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I've just been informed by the baggage handlers at Heathrow T5 that in about a month or so they will no longer accept bikes in giant plastic bags. They will need to be in a "proper" bike bag.
Apparently too many people claiming for damaged bikes.
(I was dropping off my bike, wrapped in a giant plastic CTC bag).
🙁 that was a great way to travel without having to carry a huge bag with you
That will stop all them damage won't it. It's all down to the bag not being good enough. Nothing to do with baggage manglers generally not giving a toss.
Kind of annoying, makes lots of things impossible.
So far at least I've never had a bike damaged.
I thought it might have protected then a bit more as the handlers could actually see what was inside. I wonder if it is just Heathrow?
Has there been any official statement on this from Heathrow (rather than a comment from one of their baggage handlers)? What are they going to do with bikes that arrive in Poly bags on flights from other airports?
well you certainly wont be getting them from the Aussie airlines, you get a nice box to put it in (for a small fee)
They implied there would be an official notice soon and I should watch out for it.
Last time I travelled with my bike it was such a faff ( ended up taking an old bike bag and donating it to a bike shop) and then wrapping in cardboard on way back) that I spent a lot of time thinking about a biz to solve it. Basically a bike bag hire with a few key airlines. Thing is, don't reckon that many of us actually fly with our bikes do we? I think I'd pay £30 each way if I knew bike was safely packed and meant I could do trips in to one place and out of another.
What do you reckon would be an acceptable amount? Maybe I could make this work 😉
S&S couplers is one approach that's worked for us over many years. However it costs a lot of money and to be honest the huge suitcases are still a pain in the arse to travel with (and hard to get under the 22kg limit).
What are we expected to do with huge bike bag whilst touring round another country.
Do collect+ do international? Arrive at airport, fold/roll back up and sent via collect+ from a local shop to another shop close to your destination airport - they hold for a while. If flying in/out the same airport if local storage (hire a locker?) is not available then post back to yourself so the shop stores it. Daft or a genius plan?
Most international airports are next to cities. Most cities have a bike shop
For my last big tour I flew in and bought a bike and then sold it cheap at the end. - 6months tour.
Flying out to Vancouver next week with bike in a box. It'll be disposed of . I've arranged to collect another box in Calgary for the return leg in 5 weeks time.
What are we expected to do with huge bike bag whilst touring round another country.
I suppose the counter argument is "what's the airline supposed to do with a bike", they're not exactly easy to stow in the hold even if they are relatively lightweight. And tightening restrictions are inevitable.
Propper bag and post it onto whatever Hotel/B&B you're aiming for at the end.
Cardboard box and packaging tape. Doesn't need to be a bike box. Tape several boxes together.
Think outside the box....
You should be able to get a hold some of that corrugated plastic sheet stuff (or heavy duty cardboard), a roll of duct tape and some lightweight wooden battens close by most airports. You could easily knock up a suitable bike box in no time and recycle or bin it when you get to where you're going if you can't store it.
I did free bike box from a UK shop to get to Tunisia and then mde abox there from card board. That does costs time at the end but its hardly impossible. I a European city I think bike boxes would be OK to source
A few years ago I went touring in Spain for a week - in and out of differnt airports. I took a CTC polybag and kept it with me. My mate took his out in a cardboard bike box he got from a shop - ditched it and we called in at a bike hire place a few miles before the the airport we were flying back from - worked a treat, despite his having to cycle 2 miles with a bike box strapped to his pannier rack.
Thing is, don't reckon that many of us actually fly with our bikes do we? I think I'd pay £30 each way if I knew bike was safely packed and meant I could do trips in to one place and out of another.
I fly a lot and I'm somewhat sceptical due to experience about ever getting anything back that's checked-in baggage. I never flown with a bike .. but a part of that is I wouldn't have an expectation of getting it back at the other end at all and partly undamaged .... and from experience when things do go missing the airlines are adept and practiced at not compensating or compensating minimally.
I'm sure for many its a case of the amount off faff and expense. I did briefly look into it last summer but in the end it just seemed to be too much work and uncertainty. If I'd had an option of some pre-booking then get the bike to the airport etc. I'd have pursued this a lot further.
That aside for a couple of trips a year £30 would be an absolute bargain ... with the provisor I get it back and it's undamaged.
