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Apologies if this is getting boring.. OMG it's boring me.
Moving on from my Where to go in the Alps thread. Just checking the bike allowance for EasyJet.
Linky
"No other items to be carried in the bicycle box/bag"! This I wasn't expecting. I would say it's quite normal/logical to at least put a helmet, riding shoes & back pack in there.
Has it always been the case? or those of you who have flown with easyjet ignored the rules?
I was just checking to see if I were using a box they would charge me to shrink wrap it.
They don't check, they don't care. Always stuff our boxes full to the brim.
E.g.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/5486/10688840244_0111aec51e_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/5486/10688840244_0111aec51e_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/hhx6P3 ]Road Bike Packed[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/ ]Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr
I also always pack spares/tools/pads/shoes in there too.
Not my helmet though. That goes as a carry on.
They don’t check, they don’t care.
+1. Once in <forgotten which foreign place> we had to open the bikes up so they could be swabbed for bombs/drugs/cake, check in bod was stood there as we did it and didn't complain at us having to unpack stuff so the swabbers could get to the frame.
Has it always been the case? or those of you who have flown with easyjet ignored the rules?
A lot of airlines SAY it.
None of them ever ENFORCE it.
The only thing is don't put gas cans or other pressurised containers in there - that always flags up and it gives security staff an excuse to make things difficult.
But other than that, I put tools, clothes, shoes, lights etc in the bike box. Never once had an issue.
That's a relief! I haven't flown with any sports kit for some time.
Snowboard bags we used to stuff the brim with no issues.
As long as the bike bag fully packed is under the weight linmit you'll be fine. I expect you've already checked the weight limit for bike bags (whic includes the bag and everything packed in it)
I think the main reason they say it there is an absolute weight limit on baggage of 32kg? and they won't / can't handle any more. It'd be pretty easy to exceed I think ours were well over 25kg before any extras go in.
Use your kit as padding/protection. I wrap knee pads round fork stanchions. Elbow pads get strapped around the rear dropouts. coats etc pad the bars and bigger tubes.
I went out with the weight unchecked and was checked on the way back. I had to juggle stuff between the bike and checked baggage bag to hit the weight limit while a 100 person qué of people stared daggers at me.
Possibly this is why! (Me x1000000 others)
Never checked mine either, as bikes go in oversize fragile q I m tempted to book some speakers I just bought in as a bike. I filled the bike box right up to 32kg.
With ratchet straps I made it so I could carry it like a rucsac.
Good luck
I weigh ours before we fly out, so we're always under the relevant limit.
EJ often weigh them at check in, so they add the right warning labels for handling.
oversize fragile q I m tempted to book some speakers I just bought in as a bike. I filled the bike box right up to 32kg.
if you've seen what airlines do to surfboards you'd probably have another think about that. Bikes just don't get busted up as they're already strong
When doing my fatbike winter expeditions I’d have a bike bag and massive hold-all bang-on the 32kg limited - a couple of time on my return journey I was forced to repack as one of the bags was over. On subject of EasyJet, I flew back from L’Eroica in Tuscany with a bottle of Chianti in the bottle cage and got it home unscathed - my bike bag was my only hold bag, so didn’t have any choice.
As everyone else says, just throw it all in and keep it below the max weight allowance*
*If you do a balancing act on the self-checkin in Manchester airport you can get a good few KG's over though!
To give you some idea... I went on holiday and in my bike bag I took (see what I've done here - those with children will know):
1 FS bike including removed pedals and any other parts
1 spare set of pedals
1 spare bike chain
1 Evoc back pack with all its usual trail repair and first aid kit
1 empty Camelbak reservoir and hydration tablets
2 spare tyres
1 pair of K-pact knee pads
Some, but not all my bike assembly tools (always take a full size pedal wrench)
Always comes in a 32kg. You can swap 1 tyre with bike shoes but then all your clothes will smell of rubber if you put the tyre in your main luggage. Zip lock bags for tools, chain lube, Stans and any other spares go in with the main luggage.
Couple of other tips if you want them. Take a roll of bin bags to put your dirty bike clothes in if you're not washing them and take a supermarket bag for life that you can throw all your spares and lubes in so you don't have to keep rummaging through luggage bags.