Well the secret is to split the bike into two (supercute!) boxes. Both under 62 linear inches.



Box #1 = frame only. It's a parallelogram shape and you have to take the fork off. I ride a 54cm frame.



Box #2 = wheels only.

For domestic races, I'll ship my race wheels ahead of time to my homestay, hotel, or local bike shop. Then I fly with the frame...train with the training wheels up until departure, no training time lost! International races, I fly with both, throw my clothes in the carry-on or backpack, everything else in the 2 boxes--you just have to make sure that both are under 50lbs which is pretty easy peasy. With all my gear, the frame box is still under 40lbs:



Boxes are made out of cardboard bike boxes, colored duct tape and cute stickers/fabric/etc. The frame box opens up like a pizza box so the walls are essentially double reinforced. Straps are big 2" nylon ones with plastic buckles. Always decorate the boxes with super cutesy stickers or graphics and never never never admit that it's a bike! I like to tell them that I have paintings in there. I am never dressed as a triathlete at the airport and keep my helmet hidden inside my backpack or carry-on.



Also make removable wheels out of caster wheels at Lowe's/Home Depot and velcro. This greatly helps when wheeling your crap through airports, but I always take off the wheels before checking the box(es) in because they get banged up. Velcro, duct tape, & cardboard are the key here. Staple gun and glue gun are excellent sidekicks.

I realized after the fact, that splitting the frame and wheels is the same idea as the Hen House softbags...except in sturdier reinforced cardboard boxes. One could argue that you could still throw the race wheels in a softcase and take them on the plane. I haven't done it, I still feel like it screams "I'm traveling with a bicycle because what else could these be but wheels???"

Besides, half the fun of flying your bike for free is MacGyvering your own box! Oh yeah and when checking in the frame box, make sure to orient it so that it's sitting on the longest dimension. The 4 sides are all different lengths but it looks bigger or smaller depending on which side it's sitting on. Sneaky sneaky!

And no, I don't ever get charged for traveling with my bike.

xox
Wongstar

---

...........................................................................
:: I came, I saw, I conquered. then I ran out of money, crashed into a car during an Ironman, and now work a bad-ass job making prosthetic legs for wounded warriors. ::

the blog: My So-Called Civilian Life :: theWongstar.com :: follow me @theWongstar

brilliant...awesomeness!!

Couple of things...

I generally prefer the padding of the Hen House, as well as it does have reinforced areas.

Most airlines only care about the 62 linear inches and if they are going to hassle you over a bike that fits in less space, you probably want to choose another airline.

Biggest concern, especially these days since you are no longer allowed to lock luggage, etc., is the amount of theft and lost/damaged luggage has NEVER been higher. While you may save a few bucks by declaring your bike paintings, wait until it goes lost or is damaged and you need to file a claim. Given that most airlines have limited pay-outs on lost luggage value I would rather be dealing with a claim where it was known up front that it was a carbon fiber bike, then have them say, sorry you said it was paintings, please show us the receipts.

Also a good idea to take pictures of your bike as it is packed, with inventory of parts.

I like the Hen House a lot (haven't seen it in person). I however don't fly enough to justify the $500 price! I am looking at a couple races, flying on Alaska, over this year. Checking in a bike is $70 each way ($20 + $50 oversize fee). Checking a Hen House (or the cardboard equivalent of it as seen above) is $40 ($20 + $20). So at a saving of $60 roundtrip.... that's a lot of races to fly to before the Hen House pays for itself... and that's assuming bike fees stay the same; they have come down lately.

Now at $300, like most bike cases... I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

I like the cardboard Hen House! Definitely cute. Where do you source your cardboard? :)

Wongstar, cute stickers are great for you females. But what are us macho males to do? Most of us would rather die, not to mention pay extra $$, to maintain our masculinity! ;)

So what stickers/graphics can we apply to our boxes that are still stealth, but scream masculinity?
We could say we are an MMA fighter and it's our fight gear!

I've never brought my bike on a plane but, I've heard you have a better chance of avoiding fees if you pay for your checked bags online and then do curbside check-in. Maybe give them a nice tip before they actually check them in.

---

________________________________________
Check out my sad excuse for a blog:
http://brianstriblog.blogspot.com/

Wongstar you are my hero

Depends. US Air I think actually went up and is now $200 a flight. I generally only fly Jet Blue, SouthWest or Alaska Air domestically, Air Canada for trips to the Great White North and either Air France, British Airways for International.

I refuse to fly Delta, American has gone down hill, and have generally had bad luck or dislike the service of other airlines.

But to your point, it depends on what you fly and where the race is. I think I am prob in the same place as you where if the airlines I like don't fly there, I generally won't go there. So where Alaska and Air Canada are probably two of the best in the business at their fees, if you fly United, US Air or Delta, then it adds up quickly.

