I drove from Wisconsin to Lake Placid my first Ironman, I heard too many horror stories regarding how bikes are treated when traveling and have pretty much decided I'll never fly with my tri bike unless I make it to Kona (I won't).

 
Lots of threads on here about travelling with bikes. I am doing Ironman Wales later this year so flying is the only option. Domestically, some airline have reduced fees so check around. I have a Specialized Transition that I can remove the fork and the seat post so I am looking for oversized luggage that I can pack it in.

.

---

Once, I was fast. But I got over it.

I only fly if there is a time constraint or you just can’t get to their without flying. I wouldn’t even question driving to a race 9 hours away. From Iowa when I lived there I raced in Florida, Galveston, Colorado and others and drove to all of them.

I flew from Vancouver to Cozumel last year with Westjet (Canadian airline). They treat bikes (in proper bike bags) as a regular checked bag as long as it meets their size and weight requirements for Bike bags. I used an EVOC bike bag and had no problem (bike with other things packed in weighed 45lb). I get 2 free checked bags on Westjet so it cost me nothing; they do charge $25 per checked bag usually though depending on which type of seat you book.

x2.

I'm in North Carolina and driven to IM Louisville (twice), IM Florida & IM Maryland (and also IM NC but that doesn't really count!)

---

Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Delta treated by bike fine last year when I went to the DR. $150 sounds about right.

Have also use tribike transport which I never had a problem with.

I do prefer to drive when I can ans which I'm doing next month. About a 12 hour drive. (driving was not an option going to the DR)

These clowns are your worst nightmare!


https://instagram.com/p/BgoFAZZAmfR/

---

Ask me how much I love my Kiwami LD Aero Trisuit

This is why I have a hard case you can throw mine out a moving car and it won’t get damaged.

I flew to Aruba with my bike. Somewhere along the way my Het Jet 6 was cracked. Only experience I have had flying so far.

They don't fly to Canada but if you are able to fly Spirit Airlines domestically or Central Americas, bikes are $75 each way.

check the airline website for current rules and costs. Google for most recent threads - fees have changed in the last 12 months for some airlines, I believe.

I've used both a hard case and a ruster sports case (where you disassemble the bike - e.g. drop the fork, and remove the wheels). the search function 'should' return results on using ruster sports cases. It has enabled me to take my fatbike to Cabo and Costa Rica - I bought it after taking my tri-bike in a hard case to Coz.

Ruster sports hen house is treated like 2 checked bags.

Another option, that I have not flown with yet - is to get a frame made, or buy a frame with S&S couplers, this enables the main triangle to be broken down, and the entire bike and wheels fits into 1 standard checkable suitcase.

How confident are you in assembling your bike? If you're not, maybe it's time to get up to speed - either via youtube or taking classes at your LBS. The 1st step to getting to Kona is convincing yourself that you can get there - (this is for jonald)

plenty of people fly with there bikes. we only here when shit goes sideways. like a guitar getting smashed like hendrix, or a dog dying like MIchael Vick was involved. Its a volume business. I've been adequately compensated by SWA, UA, TA and others when I've been inconvenienced. Sometimes it has taken a DOT complaint (TA), but I've always been satisfied with the end result.

Have you considered taking a few classes to be able to assemble and disassemble your bike?

I worry more about TSA opening up the box and not putting it back together properly. That's why I SHIP mine vs check it.

---

"The person on top of the mountain didn't fall there." - unkown

also rule 5