Pay the fee and get a good bike box. Only way to do it.

Or - FedEx or UPS it.

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New Training/Racing Log - http://www.earthdaykid.com/blog --- Old Training/Racing Log - http://colinlaughery.blogspot.com

FWIW a friend of mine did the 70.3 there this year and he rented. Pricing was good, he's a Cervelo guy and they had both the P series tri bike he had and also the S series roadie. But if your staying months as opposed to weeks renting might get pricey.

So you're footing the bill for an extended vacation and are looking to make cycling a meaningful part of that extended period, but don't want to borrow a bike case from friends (?) and paying the cost of two nights out (eat in instead) to have your bike simply come with you?

You booked a flight without investigating bike transport? SMH.

I fly Alaska Airlines. $50 for bikes.

Delta is one of the most expensive airline to travel with a bike. Next time fly Alaskan or Hawaiian airlines they both charge under 75$ to check your help. Good luck. Don't let all your rides be on the queen k, there is some stunning riding south around hounaunau. See you out here.

I would rent. The local bike shops in the Kona area have a great selection. I think you will save major headaches and also not having to worry about potential damage to your bike while in transit. A couple of awesome things to do on the Big Island include a helicopter tour over the active volcano, horeseback riding down to the Captain Cook monument where you can swim and hiking down in the Waipio Valley. Enjoy.

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It is the mind itself which builds the body.
-Joseph Pilates

Check out http://www.bikeflights.com

The No Shitter. You are flying Delta. It costs $150 each way. If you can get it in a small box Fed EX Ground you might get it down to $100-125 each way. Yes they have "ground" to Hawaii. Don't even ask big Brown. They have shipping companies that may get it down to $75 each way depending where you are from. Bike Works rents out pretty darn good bikes at a decent rate. If you are hard to please take your own bike, if not "rent a bike" is cheaper and a road bike on Big Island isn"t a bad thing. Bring your own pedals and helmet and good to go. I am not too particular and have rented bikes in Europe several times and have ridden some classics,no problems. Hey give me a 57 TT and I am good to go. Some people fuss all over about their position and what they ride, others not so much.. If you worry about your position, by all means pay the $300 and drag your bike thru the airports.
If you ever get get a chance, and travel a fair amount... buy a coupled bike for travel and pretty soon your bike is free. Enjoy your trip.

FYI as of April, Alaska upped their bike fees to $75. Still a way better deal than other airlines of course!

Yes, I've shipped my bike FedX ground from NYC to various places in Hawaii. Never paid more than just over $100. You have to keep the bike case light, don't overpack it with all your gear, then stay right on them when they measure. Don't let them round up. Tell them it's not that big measure it again. One time I took my case to FedX and they came up with a crazy price, I was saying that it couldn't be that much because I never paid anywhere near that. The manager came over and measured it; $90.00!

One time in Honolulu, I took the tape and measured it myself. Yes, I rounded down but I got the price under 100 dollars. Ship FedX ground but stick up for yourself when you check in.

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

Bike Works rental prices are very reasonable.

I would go with a road bike since the best riding on the Big Island involves climbing. At their prices, you could rent for 10+ days and it would still be cheaper than taking your bike with you on Delta. The hassle of lugging around a bike box, unpacking/packing it, and potential damage during shipping would make it a no brainer for me.

You're going to have to stop off at a bike shop to pick up CO2 cartridges anyway.

This- I rented a Specialized Roubaix from Bikeworks (you can also get a Tarmac). Cost about the same as bringing one with- much less hassle.

Definitely stand beside them and help measure. I wrote the dimensions on the outside of the bike case too so no one needs to measure. One inch in any of the three dimensions doubles the suggested price. I also keep old receipts and bring them with me to prove that others measured correctly on prior shipments. Hard for the shipper to argue that the same shipper did not measure accurately before for the same box.

Bastards. Ah well. Worst I've paid was 100 Euros on KLM...

We're flying Delta

Did you get a "deal" on the tickets? That great deal you just got on Delta, just died because as others noted it's going to be $300 plus taxes to get your bike there/back with you.

Pro-tip - when flying with a bike, ALWAYS check the airlines bike policy and fees BEFORE buying the ticket!

Example: I was just in Hawaii for Ironman Hawaii. We fly out of Toronto. When I booked my ticket for the flight, through Expedia, I had a number of options with U.S. carriers, American and Delta come to mind, that were priced well, but I kept going down the list and paid a bit more for the Air Canada option where I knew that I was going to pay, only $50 for the bike! In the end while I paid MORE for my actual ticket, when you added in the bike, I paid LESS than had I booked with American or Delta!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog