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"Not a Bike Bag"... thoughts?

2309 Views 17 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Johnny Chicken Bones, Feb 19, 2022

834905

Discussion Starter · Feb 7, 2022

I have been looking at this bag for a while and thinking I may try it out this summer for an international trip. The whole point of the bag is to avoid airline fees, which would be nice but my reasoning for something like this is that I don't have to store it when I get to where I am going. I can pack my bike up in it, check it as normal luggage and then roll it up and throw it in my seatpost bag while I am exploring. The logistics of finding a place to store a legit bike box or finding a shop in a foreign country to give you a box, getting the box back to the hotel etc etc sounds like a massive headache. With this thing I could do a point to point ride and fly out of another city (vs having to do a loop to pick your bike box up). It seems that it would offer up a lot of freedom.

Packing wise I am not super worried about it. I'll be taking my gravel bike and wouldn't be too devastated if something happened to it. Plan is to completely disassemble, use axles spacers, remove derailleur hanger so it doesn't get bent, etc. The only thing I am worried about is tweaked wheels from having a bunch of weight sitting on them all wonky in the luggage bay of the plane.

Thoughts? I want to make sure I am covering all of my bases and not seeing myself up for a busted bike when I land somewhere.

Not a Bike Bag

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

rmcrow2

· #2 · Feb 7, 2022

I'd be scared. But of the airline baggage handlers.

I really like the idea specially the thought of packing some towels and sleeping bag and tarp in there for protection of my bottom bracket. That is no longer in my frame. Especially to add extra padding for the frame that is bouncing around with all of those parts in the bag.

Now that I've started talking about my worries. I think I would prefer to buy a standard bike bag and pay the extra baggage fees.

Shipping it down the road to meet me 3 days ahead at a hotel is less worrying and fear than I would have about my bike just bouncing around loose inside that duffle bag.

I can just see your chainring being sawn right through a carbon frame by a bad drop at the airport.

我宁愿在山上。

JoePAz

· #3 · Feb 7, 2022

I would rather have a proper bike bag than risk my bike getting damaged. Unless your bike is superlight you are probably going to be over weight and things will get tossed on top of it. Wheels can get bent, frames bent or cracked. $4000 worth of damage just to save $50 in fees? Too much risk for me.

Reactions: 1

834905

Discussion Starter · #4 · Feb 7, 2022

JoePAz said:
I would rather have a proper bike bag than risk my bike getting damaged. Unless your bike is superlight you are probably going to be over weight and things will get tossed on top of it. Wheels can get bent, frames bent or cracked. $4000 worth of damage just to save $50 in fees? Too much risk for me.

My gravel bike is definitely not a $4000 bike, and it's a beefy steel frame. Point taken though. The wheels are what I worry about the most. Not that they're super high quality either, but I'd like it to be rideable when I get where I'm going.

Harold

· #5 · Feb 7, 2022

I don't think I'd be confident with my bike avoiding damage from being mishandled.

Shoot, I think I'd even rather pay overage fees. On one flight, because I didn't get the protection just so, I ended up with a bent hanger that I needed to have adjusted at a shop. Thankfully I chose to assemble my bike in the trailhead parking lot, and there was a shop just nearby, rather than somewhere far from a shop that would have required extra research and extra travel.

I get that you don't want to have to deal with storing a bike-specific bag/case at your destination. It's not really an ideal situation.

Reactions: 1

834905

Discussion Starter · #6 · Feb 7, 2022

Harold said:
I get that you don't want to have to deal with storing a bike-specific bag/case at your destination. It's not really an ideal situation.

Yea, that's the only issue really. I don't mind paying extra baggage fees, it's the freedom that a soft bag would offer. I may just have to rent an Airbnb in my starting city for the entire time I am there and take a train back when I finish the route. Bummer, but oh well. It would be nice to know that the bike wasn't bent to **** when I got there.

Harold

· #7 · Feb 7, 2022

SingleSpeedSteven said:
Yea, that's the only issue really. I don't mind paying extra baggage fees, it's the freedom that a soft bag would offer. I may just have to rent an Airbnb in my starting city for the entire time I am there and take a train back when I finish the route. Bummer, but oh well. It would be nice to know that the bike wasn't bent to **** when I got there.

I think a fair bit of it depends on how much it's going to get handled by airport staff in transit. You might be fine on some trips, but everybody knows that airport baggage handlers aren't going to be particularly careful with your stuff. If it looks like a bag of clothes, they'll treat it like a bag of clothes. They're also going to open the bag and rifle through it. So if packing it a specific way is necessary to protect things, that's going to get wrecked when the bag gets opened and searched.

Are you planning a specific trip where you wanted to use this? Or is this a more "general travel" type inquiry?

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834905

Discussion Starter · #8 · Feb 7, 2022

Harold said:
I think a fair bit of it depends on how much it's going to get handled by airport staff in transit. You might be fine on some trips, but everybody knows that airport baggage handlers aren't going to be particularly careful with your stuff. If it looks like a bag of clothes, they'll treat it like a bag of clothes. They're also going to open the bag and rifle through it. So if packing it a specific way is necessary to protect things, that's going to get wrecked when the bag gets opened and searched.

Are you planning a specific trip where you wanted to use this? Or is this a more "general travel" type inquiry?

I have a specific destination in mind, but would like something that I could use generally... I don't know. I've gone down this rabbit hole before, wanting to take my bike somewhere and then ultimately deciding it's not worth it lol. Aside from storing a huge bike box, dragging one through an airport and finding taxi rides to and from places also sounds like a nightmare.

Harold

· #9 · Feb 7, 2022

SingleSpeedSteven said:
I have a specific destination in mind, but would like something that I could use generally... I don't know. I've gone down this rabbit hole before, wanting to take my bike somewhere and then ultimately deciding it's not worth it lol. Aside from storing a huge bike box, dragging one through an airport and finding taxi rides to and from places also sounds like a nightmare.

