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Travel can mean more than suspension
With great trails, bike festivals and races
all over the country, the lure to ride someplace new is
sometimes too much to resist. If you are working out the
logistics of traveling with your bike, here are some things
to think about before you call your travel agent.
If you are driving, then strap your bike on a rack and go,
you don't need to read anymore. Later on, I'll make a case
for driving just about anywhere with your bike, but if you
insist on flying you've got a few different options as to
how to get your bike wherever it is that you are going to.
First off, you can fly your bike with you.
If you happen to be a USA Cycling member (NORBA or USCF
- $45) or an IMBA member ($20), then you may be able to
save the $50 (each way) fee that airlines normally charge
to bring a bike. They each have options that allow you to
fly the bike for free, but you are limited to using their
individual affiliated travel agencies who will take care
of all the arrangements.
You used to be able to tell the airlines
that your bike was really camping equipment or display material,
to bypass their "bike surcharge." This has never
worked for me because the airlines would still charge me
an "oversize surcharge."
When flying, you've also got to be sure
that your ride to and from the airport, at both ends, is
going to be able to accommodate your bike, and its box.
Renting a Geo Metro probably isn't going to cut it. And
you should think about how you are going to get around with
your luggage, carry-ons and a bike box if you have to take
shuttles, cabs or walk any distance.
Another option for getting your bike there
is to ship it via UPS. This way your bike can be waiting
for you when you arrive at your destination. Traveling from
California to Florida I shipped my bike with UPS and it
cost about $50. About the same that the airlines would have
charged me, but the bike got there after I had been in Florida
for a few days. More recently I shipped two bikes from Massachusetts
to Florida. Something happened with the labels and the bikes
never made it (I wasn't happy). UPS will work if you've
got plenty of time to get the bike there, and you go above
and beyond what you think would be adequate packaging and
labeling.
When shipping your bike, feel free to shop
around price-wise. Places like Mail Boxes Etc. or other
shipping companies add an additional fee on top of the UPS
charges. A Mail Boxes Etc. was going to charge me $87 to
ship a frame that UPS shipped for $15. If you can find an
actual UPS Center, it is usually worth going there. Be sure
to insure your bike for full replacement value, plus anything
else that you pack with the bike too!
If you travel frequently, or plan to, think about investing
in a bike carrier case. They are available from a number
of different companies and come as either soft-sided or
as a hard case. These cases offer the most protection and
will make you look "pro" when walking through
the airport. Personally, I recommend the $300 Trico Sports
Iron Case. Not because I used to work for the company, but
because I honestly feel that it is one of the best cases
on the market.
The other option, which I affectionately
call the "poor man's option" is to go to your
local bike shop and ask them to save a box after they build
a bike. Ask them to save all the frame protection and plastic
doo-dads that bike companies pack their bikes with. If you
are real lucky, the shop will even show you how bikes come
out of the box so you'll know how to pack it.
If you are going to use the "poor
man's option" be sure to pad the bike as much as possible.
Airline baggage handlers and other shipping personal will
just see a box, so they may stack other boxes, suitcases,
etc., on top of your bike.
I used to ride and travel full time. I drove all over the
country, back and forth to cycling events, more times than
I can remember. The process of packing the bike, dealing
with the airline or shipping company, worrying about damage
or loss and figuring out how to get to and from the airport
with bikes and gear was a nightmare. Unless I had to be
somewhere the next day, I'd always rather drive. On my recent
trip to Florida, my girlfriend and I spent almost $800 on
airfare, car rental and bike shipping. The bikes didn't
show up so we wasted that money, plus a whole vacation that
we had planned on using for racing and riding.
Maybe the best idea is to get some panniers,
a B.O.B trailer and start pedaling…
If you are using the cardboard box from the bike shop, take
off your pedals, front wheel, seat and seatpost. Click your
rear derailleur all the way to the inside or take it off
completely, to protect it. Cover the frame and the fork
with the protective stuff from the shop, or if they didn't
save any of that, you can use pipe insulation from just
about any hardware store (by the way, its super cheap).
Remove your handlebars, or if you don't have a removable
faceplate, remove the stem and handlebars. You can leave
all of the cables attached because you are just going to
zip-tie the bar to your frame. You may have to turn the
forks around 180 degree to shorten the wheelbase a bit.
It is also a good idea to let some of the air out of your
tires (if you are going overseas, let air out of the tyres),
since air pressure changes during flights.
Once you've got the
bike taken apart, the frame tubing is protected, and the
bike placed in the box, use zip-ties to hold everything
together. Put all loose parts (skewers, pedals, etc.) and
tools (make sure you bring these to put the bike back together)
in a small bag or box so they are not rattling around or
if a hole tears in the box, you won't lose anything. You've
usually got enough room to pack your helmet, shoes and whatever
other cycling equipment you might need in there. However,
if you are shipping the bike, rather than bringing in on
the plane, keep in mind that you are paying for the weight
of the box. Also, be sure to include extra zip-ties, packing
tape and anything else needed to pack the bike on your return
trip. Seal the box up and put your name, address, and phone
number on the outside and say a little prayer.
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The
all important box