OK, I’m going to Seattle in September and was going to take my road bike in my hard shell case and check it as usual. On American Airlines, that will be $100 each way. The benefit is that I know my bike will be with me. I’ve also shipped my MTB before in the case, but it’s no where near as much as my road bike.
Here’s another idea I had…ship the frame and take the wheels with me as in a carry-on wheel bag. This would cost only about $20 each way to ship the frame, since I can ship in a cardboard bike box. The reason I’m tempted to take the wheels in a carry-on wheel bag is that my rear wheel is a Powertap. That way I know it won’t get damaged in shipping or by baggage throwers. Plus, I don’t lose any training, since I can ride on my tri bike while my road bike is in transit.
Any commments or other suggestions? Just looking for a more cost effective way to enjoy 4 days of biking in the Seattle area.
I’m new to the board but thought I could help. USAirways is a sponsor for the Ironman and offers FREE Bike shipping to and from all Ironman events. They have daily service to Kona also. I’ve never had a problem with lost luggage either. Although I usually keep it in the cockpit with me.
For four years now I’ve been shipping three to six bikes to races all over the country via FedEx ground. I’ve never had a problem, it’s cheaper than in the plane, you can have them delivered to where you are staying, can rent a small car and you don’t have to hassle with them in airports.
I always just take mine with me on the plane. I have only been charged one time both ways. I usually slip the counter agent a $20 to let it fly free. I don’t fly American though for several reasons not related to tri’s.
I’ve carried wheels on in the past, but have also been forced to check them also. I suspect that in the current security climate, that you may have a harder time carrying them on. I fly my bike in a TriAll3Sports Velo Safe II.
A recent post of mine from another thread on this topic:
"Being able to just carry wheels on with you is a dangerous assumption, these days.
700’s won’t even fit through some X-ray machines (depends on the airport) So you have to hope you find a TSA agent that “cares,” and is willing to hand inspect them instead of turning you away with those potentially explosive-laden rings. Ok, so you get them past security… cross your fingers that the gate agent lets you by with them as “carry ons” and that the stewardess lets you put them in the closet up front! Otherwise, they’re going under at the gate–and no telling what happens to them without more protection than a wheel bag.
When flying from Madison to Newark after IMMoo in 2004, my bike ended up in PARIS (France, not Texas) two days later. How the hell that happened is beyond me, but I’m now reluctant to check my bike.
Thanks for all the advice, especially about the wheel bag. I think I’m just going to check it in my hard shell case. If it weren’t the Labor Day weekend, I’d likely ship.
Fedex Ground from Philly to Chicago cost $19 ($3,500 of insurance cost $19); delivery time 2 business days. Checked in to Marriott, bike delivered to my door 10 minutes later. Ran race, repacked bike, dropped it off at Fedex/Kinko’s on 2nd floor of hotel. Two days later it’s at my house. Saw people lugging cases to/from both airports. Tough to fit case in a cab in downtown Chicago. Shipping is the way to go.
I did Vineman earlier this month, coming out from cleveland, and shipped my bike via UPS. I did the hands-free method in which I had my LBS disassemble and pack the bike, ship it to a bike shop in Calif, and had them reassemble it. After the race I had the same bike shop disassemble and ship it home - but this time straight to home where I rebuilt the bike myself.
Cost of all this extra service aside, if I did it over again I’d just take the bike with me on the plane. Mainly because - with the five day shipping time each way for UPS, plus the lead time required by the bike shops - I’ve ridden my race bike once in the past month (for the race itself). Rest of the time it was either in the process of being disassembled/assembled or in UPS’s system.
what about international travel? I have to ship my bike from USA to Australia for a race and i will most likely not even think of bringing that onto the plane, esp with connecting flights and flying for 22 hrs.
Anyone have probs shipping a bike fedex internationally before?
In 2003 I shipped my bike via FedEx Ground to Shreveport for Age Group Nationals. I allowed for 8 business days when it was estimated to take only 3 business days.
With the tracking number I watched my bike to from here in California to Chicago, Michigan where it sat for 2 days, and finally make its way to Louisiana. My bike arrived 1 hour before we had to put our bikes into the transition area the night before the race.
It was very, very stressful. My other 5 travel companions all checked their bikes and didn’t have any problems.
The only advantage to shipping it is that you can insure your bike for the full amount.