Its definitely pricely, but by that same token, how much is your bike worth? You willing to throw a Shiv, P4 or Speed Concept in a cardboard box and then try and make an insurance claim if there is any damage??? My current case is one of those huge Xport Cargo Cases which I now think are made by Thule or were a Performance Bike knockoff of the Thule. Hard plastic, padded inside, and I had issues where I got chips on my frame because box was opened and inspected and not repacked properly. UPS insurance came out, inspected and did not cover it. Just saying if you can run into issues with a hard case, I can't even imagine what a claim would be like trying to file an insurance claim on a $5000 bike and wheels packed in a make shift cardboard box.

The cases are expensive. Then again a Zipp Wheel bag, or any padded wheel bag is $100 (I got mine used off of eBay for around $65) and it is not nearly as padded or with hard plastic like the Hen House. So the way I see it, you are paying around $150 for a padded and Hard plastic wheel bag, and $325 for the bike case and then $25 for the straps, insulation, rear skewer, etc.

It is definitely marketed more towards the folks that are looking for a hard case I think, which will get the airline fees, etc.

I don't have one. I like them a lot. I am still debating though. If I can get a decent amount for my Xport Hard Case, I can almost justify it because I travel a lot with my bike in my back seat, and would rather have this bag sitting back there, then advertising my bike. With the amount of disassembly, it would also fit in my trunk, padded and protected.

Agreed as well, at $300 I would have my Xport and Zipp bag gone and be in the Hen House for sure.

Dunno. Maybe it is because I have done so much traveling with windsurfing equipment where my first day in Hawaii is generally playing around with fiberglass resin touching up the dings, and that was when shipped in padded plastic hard cases too. I just see standing in front of an insurance claim adjuster, with a taped up cardboard box and a $4000 bike and $2000 wheels and having them then raise the eyebrow, and say... So you put $6000 worth of carbon fiber equipment in $30 worth of cardboard and bubble wrap and you think it was adequately protected? Really???

I think it comes down to how much does it pay for itself over the course of flying, as well as it could pay for itself in one flight in the damage that it saves.

I always seem to get hit with $120 each way for the bike box on USAir. I don't like it, but then no one sez I have to do Tris either. Tim

How do bike manufacturers ship bike frames to bike shops all over the world?

---

clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

I just checked Frontier and it seems they will call it a regular bag, meaning $20 each way, or free if you upgrade into their better seat class, which looks exceptional. Anyone with knowledge of this? Thanks.

---

Gary Geiger
http://www.geigerphoto.com Professional photographer

TEAM KiWAMi NORTH AMERICA http://www.kiwamitri.com, Rudy Project http://www.rudyprojectusa.com, GU https://guenergy.com/shop/ ; Salming World Ambassador; https://www.shopsalming.com

Replying to no one in particular...

This past weekend I flew Frontier from LAX to Madison, WI, connecting through Denver. They weighed the bike in LAX, 54lb. I was expecting a fee because I had read on their site that > 50lb = a $50 fee, and was prepared to open the box up and find the 4lb :-), but they didn't charge me.

In Madison they didn't weigh the bike, but it was actually lighter (no drink powder). I use a hard, clamshell style case and don't put extra stuff in the box. I put my helmet, bike/run shoes, pedals, running/cycling kits in my carry-on. I figure I can always miracle a bicycle only vs having to also sort out lost shoes, helmet, etc.

Overall, a very good experience, everything as expected and advertised.
--

---

Rich Strauss
Endurance Nation Ironman 2013 and 2014 World Champion TriClub, Div I
Create a FREE 7-day trial membership

EXACTLY CLM!!!

the question of where do I source my cardboard--from the bike shop. It's made from Cervelo bike boxes that they came shipped in. Damage free. Don't underestimate the durability and protection of cardboard bike boxes. It's not some flimsy cardboard--probably 3/8" thick and the walls that are doubled would then be 3/4" thick. Add the duct tape, Winnie the Pooh fabric, and clear vinyl for waterproofing (I butchered my mom's old vinyl tablecloth) and it's like a cardboard box on steroids.

There's also padding inside, along with those pipe insulation things for the frame, and everything is packed really tightly and zip-tied together so there's no rattling. I know the first photo of just the frame in the box doesn't show it, but that was the first photo I took just to make sure the frame actually fit. There are actually straps and buckles that secure the frame to the box too, on another of padding. If nothing moves and everything's padded, it doesn't get damaged. Plus it's hard to steal things when everything is zip-tied together.

I fly a lot. 6-8 races per year the last few years, plus some trips home (can't go anywhere without my bike!) and to training camps--so maybe 10-15 round trips per year back when I was traveling more with teamTBB and the bikes haven't been damaged or stolen. To each their own but yes... I do trust my $6000 or whatever worth of carbon fiber is adequately protected by cardboard, duct tape, bubble wrap, foam, bike shoes, and running shoes. I used to have a big plastic hardshell case too once upon a time, but it was a bear to haul around the airport in addition to always being charged crazy amounts for it.