Price wise I guess its got to be less than hiring a bike for the same period ... or even buying and selling as someone else mentioned for longer stays. Most places I go on holiday I can at least hire a bike for me (it might not be exactly the bike I'd have taken but good enough but for family holidays I can't even find a place that rents (proper) kids bikes (except US/Canada) so this would be even better for family holidays (not to mention shipping 3,4 or 5 bikes would be even more of a logistical nightmare than just 1 ).
I fly a lot and I'm somewhat sceptical due to experience about ever getting anything back that's checked-in baggage. I never flown with a bike .. but a part of that is I wouldn't have an expectation of getting it back at the other end at all and partly undamaged .... and from experience when things do go missing the airlines are adept and practiced at not compensating or compensating minimally.
Fly a lot with mine, only drama was when it missed the last leg home with me and it arrived later that evening. Packed in an evoc which actually protects it, packed and unpacked in under 15 mins most days and ready setup when I get somewhere.
Part of the ease is the decent bag to move it in and travel with
Who do you fly with Stevextc ? - air Gabon (say it backwards)
I fly lots for work over last 10 years (30-40 flights a year)and my bags not arrived at the same time as me 3 times .
Ok one of those times was a bike but it was also the one time I used easy jet for a personal holiday where as work only fly real airlines.
I didn't realise people still did this. Ive flown a fair bit with my bike and never seen one in a poly bag.
The decision is perfectly understandable: bagged/boxed bikes are far easier to handle and stack.
If you are touring, just store the bag/box at the airport (there are usually luggage storage facilities) or a hotel near the airport.
yeah it's been a no here for years
https://www.all4cycling.com.au/news/flying-with-bike-/
Think outside the box....
It won't go unless it's in the box!
Who do you fly with Stevextc ? - air Gabon (say it backwards)
Whomever is the absolute cheapest (company policy) ...
I fly lots for work over last 10 years (30-40 flights a year)and my bags not arrived at the same time as me 3 times .
My ratio is about the same... but to me that's way unacceptable.
I think the most expensive was AlItalia so that is over a decade ago but they spent so long trying not to pay anything I gave up. They even refused to refund the excess baggage!
I had a whole 120l rucksack go missing after a month and a half camping.
Worse it was a mix of stuff with my other bag which I did get back but for example the tent canvases were not much use when the poles were in the other bag etc.
its between 1 and 0.75% depending on which figure i use .
Shit happens we all make mistakes
Top tip is to ensure we are Insured for flying . Frankly it was my only concern with the canada trip. Pedalsure insurance cover bikes in flight as standard with their cover so long as they are boxed or in a suitable bike bag.... the poly bag isnt deemed suitable- we were planning on using it for the return leg from calgary for ease but i wasnt overly comfortable with the idea hence i checked we would be insured
its between 1 and 0.75% depending on which figure i use .Shit happens we all make mistakes
It depends where you fly... I know when I lost my bag on alitilia it wasn't a mistake .. it was well known and documented (with security video) of the baggage handlers using the X-Ray equipment to decide what to steal.
Equally they lost a 120 litre ruck-sack .... completely.... and I get shit happens but they didn't... they even refused to repay excess baggage.
I lost loads of stuff like camera chargers ... half a tent (poles were in other bag) and even a few half pairs of socks and they basically started off by saying that if I had 1 sock they would only pay 50% and if I hadn't lost a whole tent they wouldn't pay etc. (if I still had the poles I couldn't claim for the tent - with was a bloody good tent...)
They rejected a WHOLE letter as it has one spelling mistake ... (I was living in France and my letter with the French office had to be in French, I missed one accent... and they rejected the whole letter... which was just another delaying, make it too hard tactic...
In the end they made it too much trouble to actually get anything at all. They had literally dragged the whole thing on for months and kept asking for more and more information that was downright stupid (lie receipt for a pair of socks) .. but in-between they would spend a week doing nothing then send some further demand a week later... and who keeps sock receipts ???
I had a receipt for my camera but no the charger... so they simply refused to pay as it was only the charger gone missing (but was about £50 to replace)
I've had delayed luggage a few times... and that has actually been well handled... but lost/stolen both times was a real hassle.
I also had carry on stolen (from the hanging place for coats/jackets) and got a terse reply saying all carry on is my responsibility, even if they insist the coat is taken away from me.
Equally I left my iPad on a internal flight and had it back the same day... it's not ALL bad it's just the 0.75-1% times a year is too many when you fly on average once a week ... (It's also the fact you are then not around to follow this up - which was the other reason I gave up on Alitalia as I was travelling pretty much every week at the time and could then only follow up when I was home
Top tip is to ensure we are Insured for flying .
