Planes Trains and Bikes
Jet setting mountain biker and airline employee, David Lloyd takes a look at how to avoid getting caught out whilst flying with your beloved MTB.
Travelling with your bike has to be the best possible way to see the world. There is no other mode of transport that allows you to take in the surrounds, meet locals as well as new friends and engage in all-you-caneat buffets every night. However, it sure can be a bugger getting to places worth biking; whether it is an interstate race or that once in a lifetime trip to Moab. It sometimes seems public transport – planes, trains and buses – conspire against bikes, but there are many things you can do to reduce the hassle. For the most part it comes down to planning ahead and informing yourself. Leaving packing to the last minute and turning up to the airport without knowing what your stuff weighs is a good way to get a holiday off to a bad start. So let’s take a closer look at packing, excess baggage and other related things.
I have travelled extensively around the globe with levels of bike protection ranging from being wrapped in a tarp through to soft bike bags, cardboard boxes and hard cases. Throughout this time I have been lucky, and never had a scratch—okay I got a wobble in a disc once. I’ve also met a fellow cyclist who went to collect their carefully packed hard bike case, only to find that it had been run over by a tug and the contents were reduced to scrap metal. Lesson one—$h!t happens! Make sure you have travel or bike insurance and that it covers you and your bike. Doesn’t matter whether you are going to the next state or overseas, insurance is relatively cheap and easy to find on the internet.
Protection Options
So, let’s go back to the various forms of packing. As a basic rule; the more valuable your steed and more frequent your travel, the more it is worth investing in proper bike baggage. That said, don’t underestimate the humble cardboard bike box or the newfangled plastic versions. Cardboard boxes have the advantage of being easy to obtain from your local bike store or a store at your destination. They are also cheap (or free) and disposable (make that ‘recyclable’), which is especially handy if you’re flying into one airport and out of another. When packed well they can give quite a high level of protection and, unlike hard or soft cases, cardboard boxes scream ‘bike inside’— believe it or not, quite a few baggage handlers cycle too, so there is a good chance it might get better than average treatment.
On the downside, cardboard bike boxes can be a pain to get to and from the airport because of their bulk and the lack of handles, straps or wheels. Lightweight soft bike bags such as the ‘Tardis’ from Ground Effect are relatively cheap ($139), re-usable and because they are light will also keep your excess baggage charges down. The straps and handles make them okay for carrying short distances such as from a taxi to the airport or a hotel room.
Once empty, the bags pack down making them easy to take with you, which in turn allows you to repack where and when it’s convenient at the end of the trip. The flipside of this convenience and light weight comes in the relatively low levels of protection, particularly from crushing. If using a bike bag, make sure it is plastered with ‘fragile’ and ‘this way up’ stickers. Hard bike cases start at around $400 and usually weigh 10kg or more to start with, so you may pay a premium in excess baggage.
The positives are that they come with wheels and handles that make it easy to get around (essential considering a packed case will usually weigh about 25kg), and they offer a high level of protection for your bike. Not all hard cases will fit long travel or long wheelbase bikes, so either take your bike to the bike shop to make sure it will fit, or if ordering over the net, make sure of the case dimensions and returns policy.
The packing procedure will vary depending on the type of box/bag/case but it usually requires the removal of wheels, seat post, handlebars and pedals. Beyond that it is always worth removing your derailleur hanger (with the derailleur and cable attached) and taping it inside your rear triangle. When packing, the key things to look out for are:
- Make sure your disc rotors are not touching anything or simply remove them.
- Place padding (foam, an old tube or cardboard) between any metal bits that might touch.
- Firmly strap or tape everything together to stop movement. Cable ties are excellent for this but make sure you pack something to cut them with.
- Use spacers or a ‘dummy axle’ in your fork/frame dropouts.
- Place wedges between the pads on your disc brake callipers.
