Flying with a road bike comes with a lot of things to think about, and there are so many ways that you can get it wrong. The last thing we want to happen is to have harm come to our beloved road bikes.
In this video, Sam Gupta runs through tips to consider if you plan to fly abroad with your road bike.
In this video, Sam Gupta runs through tips to consider if you plan to fly abroad with your road bike.
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00:00Flying with a road bike can be quite nerve-wracking.
00:03I'm sure the biggest concern that we all have is ensuring that it makes it to the destination unscathed and in one piece.
00:11Baggage handlers, conveyor belts and internal airport luggage systems all provide for the opportunity for your pride and joy to come to unwanted harm.
00:20So here are nine things that I wish I knew before I put my bike on a plane.
00:25The first hurdle to navigate is choosing the vessel to put your bike in and happily you do have a few different options.
00:36First is a hard case. Benefits are that they are the strongest and they generally provide the most amounts of protection.
00:44The downside is that they do tend to be heavy and rather expensive.
00:48There are soft bags which come in a little bit cheaper but in some cases might not offer the same level of protection.
00:55Lastly there's the trusty cardboard box but this one does come with a couple of caveats.
01:01While they are by far and away the cheapest option, most likely free from a friendly bike shop, they do have inherent weaknesses to impacts and water damage.
01:11Also some airlines do stipulate that bikes need to be packaged in a recognised bike bag.
01:17If you're heading off on a bikepacking adventure then perhaps the cardboard box route could be a really good way to go
01:24because you'll be able to recycle it upon arrival and then hopefully track down a new one when you've finished your adventure.
01:30Just be sure you have good access to plenty of tape, scissors and bike protection.
01:35Soft bags alike, the prep is absolutely key to making sure your bike has the best chance of a safe journey.
01:43Another top tip to ensure the airport process is as smooth as possible is to print out and highlight your airline's bike transport Ts and Cs.
01:51This will mean that if you're challenged on anything you can ensure that you are in the right.
01:56Also I would suggest that you get measurements of your bike bag or box and have those on hand in case they are called into question.
02:04If you do want to fly with a hard case but you don't want to invest in one then hiring is a really good option.
02:11Again just be sure that it fits within the allowed measurements of your airline because not all bike boxes work with all airlines.
02:18If you do want to see a list of all of our favourite bags and boxes then I've left a link to our buyer's guide in the description.
02:29If you're looking to fly for the least amount of money then you may be making a beeline for a budget airline.
02:35But before you do be sure to check out their policy on bike transport and more importantly the associated fees.
02:43It's not uncommon for more premium airlines to have more of a generous baggage allowance and in some cases not charge you to fly with your bike at all.
02:51Meaning that a more expensive ticket up front could actually be cheaper than a more seemingly budget option.
02:58As I mentioned earlier prep is the absolute key to giving your bike the best chance of survival.
03:04We do have a guide on how best to pack a bike which I've linked below.
03:08But the key takeaways are to remove your brake rotors, your rear mech, handlebars and seat posts.
03:14Then cover everything in bubble wrap or foam pipe lagging making sure to cable tie all the loose parts to the inside area of the frame.
03:24Essentially so no vulnerable parts are left as an extremity.
03:28Also be sure to drop the pressure out of your tyres so that they aren't rock solid.
03:33You want them to be squishy enough to be able to adjust to pressure changes and take an impact but not so soft that you risk the seal of the tyre breaking.
03:42Especially important if you're running a tubeless setup.
03:45When you have packed your bike you may be left noticing a bit of spare space inside the box or the bag and there are a couple of things to consider here.
03:54First how much does the entire thing weigh?
03:57If it's under 23 kilos then it could be worth grabbing some dry bags, popping some of your clothes in there and then filling up some of that space.
04:05Again be sure to check in with your airline because some will only want the bike in there.
04:10Alternatively you could fill it out with more bike protection in the form of big air bubbles or bubble wrap.
04:16If you do decide to fill it up with any of your clothing just be sure that you have all of your essentials in your carry-on.
04:22And in this I would include your shoes, your helmet, your pedals and a change of kit.
04:27Because that means if anything goes wrong with your bike and you're left without it for a day you can still go riding.
04:33And also whatever you do, do not put CO2 canisters in your hand luggage or in your bike box because it will only end badly.
04:45If you're hopping to the other side of the world and you're taking a couple of flights to get to your end destination,
04:50using an Apple AirTag or other tracking devices can be a really useful way of keeping an eye on your bike.
04:58Hopefully they'll always be in the same airport as you.
05:01However if you get off your flight and you see your bike is still in the airport you took off from,
05:06then you'll know to get in contact with your airline pretty quickly.
05:09Or if your bike has ended up in a completely different part of the world,
05:13then again it's great to have that knowledge of where your stuff is so you can help the airline quickly track down and get you your stuff.
05:21It goes without saying, but if you're really concerned about what might happen to your bike,
05:26then getting yourself some insurance does mean that if the worst does happen you'll hopefully not be too out of pocket.
05:33Of course there are plenty of cycle insurance companies out there like Yellow Jersey Insurance.
05:38So if you do want to get some insurance, you can go to their website.
05:43Something that I always forget when I go away is to bring all of the right tools and spares.
05:49Everything you use to pack your bike, you'll need to bring with you.
05:53the research and make sure you get something that's right for you.
06:01Something that I always tend to forget when I go away is to bring all of the right tools
06:06and spares. Everything that you use to pack your bike, you'll need to bring with you. But also,
06:12it's all the things that would be near impossible to get hold of when you're away from home. So,
06:17things like spare mech hangers, brake pads and spokes come in really handy should any of those
06:23things need replacing. A multi-tool with a chain breaker and a widespread of allen key sizes
06:29would also keep you pretty covered. But, if you're left wondering whether you should or
06:33shouldn't bring something, just bring it to be safe. Extra cable ties, scissors,
06:38tape and plastic bags are also really good to bring, especially when it comes
06:43to packing your bike up again. There's a bit of a hidden headache that comes along with flying
06:51with your bike and it's one that doesn't even involve a plane or an airport. It's just about
06:56getting there in the first place. Bike bags and boxes take up a lot of space and they are really
07:02cumbersome and quite tricky to manoeuvre in and out of cars. You'll then obviously have that same
07:09problem when you arrive at your destination. So, if you're hiring a car or getting a taxi,
07:14just be sure that it's of an adequate size.
07:21The last thing that I wish I knew before I flew with my bike was to do my research on local bike
07:27shops and mechanics. Going somewhere new armed with this knowledge, if things were to go wrong,
07:33is really valuable. And also, it's not just useful for if things go wrong, but as we all know,
07:39local bike shops are a hub of knowledge for the best local riding spots and the staff might be
07:45able to share with you some absolutely beautiful hidden gems that otherwise you may never have
07:51known about. Clearly, flying with your bike comes along with a lot of things to think about and
07:56there's a lot of opportunity for things to go wrong. So, consider this, if it all gets a bit
08:01too much, then perhaps hiring a bike at your destination is a better route to go down. If
08:07you're heading somewhere with a good cycling culture, then you'll likely have some pretty
08:12good options available to you. I understand that going bikepacking in remote places demands that
08:18you bring all of your own gear, but if you're heading away for a week of riding with friends
08:23or just on a solo trip, hiring a bike really will make life a whole lot easier. Consider this,
08:30how much extra value and enjoyment are you going to get just from being on your own bike? Let me
08:36know down below, is there anything you wish you knew before you flew with your bike? If you enjoyed
08:41the video, then please do drop it a like, subscribe to the channel for more content,
08:45and I will see you again very soon.