How To Fly Cheaper With Your Bike

 Now I just need somewhere to go...

 That is pretty awesome, but baggage handlers chuck your shit around and don't really care to consider what might be inside. That bag may end up under a pile of other bags on the plane which is not ideal.

 That's a huge bag but would it fit a large V10 in it? (or any large size DH bike?)

 ill stick with a box from the shop thanks, the big orange ones are best. all i have to do it take front wheel, pedals and bars off and i know its not going to get smashed to bits. ive seen a baggage handler drop one end of my snowboard bag from head high onto the floor, f*cking stupid seppo.

 Most cheap airlines charge per bag so it doesn't make this a lot cheaper. I am going touring and my bike is just going in a big clear plastic bag - so they can see its a bike and treat it as such. That is the idea anyway.

 i'm testing this out this year http://www.shipbikes.com/Whatis.html
i'll let you know how it goes, i'll be shipping my bike through fedex to mainland from hawaii..
but taking them on the Airline for my Australia trip later this year... hopefully this box is all its cracked up to be.

 wow. I also wonder if I can get my bikes in a hockey bag!

For padding use your bike clothes and camel back.

You need all these things together so if you're bike doesn't make it you probably won't need your bike clothes anyway.

It cost us $200.00 per bike to fly united to Sedona. $100.00 per bike + $100.00 for over 50lbs which is pretty easy with a 30 lb bike and 20lb plastic bike box.

 I think the best thing to do is to have a proper bike bag, and then with in that bike bag line it with cardboard and then patch the wheel bags with cardboard around the discs.
Ive flown to Geneva airport 3 times and never had a problem with doing it.
its only costing me £15 to take the bike

 never mind flying in a plane. make a huge ass jump and fly there yourself. i have done this for the last few years and it works well every time. on my first attempt however i did end up part way across the atlantic. but if your bike is light enough it would float then you can just swim the rest of the way. i find this is much cheaper than buying a box to fly your bike in.



joking by the way. this looks like a good way to transport your bike. gotta be careful one of the stupid airport people dont dropp it though.

 All the more reason you all should visit India ... http://www.megamtb.com
I will show you some sick places.

 OMG do you know how they treat those bags, or any baggage in general? Think ill just go for the wooden box option.

I brought home at surfboard from California to Denmark as hand luggage on a KLM flight without paying a dime for it, so i guess anythings goes if your cheeky enough to try =D

 Baggageweight is also important. For example Lufthansa-Airline only allow 23kg for your luggage. If I put my bike and my riding gear into such a big bag it easily exceeds this limitation. And then I have no clothes with me to wear after the ride .
Whats the regulation from the airline you use?

 Wrap it like that and fly from the States to Europe. I guess you will get a nervous brake down when you see some pueblos throwing your bag 2 floors down in the air and when you see that even those hard shell suitcases get deep scratches etc all over them.

 Sick video Chubes. Better come up to Whistler this weekend for the Chromag Family Gathering at the River Jumps! Brian Kachinsky does the same thing with BMX and says it's golf clubs, key to make sure you say it's only sporting goods, not a bike.

 I've travelled a few tmes with my bike and tried different set ups. All I can resume from my little or big experience is that you will always have to pay. Airlines suck for this.

Cheers,

 I did this with my medium RM7 when I flew from Connecticut to Whistler and back in 2004 and 2005. Had to disassemble the swingarm from the front triangle but it all fit in a Koho Hockey bag. Didn't get charged any extra. You just have to be willing to spend the time to take it apart and put it back together.

 I managed to pull this move with a BMX from London, England to Toronto.

However, more recently, Delta charged me $105 one way from Toronto to Utah. I left the bike in UT due to flying a snowboard home instead and are having my parents ship it back to me, but the bike store used some over-sized box, so the UPS shipping from UT to NY jumped from $80 to $160. The fees to ship it back into Canada with UPS, absolutely absurd. $300 plus brokerage, plus having to find my receipt in order to avoid taxes.

Bike traveling sucks.