Yep if I do fly a bike then I'l definitely do that but 90% of my flying is work.
The 1% is one thing when the items are some beachwear etc. but its another matter if its your bike
[quote=mikey74 ]The decision is perfectly understandable: bagged/boxed bikes are far easier to handle and stack.
Easier for them to stack other things on top of it 👿
If you are touring, just store the bag/box at the airport (there are usually luggage storage facilities) or a hotel near the airport.
You're assuming people are flying in and out of the same airport - and haven't read the comments from people who aren't doing that? I don't think I've ever flown in and out of the same airport when bike touring - but the last time I did was over 10 years ago. We used to take the tandem to France with Ryanair, who flew into a variety of regional airports. Was always checked in as a bike with just the handlebars turned and a bit of pipe wrap protecting the frame - apart from the hassle of having any other packaging I figured an obvious bike would be taken care off better, and leaving it like that actually made it a bit easier for the baggage handlers as they could wheel it. Presumably you can't do that any more?
this! Speaking from absolutely no experience but using the "it's common sense" argument, bagged bikes can be thrown around/stacked up etc etc, bikes in placky bags can't, so unless they are intentionally mistreating them coz they hate cyclists (or atleast plastic bag travelling cyclists) I'm wondering where all the damage claims came from.Easier for them to stack other things on top of it
I've only flown with a bike 3 times, once with a cardboard box, twice with a soft bike bag, went ok but lot's of dis/reassembling required at either end totally unsuitable for touring, plastic bag sounded like a reasonable work around but as I said never tried it.
I,be always used cardboard boxes anyway. A bit more time for packing than just sticking it in a bag but as I go for 6 to 8 weeks at a time it isn't a big issue.
No damage from 6 transatlantic flights. One time the bike missed a transfer at Heathrow coming home. Only a 40 minute window though so I wasn't surprised. Couriered out next day
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Baggage collection at SFO. No problems to report, other than the rear mech being a PITA to put back on with an unsuitable multi tool (can't blame the airline though).
Flew with British Airways who were unfazed.
Plastic bags here for tandems and solo's. First time we flew with the tandem, we used two cardboard bike boxes taped together and it was a royal PIA to move around. Since then, I've always used placky bags, 2 taped together for the tandems. Zero issues.
If they enforce this it will make touring overseas even more aggro than it currently is as we don't usually fly in and out if the same airports.
Easier for them to stack other things on top of it
Yes, absolutely. If you're not a lazy git and pack it properly you shouldn't have any issues**. Don't rely on the baggage handlers to do your job for you.
** of course, there are always exceptions.
They sell cardboard boxes at geneva airport.
pretty sure even boxed new bikes packed for transit aren't supposed to be stacked [b][i]at all[/i][/b]. We all know bike frames and wheels can be very strong in their intended use but start applying side or unusual loads and they can be rather more delicate. Stacking bikes 4, 5 or more high is not advisable, I bet even for the expensive hard cases you can get.Yes, absolutely. If you're not a lazy git and pack it properly you shouldn't have any issues**.
the business opportunity would be selling fold flat cardboard packaging at airport retailers.. might cost you 15 quid a box..
They sell cardboard boxes at geneva airport.
Probably all the old ones me and my mates have ditched there over the years!
When touring I fly mine out in a box, ditch it then find a Mr Bricolage near the destination airport to buy bubble wrap and cardboard to mummify it for the way back.
Speaking from absolutely no experience but using the "it's common sense" argument, bagged bikes can be thrown around/stacked up etc etc, bikes in placky bags can't, so unless they are intentionally mistreating them coz they hate cyclists (or atleast plastic bag travelling cyclists) I'm wondering where all the damage claims came from.
You see logical arguments both ways... the way I see it if the baggage handler is a human* then they see the bike and handle appropriately... but if not it will end up being left to chance.
*(As in BOTH not an automated system which a lot of it is and as in actually a homosapien that gives a **** about the traveller luggage)
Some are just going to chuck stuff about (quite literally) regardless of if its in a box or clear bag. (In which case its best in a box/hard case)
Others might see the clear bag and actually bother ...(in which case it might be better in the bag)
Who you get that day is down to luck... and what is automated vs manual probably down to airport
true, you can't totally mitigate for idiots/gits tho. Throwing around what is clearly an unprotected bike is an overtly knobber act, robustly lobbing a box around seems less so IMO. Even nice baggage handlers calmly going about their day may inadvertently stack up a bunch of (easily stackable) bike bags/boxes, introducing some interesting side loads to your pride and joy.Some are just going to chuck stuff about (quite literally) regardless of if its in a box or clear bag
Some of the hard cases seem to be an unusual shape which doesn't lend well to their stackability, I bet that helps prevent damage in itself.