---

...........................................................................
:: I came, I saw, I conquered. then I ran out of money, crashed into a car during an Ironman, and now work a bad-ass job making prosthetic legs for wounded warriors. ::

the blog: My So-Called Civilian Life :: theWongstar.com :: follow me @theWongstar

Without looking at the box in my garage, I would venture to guess it is over 62" linear inches. Care to guess? Bike is also generally shipped insured and declared as a "bike" and has a lot of space/support around the frame.

Take a look at Wongsters "Pizza Box" and how much spacing is between the box and the frame, as well as the padding, or lack there of.

So when Specialized or the LBS who ships a bike to me... if the box arrives and looks like it was thrown off the back of the truck, easy claim, as well as it is known the value of the bike, etc.. Go back to the airline, with limited coverage who was told it was "paintings"

Sorry I missed this. My wife upgraded my ticket when she bought my ticket for Madison. I was in the first 3 rows (had the same exact seat for all 4 flights), lots of legroom, DirecTV was free for me (normal charge is $6). Frontier has no free snacks but soda, coffee, water, etc is free. The bike flew free both ways and they offered to also check my carry-on for the return flight, for free, as it was a very full flight. I said no thanks, for fear of them losing my bike/running shoes, etc.

I'm racing IMWI and will fly Frontier to/from the race with my wife = bike is free. I'll still put all of my racey-racey stuff in my carryon, including wetsuit.

Cardboard boxes: every year I do a Tour of California training camp, with campers shipping their bikes to me in LA, I assemble and meet them up in Sacramento or SFO, depending on the start location. One year a couple used cardboard boxes and it looked like UPS put a forklift directly through both boxes, seriously jacked them up. For the last two camps that same couple has shipped in nice Thule cases.

If I had had a shakey experience with Frontier, my plan for WI would be to ship the bike out via FedEx 3-day using my hookup with Wheelbuilder -- they ship for me on their account, I pay them. You can do similar if you have a friend with a commercial account, business, etc. At the same time I'd hook up a FedEx ground return label, carry it with me to Madison, and drop the bike box off at the FedEx on Washington in Madison, or can specify your hotel as the pick up point and FedEx will pick it up for you. I've done this for several camps over the years. Probably nets out, for me, about $100-150 less then TBT and I don't have to ship my bike out until Monday or Tues of race week. Packing/assembling the bike is a non-issue for me, but if I needed a quick tune I'd take it to Machinery Row by the swim start. Excellent work.

---

Rich Strauss
Endurance Nation Ironman 2013 and 2014 World Champion TriClub, Div I
Create a FREE 7-day trial membership

Bike shops. I have asked and always received bike boxes for free.

---

-- Aaron Davidson

That works against you. For Abu Dhabi I used Toy Story wrapping paper. I went single box since it was an international flight I could carry a bit more. Still came to maybe 30lbs total with bike.

---

-- Aaron Davidson

I think a lot of it is how you present yourself at airline. I, like many others, use an Aerus Biospeed bag. I carry it on my shoulder up to the agent and make it appear as light as possible. I dress professionally and when they ask me what's in the bag I say "scientific equipment". They usually start to pat it down and I joke "oh, don't worry, my boss makes me travel with this all the time. It's packed well." I try to stop them before they feel the wheels. I also cover the wheels with black cloth in case they look inside. One time I had someone press me about what type of scientific equipment and I replied "oh, you know...aerodynamic testing. Have you heard of carbon fiber?" (counter agent says no) "oh, it's the latest thing..."

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...rch_string=;#3249303

Me too. But my bike shops has plain cardboard boxes. Hers are everything but. I was wondering it it was just a glued cover or part of the cardboard itself.

I would totally rock her box. I think those graphics also are great, in case some day some agent decides that a bicycle in two bags is still a bicycle subject to a fee, as unlikely as I think this is.

Wongstar, just curious on the cost of shipping wheels to the race and back again, versus a $50 fee for a bike each way on South West.
Thx.
Pantani :)

---

Robbie
http://www.instagram.com/trisutto

hey Pantani, depending how far the race wheels need to go, it's usually only $15-$20 each way on Fedex, with insurance. That's with the discount you get for opening an online account with them...for free. Race wheels aren't very heavy, ya know ;) Plus you save the hassle of lugging a big box around the airport.

as for more masculine stickers...how about Curious George? Everybody loves a cute cartoon monkey! Or you could always go Lightning McQueen from the Cars movies :)

---

...........................................................................
:: I came, I saw, I conquered. then I ran out of money, crashed into a car during an Ironman, and now work a bad-ass job making prosthetic legs for wounded warriors. ::

the blog: My So-Called Civilian Life :: theWongstar.com :: follow me @theWongstar

So you make the best cardboard Hen Houses around, are driven AND are sponsored by a liquor company? Will you marry me? (Sorry R10C, I asked first.)