Team

    2006 Giant XTC SE & 2009 Exodus Blade
  • plowmar
    plowmar Posts: 1,032
    absolutely and those shimano brakes will never stop it.

    :wink:
  • vernonlevy
    vernonlevy Posts: 969
    Monza wrote:
    Next month I'll be flying to Inverness for JOGLE. Are there any issues with tyre pressures on bikes stowed in the baggage hold of aircraft, or can I safely inflate tyres to 100psi?
    Thanks. Any other advice gratefully accepted.

    Your tyres at ground level are at 100psi above atmospheric pressure. Even if you put them in the unpressurised hold of the space shuttle the highest pressure that they could reach is 115 psi.

    There's no danger of your tyres exploding though the ground staff might have different views.
  • cycladelic
    cycladelic Posts: 641
    Ground staff are manic about letting air out of the bike tyres. No probs...

    If you have Presta valves, I suggest getting a tiny adaptor to the car-type, so that you can pop into a service station - they are usually close by airports - and give your tyres a quick blast with the compressed air hose: steady - a couple of seconds is often enough to get them up to 70psi or whatever.

    Here's one:

    http://www.swinnertoncycles.co.uk/No-Tu ... apter.aspx
    It's an uphill climb to the bottom
  • antikythera
    antikythera Posts: 326
    edited April 2011
    Been travelling between the Americas, Africa and Australia for years most times with a bike and only ever had a coincidence once where the tyre popped off the rim. Never been asked to deflate them and never have.
  • antikythera
    antikythera Posts: 326
    stardude wrote:
    NapoleonD wrote:
    When I saw the thread title I thought ' don't be stupid, aircraft tyres have to be massive and really really strong'.

    same here! :lol:

    monster-bike.jpg
  • welton
    welton Posts: 65
    Confirm what has been said - although some airlines request deflated tyres it is not an issue. We have flown the Atlantic regularly without any problems leaving the tyres at normal pressures 110 - 120 psi.
    Charity Tour de France 2011 ~ The Prostate Cancer Charity. See more at http://www.charitytours.org
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    Tyres should be OK as aircraft holds are pressurised - might have a problem carrying CO2 canisters onto the plane though. They are jumpy about anything pressurised in the cabin
  • chrisba
    chrisba Posts: 91
    I can confirm that most airlines don't like CO2 canisters in cabin baggage. I asked when carrying a sailing life jacket/harness. Pretty ironic, as every seat has a life jacket under it, and each life jacket has a CO2 cannister. No problem for hold baggage though.
  • bilboburgler
    bilboburgler Posts: 9
    1) the rules are you deflate
    2) the danger is that if the baggage monkey leans on the wheel the rim could damage the tyre or the envelope.
    3) there is no technical reason for deflating the tyre

    So, do it enough to get past the job worths

    There is a guide on this, I'll dig it out and post
  • bilboburgler
    bilboburgler Posts: 9
    Found it, now all I have to do is work out this URL thing

    http://www.mybikeguide.co.uk/Bike_Guide ... r%20flight or

    http://www.mybikeguide.co.uk/Bike_Guide.php#packing%20for%20flight

    Like the question about CO2. Not in hand luggage but not much worse than shaving foam (the propellant for which is flamable) in the hold I guess.
  • bilboburgler
    bilboburgler Posts: 9
    If there is a "conversation" with staff I guess you might ask what is fitted to all those life belts under every seat....
  • bilboburgler
    bilboburgler Posts: 9
    I've checked various US and UK legal sites. There is a fudge in as much as

    1) Before 9/11 there was a CO2 exemption
    2) After 9/11 the exemption was removed but the responsibility was passed to the airline.
  • mats
    mats Posts: 94
    I take my bike abroad most years and every year I'm asked if the tyres have been deflated and the one time i did take one of those CO2 thingys I was asked/told to get rid of it
  • jc4lab
    jc4lab Posts: 554
    If asked to deflate em Im always happy to complly with airport staff despite the should or shouldnts..arguments... * but in doing so have experienced pinch punctures caused by baggage handling when I use a soft bag .Always leave a bit of air your tyre to prevent this..
    jc
  • redrobbo
    redrobbo Posts: 727
    It is better to deflate as should the a/c fall into the ocean the pressure may reach many 1000s of psi and the tyres of your bicycles would explode. You would not want that.
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    redrobbo wrote:
    It is better to deflate as should the a/c fall into the ocean the pressure may reach many 1000s of psi and the tyres of your bicycles would explode. You would not want that.
    Laws of nature have been re-written here, slightly :lol:
  • jc4lab
    jc4lab Posts: 554
    redrobbo wrote:
    It is better to deflate as should the a/c fall into the ocean the pressure may reach many 1000s of psi and the tyres of your bicycles would explode. You would not want that.[/quote
    I would expect a few arses to explode too..
    jc

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