Given the choice a well packed bag/box that will be stashed upright is the best way to transport your bike, not really doable for tourers or others who need to ride to/from the airport tho, so given the option of a partially dismantled bike rattling around in a 2nd hand cardboard box that could be mistreated or popping it in a plastic bag to be wheeled about and left upright I'd have hoped the plastic bag was a reasonable option.
That is awesome! I'd have left a bit more material at the rear dropout/chainstay but great work.I like this idea....
The bikeradar polystyrene idea - you used to be able to get two pack expanding foam in a poly bag.
Actually how about two of those poly bike bags, double bag the bike the fill the space between the bags with no more big gaps type stuff - use a cheap bike bag and a sheet of plywood to give it shape while it goes off. Then carefully cut the resulting shell into two halves. Someone else can go first and let me know how it goes obviously.
On a more practical / professional note, could someone design an inflatable bike bag - like those inflatable tents complete with blow off valves. Or would the airlines dislike that more?
Anyone used a evoc bike bag for travel to NZ recently?
crotchrocket - Member
Anyone used a evoc bike bag for travel to NZ recently?
Used everywhere, whats the question?
Packing for a US/Canada trip in a couple of weeks, only thing to watch for is regional links like the occasional flight to Roto on the very very little plane
The numbers NZ Air give for max size of bike bag is marginally larger than an evoc.
i wondered if they are enforcing the size limit.
We did a self supported weeks trans alp ride - our only luggage was a camelback each.
We did the obvious thing - used proper bike bags, built them up in a quiet bit of the airport, left the bags in left luggage. Didn't cost a massive amount for the week maybe 40 quid? Baggage people didn't bat an eyelid.
Entirely painless and easy - this was at Geneva but I'm sure most airports have left luggage.
Never had a problem, most of the domestic is automated check in. The only lying one who is being a pain is jetstar oz/nz. Air nz are still on the proper airline list and a very good one. Loads came over for ews with boxes bigger than my evoc with no issues
Cheers Mike.
We did a self supported weeks trans alp ride - our only luggage was a camelback each.We did the obvious thing - used proper bike bags, built them up in a quiet bit of the airport, left the bags in left luggage. Didn't cost a massive amount for the week maybe 40 quid? Baggage people didn't bat an eyelid.
Entirely painless and easy - this was at Geneva but I'm sure most airports have left luggage.
That works if:
a) you're not riding to and from your UK airport of departure.
b) your foreign tour is a round trip.
When one or both of the above apply it's CTC bag time...
I phoned up BA yesterday and they said it's still fine. I'll find out for sure in a couple of weeks time!
I’ve never heard of a poly bag; seems an incredible waste of plastic that will then just end up in the sea after one use just because someone can’t be bothered to buy a normal bike bag and store it for the return trip.
I haven’t read the whole thread; so flame me, if I’ve misunderstood.
Also, for the ones that seem to argue all the time and want ‘citations ‘ I’m imagining the plastic, if not reused, will end up in the sea; I can’t quote it though.
Mark - very useful if you want to ride to an airport fly Somewhere , do a long ride and fly back via another airport. Then ride home.
There’s also the school of thought that if baggage handlers can see what’s in there they tend to look after it a bit more.
I’m not totally convinced about this personally!
The pastic bags are also very useful if you find your lightweight tent isnt as water proof as it once was in an Alpine downpour!
Not half as wasteful as my approach of take bike in a box - put box to recycling.
Ride a long way
Arrive in new town and go to bike shop get a new box.
What I did was simply pack the tandem up really well in a big bag, fly, taxi to hotel, book hotel for the last night in the country and ask them if they would store it for me for 12 days. Zero hassle
CTC placcy bag + Poste restante worked well on my one way Scottish tour this year.
(Used the train going up so didn't need bag until flying home)
Riding the last few miles on the busy trunkroad to Inverness airport however, was an awful experience, after the cycle path just stopped in the middle of nowhere.
I haven’t read the whole thread; so flame me, if I’ve misunderstood.