 One of the bottom line, implicit points of this article is that airlines are idiots, at least the North American ones, are. I had done my research back in 2007, when I brought a bike from the States to Canada. Most airline websites, back then, said it had to fit within 62 linear inches AND they would charge you an additional fee. I have a 62 linear inch suitcase, and I'd be hard pressed to get one wheel in there, let alone a whole bike. Translation: what they said on the website was useless and didn't mean anything. I used NorthWest, because they allowed up to 115 linear inches. It still cost $80, one way. Currently, Delta charges $200, United $100, AirCanada $50 (not bad at all). And, the stupidest thing is, how often do you really see ticketing agents get out the tape measure? Rarely. You can tell them you have a bike, and they'll charge you, while the next guy comes up with his massive bag, doesn't say anything, and they take it, no questions. The same with carry-on, too. As if a lot of carry-on actually fits inside those dinky tube-measurement-things. I don't know how you could take wheels as carry-on. If anybody's actually done it, please let us know. There's no way wheels will fit in an overhead compartment. Not MTB wheels, for sure. Again, it's stupid that certain categories have to pay special fees. Airlines should simply charge according to size and weight, period. Till then, Mitch is right: just check it in as a sports bag.

 it all depends on the bike and if you love it. I have used an Iron Case for 11 years. I have flown to Jamaica, the worst possible scenario, 16 times with this case and NEVER suffered any loss or broken parts. The case is mangled and the straps are getting on and I am sure a clasp will snap this Feb. when I go down. I have also loaned it to 2 friends who flew a total of 3 flights bringing it up to 19 times.
I bought it used from Dukes in 2001 and it was used as a rental for 3 seasons.
My Mojo SL travels in it and 3 Santa Cruzes and 3 GT XCR 1000's used it. My 36 fits fine.
I zip tie the fork to the foam and bubble wrap the delicates.
The only snag is cables that get bent but I carry cable sets and housing.
Also...The first time I was in Jamaica I used a cardboard box and when I went to pack it up on return the box fell apart from the moisture. I used a roll of packing tape to rebuild it. Totally sucked when they told me to open it up.

 On another note, if you take the time to disassemble your front triangle from your rear, you can fit your bike in a standard suitcase and carry on your wheels in a wheel bag. If you fork doesn't quite fit in the suitcase just compress it and use a ratchet strap to hold it down. IT my take some extra time but well worth it.

 This seems like a good idea, but I'm gonna use chunks of thick as possible foam instead of towels. So what happens if they destroy your bike... can you make a damage claim after lying to them about contents? Can you put a fragile sticker on the bag maybe, or is that a giveaway?

 Not so ideal as already said here. That bag doesn't protect the bike at all. You need something much better that has padding and able to withstand airport baggage handlers. A bike box is probably the best solution. Use a fresh box out of your LBS.

 Also remember, it's never a bike until you admit it is. They also only charge you on complete bikes. So say it's bike parts if you have to.

 sweet

 quite pointless really. easy jet charge only £18 on a bike or any sporting equipment weighing up to 32kg for a return travel. and you can still keep it in a bike box.

 if i put my bike in a bag, i strap my forks compressed so its less space :L

 when I took my bike on holiday with me I just took it all apart and put it in with my suitcase with my clothes, dont know if it would work with a mtb though

 Fantastic way to write off your bike and your helmet. Good Job.

 i took my bmx in a duffle to michigan but i seriously doubt a dh rig would fit hahaha slopestye would though

 thats the only problem the people that do baggage treat your stuff like shit just throw it

 put a block of wood inbetween the forks and the rear axel where you too off the wheel

 from ontario to vancouver and back cost $50 for my bike they forgot to charge for the way back

 if only this would have came a month ago i wouldnt be bikeless all summer but al least now ill know what to do

 Wont you get charged for having 2 bikes though? some please reply cuse i need to know!

 if youre flying round nz get some NZ Golf stickers put on your bag and they treat your bags way better than they usualy do.

 Love the wheelset

 I´d love to give this a try, does a M or S sized Downhill bike also fit in a hockey bag???

 Can believe you got it in the bag looked way to small

 cheers for the vid...but it doesnt help with the big old DH bikes....just get a bike bag and suck up the hassle

 If a rodie saw this, they would die. lol. I love it, and love it even more because this is the ROOTS!!!!

 I got caught doing this from lyon to london, I had to pay 80£ !!!!!!!!

 i am flying across north america in one week and this is how i'm bringing my bike with me!! Thanks Chubey!!

 I have a huge Bauer hockey bag that would deffinely work.

 SOME ONE TELL ME WHAT KIND OF BIKE THAT IS, please

 So basically take your hole bike apart?

 That's one beautiful bike!

 i've got to ask what bike is this i want a picture it is beautiful!

 so smart fow i can fly to bc!!

 someone went to highland bike park...look at his bracelet

 It's what equipment?

 lol nice!! but....man what a *pain* in the ass anyways!! omg

 whats wrong with just a simple bike bag?...

 lol my bike probs too long for a hockey bag

 Nice trick but it won't work on an XL DH, XC or AM bike.

 Thanks for the tip...off.

 Too canada i go then !

 awesome colours

 That bike is wicked

 i love your bike :X