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Help with transporting a bike internationally
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I am trying to find a way to get my bike to Copenhagen, Denmark for the Ironman this summer, but I had a crazy expensive quote to get it there.

Can anyone give me info of other ways to do this cheaply?

Thanks.
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Re: Help with transporting a bike internationally [anniejw] [ In reply to ]
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Need a little more information to help out. How are you getting there - have you made reservations on a particular airline yet? What method offered "expensive quote"? What do you consider "crazy expensive"? Where are you leaving from? Do you already have hotel reservations?
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Re: Help with transporting a bike internationally [anniejw] [ In reply to ]
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Generally, putting it on the plane with you will be about as cheap as you can get.
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Re: Help with transporting a bike internationally [trimule] [ In reply to ]
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I am flying to England to visit my family at the beginning o August (with my husband and two kids), and then flying to Copenhagen August 18/19. We are flying on United airlines to the UK but have not yet booked the flights from UK to Copenhagen. United charges $200 each way for a bike (I think) but not sure about the size restrictions on that.The problem with taking the bike with me is that with 4 people, luggage for a month for all of us and a bike, we would not be able to transport to and from airports. I think that there are some airlines like Easyjet that would take the bike for free from the UK to Copenahgen, but I haven't checked on this due to the logistics above.

Bike Flight quoted me $2,300 for a bike box that only needed the wheels taken off, and $866 for a small bike box with the bike taken apart. I couldn't find any other company that would transport to Europe from the US.

I live in California, US. We have hotel reservations at the Marriott in Copenhagen.
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Re: Help with transporting a bike internationally [anniejw] [ In reply to ]
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$200 each way is normal.

Another possibility would be to rent a bike.
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Re: Help with transporting a bike internationally [anniejw] [ In reply to ]
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I took my bike with me on the plane when traveling from the US to Ironman France but I traveled straight to the race site so it was a little different than your trip. Afterwards I used a company called luggage forward to ship it home in a hard thule bike box. It was a few years ago but the price was about $400.

For transport with the family, luggage and the bike box we arranged a car service with a big van from the airport. It was super simple actually.

Good luck and have gun at Ironman Copenhagen.
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Re: Help with transporting a bike internationally [anniejw] [ In reply to ]
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Virgin Atlantic does not charge for sporting equipment. That includes bicycles. They don't fly to Denmark but it might reduce your cost by getting it part way.

Most other airlines will charge $100-200 each way.
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Re: Help with transporting a bike internationally [anniejw] [ In reply to ]
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Talk to your LBS and see what they normally pay to ship a bike, if they know. Thy can also give you an idea of what the boxed dimensions and weights would be for shipping and you can see if DHL or another company is cost effective to ship. The longer it takes to get there the cheaper it is (ie. Boat 4-6 weeks is cheaper than 2 day by plane) but you will be without the bike much longer.

If you are using a road bike and flying with it (maybe you would be a good candidate for a Ruster hen house) is not an option I would really look at renting a bike there. If you are using a tri bike and you cant find a rental I would find a way to fly with it. It is a tough situatuon when traveling with kids and i am all too familiar with. Good luck.
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Re: Help with transporting a bike internationally [anniejw] [ In reply to ]
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First off, fly another airline than United who doesn't charge for bikes. But if you can't do that, pay the fee and take your bike to London. Once you land at Heathrow and claim luggage/go through immigration, take the bike box to 'left luggage' and pay them to hold it. Its about US$6 or 7 a day from memory. When you fly to Copenhagen, grab bike from left luggage and you're on your way. Easy. You can always get a minivan at Copenhagen to take you, family and bike to hotel.

_____________________________________________________
"Oh man, it's going to take days to kill all these people!" - Jens Voigt
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Re: Help with transporting a bike internationally [anniejw] [ In reply to ]
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I went to IM France long haul with 2 kids under 2, 2 strollers, 2 car seats, wife, bike, luggage for all of us

got a transit van transfer - 35 euro's

as said above, you only physically have to get the bag to the airport, once its on the plane you do not need to do anything - at heathrow leave it at left luggage

I fly BA, Qatar, Emirates every 3-4 weeks and have not paid for a bike in 6 years and I take a bike on more than 50% of flights
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Re: Help with transporting a bike internationally [anniejw] [ In reply to ]
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Check with the British airport and see if they have oversized lockers. About 8 years ago, I flew into Belgium with my bike then a week later took a train to Amsterdam. I went to the airport and dropped off my bike for about a week since I was staying in a hostel. Cost was something like $7 a day. You might have to dig but these things exist.
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