The bag is reusable. After a few trips they start getting big holes in them, and eventually these get too large to just tape-up.
Still probably less unrecyclable waste than a proper bike bag (it's recyclable plastic, unlike a proper bike bag).
That will stop all them damage won't it. It's all down to the bag not being good enough. Nothing to do with baggage manglers generally not giving a toss.
Oh, but they do - and usually from a considerable distance.
I remember being sat on a plane, waiting to go to Sharm El Sheikh, when is was primarily a diving resort, so just about every bag would have expensive dive kit in it. . From my window seat, I watched in disgust as almost every bag was thrown from the baggage train to the conveyor that lead to the hold.
You could almost see the sense of pleasure that they were getting from it.
As in other walks of life, some people are dicks.
but I'm sure most airports have left luggage
You’d think eyh? But no, most Spanish ones do not for Some strange reason.
This rule is going to be difficult to adhere to with some airlines (air France-KLM for example) who operate a 23kg dead limit in Europe for luggage. A decent bike bag and bike can easily exceed that.
23kg is least of your worries with KLM / air France.
It's the 300cm lxbxh - you cannot fit a bike with in that. So it's an extra 300 euro for you.
Even when as a frequent flier with them I'm allowed 69kg worth of bags they cannot exceed the 300cm ruke
Not half as wasteful as my approach of take bike in a box - put box to recycling.Ride a long way
Arrive in new town and go to bike shop get a new box.
This is my method too, except last time we chanced across a massive heap of stiff cardboard boxes in the recycling at the hotel, so we bought some box tape and set to work. saved trying to carry a bike box along a dual carridgeway to the airport too.
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It was fine! The bikes cleared immigration faster than I did.
Anyone had any more recent experience? A month ago is promising - a few of us are likely to be flying to Helsinki (from a variety of European airports) with bikes, then out from Warsaw in July and I don't fancy tracking down a bike box in Poland.
BA said they would change the wording on their website if/when the policy changed. So I would just check with the airlines you're going with, bring a copy of the webpage and it will probably be fine.
I think at some airports (Geneva) you actually can buy cardboard boxes, and worst case, you could also go to one of those companies that wrap up suitcases in strips of weird polythene - that apparently also works.
bike case rant:
I had one that was built like a ****ing tank (and weighed approximately the same.
Still it was gradually ruined by the US security service (TSA?) at LAX and SFO airports. Took them a few goes but in the end I had to get rid. They insist on opening all items that can't fit their x-ray machine but they're utterly shit at repacking them. Oh no sir, they won't let you see it happening and no way can you talk sensibly to them*.
So then the case goes through handling with the catches wide open, ready to snap off. Course, they put a single run of thin tape round it (I say "round" though it's presumably too expensive to go right round, so they just do it like a steristrip across the join at a couple of points). Magically the bike hasn't had major damage but the case is missing all but 1 original clasp and is now split. The presence of the official tape means that airlines can say that you go to TSA for damages (yeah right)
End result; bigger bike case that should be easier for a chimp to repack (though still the patronising **** failed last time 🙄 )
*I say that - one woman said that I wasn't allowed to touch it but I could watch her close it up. She couldn't but she didn't have an ego problem and so let me come & close it (maybe it was all a ruse and she just wanted to frisk me all along).
(and I think the perfect case shape would have non-stackably irregular profile across its "flat" sides)
munrobiker, i've flown from helsinki to riga with a touring bike. We didn't even bag it. They just wheeled it onto the plane.
However, the baggage handlers at Helsinki are complete apes. If it's packed, it's wrecked 😉
I've just been told by the baggage handler at Gatwick that they no longer take bikes in poly bags after the pedals of a bike broke their conveyer belt for a couple of days.
(Mine was in a CRC bag this time so I'm still flying today).
"Don’t rely on the baggage handlers to do your job for you."
They won't let me load the bike onto the plane.
This is one of those two way things. I pack my bike better than most people, which is why it's survived when the slingers had a really good go at damaging it. But I bloody shouldn't have to. At least twice the bag's been outright abused, I'm not talking "stacked a little carelessly" but enough to smash off the heavyweight plastic runners etc.
So basically, they don't want to carry bikes in plastic bags, so they can carry on smashing them about in boxes.
It's not up to the baggage handlers it's up to the airlines. Take a copy of the airline policy to show the handler.
Once it's passed the airlines constraints and they've checked it in and given you a tag, they have to load it.