This sort of thing is exactly why travel frames have couplers....to help you pack it smaller to fit in luggage with a smaller footprint (though still protected luggage usually).

The last time I flew with bikes, I rented a minivan at my destination to get them around. If I was relying on other ground transportation, I'd be pretty adamant about getting something with wheels. On my last trip, one bike case had wheels and the other was just a regular cardboard box.

Would it be possible for you to ship your bike bag/box to your destination?

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834905

Discussion Starter · #10 · Feb 7, 2022

Harold said:
This sort of thing is exactly why travel frames have couplers....to help you pack it smaller to fit in luggage with a smaller footprint (though still protected luggage usually).

The last time I flew with bikes, I rented a minivan at my destination to get them around. If I was relying on other ground transportation, I'd be pretty adamant about getting something with wheels. On my last trip, one bike case had wheels and the other was just a regular cardboard box.

Would it be possible for you to ship your bike bag/box to your destination?

Doubtful, my plan was to fly to Portugal over Labor Day week and ride EuroVelo 1 down the coast. I'd like to do it without renting a car or anything if possible. The option to leave a box in an Airbnb for the entire trip is definitely on the table, as you can generally rent an apartment in Porto for ~$40USD/day. Not horrible. I'm sure I would be fine dragging a big bike box onto a train or bus to get to and from the airport.

Bassmantweed

· #11 · Feb 7, 2022

Looks like quite a bit of disassembly. I’d almost rated just mail it to where I’m going at that point.

834905

Discussion Starter · #12 · Feb 7, 2022

Bassmantweed said:
Looks like quite a bit of disassembly. I’d almost rated just mail it to where I’m going at that point.

BikeFlights says $1300 to ship lol. I’d just go without the bike before I’d pay that much.

Reactions: 1

Harold

· #13 · Feb 7, 2022

SingleSpeedSteven said:
BikeFlights says $1300 to ship lol. I’d just go without the bike before I’d pay that much.

hell, I'd buy a whole bike at my destination before paying that much to ship it

Reactions: 1

Mcfarton

· #14 · Feb 7, 2022

Check shipbikes.com domestic they rock. No idea on international

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Krapper2

· #15 · Feb 8, 2022

I recently did this in Munich. I assembled the bike and checked the bags at the services desk in the Munich airport and rode from the airport. I was returning a week later. I asked the service desk how long I could leave the bags, and they said "months" if I wanted. It was 52 Euro for a week.

Check the airport you'll be flying into in Portugal for a "baggage check" or "long term baggage check" That's how I found the services desk in Munich.

But I like the idea you have for a point to point. I have wondered about it after I did the above. I was thinking maybe ship the boxes to my end destination. Just need a business that will receive the package(s) for you, but it may be cheaper than storing.

United isn't charging for bikes anymore - even in oversized luggage.

Traveling with sports equipment – United Airlines

Baggage agent gave me a hard time at the airport saying the updated policy wasn't for international travel, ultimately, I didn't have to pay and on the return, I checked "hunting equipment". But the link above doesn't state domestic or international, so I think the agent was mistaken. I'd suggest checking the web site and give them a call to confirm if you fly on them.

I also used an Armored Hen House. It's two bags, each of which is under the 62 linear inches that constitute oversized. Two bags is nice because you get 50 lbs each. Their web site appears to be down, or I would provide a link.

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NoCanSurf

· #16 · Feb 8, 2022

Bicycle Travel Bags and Accessories - Evoc Sports USA

The EVOC Bike Travel Bag is ideal for transporting road, time-trial, cyclocross, and triathlon bicycles. Be ready for all of your trips by plane, car, train or boat—our Bike Travel Bag can be stowed safely within the bag in just minutes. Only the handlebar, pedals and wheels need to be removed.

www.evocusa.com

ionivan

· #17 · Feb 8, 2022 (Edited)

SingleSpeedSteven said:
Thoughts? I want to make sure I am covering all of my bases and not seeing myself up for a busted bike when I land somewhere.

I think that this bag is pretty heavy and not compact as it is made from 1000d cordura and barely adds any protection.
For the last three flights I packed my bike like this:

Hood Helmet Automotive tire Headgear Automotive design

I've taken off rotors, fork, handlebars, and the rear derailleur together with the hanger.
Frame and other parts are packed between the wheels, the only part sticking out is the headtube.
Pieces of cardboard are laid between the parts to avoid rubbing. Everything is held together by zip ties and voile straps and wrapped in film in the airport.

Remember to add handles for convenience of carrying, so porters will not throw and kick it around.

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Johnny Chicken Bones

· #18 · Feb 19, 2022

We traveled from the US to Scotland. Then from Scotland to pedal in the Faroe Islands.

Used a padded bike fabric box for the US-Scotland leg. Built them up, stored the bags at a shop, and rode away.

For the Faroe leg, we used large clear plastic bags. Picture a huge pillowcase.
We’d turn the bars 90°, lower the tire pressure, and secure the F wheel to the downtube. Roll the bikes into these large plastic bags, then tape them shut. The same bag was used to protect the bikes from endless rain at night.

it was super obvious that the plastic bag had a bike in it. When we’d watch the handlers, they’d always carry them as if they were bikes, then lean them nearby while loading things up.
On one hand- clearly not protected with any padding. On the other, they werent treated like a cargo box and so (maybe) were leaned on things more than stacked upon.

This doesn’t address the cost of the bike’s flight (though oddly they were cheap for that section.
we heard that in Europe you can get away with the clear bag, that they preferred it. Seemed to be the case.

Now we use S&S frames for travel. But then- it saved time and hassle.
-JCB

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