These points are especially important if using a soft bike bag. Remember that it is usually harder to get the bike fixed at your destination, and arriving with a damaged bike will ruin your holiday; so take a little more care before you head off. Finally, there’s no need to deflate your tyres if they are fitted and inflated correctly—that is just for roadies running at 100psi and above. In fact, leaving your tyres inflated provides a bit of extra protection for your rims and can prevent metal-to-metal rubbing.
Fees & Charges
No one likes getting slapped with unexpected charges. Over the past few years, more and more airlines have been ‘unbundling’ their fares. It means you now essentially buy just the seat, and pay extra for everything else including your baggage—not just excess baggage. Tiger Airways is a typical example of this practice and many Jetstar fares are available with and without a baggage allowance included. Other airlines may have a baggage allowance included in mid-to-high priced fares (Virgin Blue) while others may have an allowance included in all fares (Qantas).
These rates and allowances can easily catch you out, so you need start by doing some basic calculations. You need to have a reasonable idea of how much you are packing and then check the airline websites for baggage rates so that you can work out the charges—they can make a huge difference to what you’ll pay. The cheapest base fare can easily turn into the most expensive once baggage is factored in. While the practice of unbundling fares started with short haul and domestic airlines, it is rapidly spreading to long haul airlines such as Air Asia X and Jetstar International.
Check out the table for an example of what it would cost to transport a 20kg packed bike box and 10kg of other checked baggage on a domestic flight using the cheapest available fares. Choosing to prepay your baggage allowance can make a big difference to how much you pay. Simply rock up to the airport and you are likely to get stung— the $79 fare on Tiger is suddenly going to cost you over $300 each way, while the $179 mid-priced fare from Virgin Blue or Qantas which included a baggage allowance now looks like a bargain. Different airlines have different baggage rules and rates. These rates also change from time to time (the prices listed were correct at time of writing in July 2009), so it really pays to be aware and to do some calculations. Look at the more expensive fares, or ‘premium economy’ type products as the upgrade could be worth it, particularly if you are travelling at a busy time when the difference between cheapest available fares and flexible or premium fares is reduced anyway. The lesson is to get everything sorted in advance.
Other Options
There may also be alternatives to taking your own bike with you, such as hiring at your destination, or arranging a loan through a cycle club. This won’t cut it for a one-day interstate race, but if you are venturing to a mountain bike mecca such as Moab, the Alps or Whistler it can certainly be worthwhile. It may also give you the opportunity to ride different bikes which may be handy if you are in the market for a new one. My partner and I did a circumnavigation of Mont Blanc on hired Specialized Stump jumpers—I was so impressed I bought one as soon as I got home! Other than avoiding the hassle and cost of lugging your bike, a good hire place will kit you out with a bike suited for local conditions as well as looking after parts and repairs. If you are going for a long holiday, it can be worth demo-ing a bike and maybe buying at your destination, then have the bike shipped back to Australia. Again, the key is planning; research what is available where you are going, speak to people who have been there, contact a bike shop at the destination and use the internet.
When returning home, the last thing you want after a long haul flight is to be held up at the border for hours. If you bring back a dirty bike, it is likely the Quarantine Service will require you to unpack it and have it washed (none too gently), after which you may need to repack to get it home. Travelling dirty also increases the risk of abrasion and makes packing a lot messier than it needs to be, so give your bike (and shoes) a thorough wash with detergent before heading home. Be sure also to tell the Quarantine officers that you did this; if they can see you know what you are doing they are less likely to hold you up. I must confess that once when returning from NZ with my bike and a more than a case of wine, I ticked the boxes declaring I was bringing in excess booze and had visited a farm overseas—despite not having done so. I knew that I would be sent to the Quarantine line rather than Customs. After explaining to the friendly Quarantine officer that I had just ridden my bike in rural areas and had washed the tyres I was free to go through the green line without being pinged by Customs.
The world is a great place to ride and you are sure to have unforgettable experiences. Get out there and do it, but be prepared for a little more planning than your regular weekend bash.
