I would love advice from fellow triathletes on traveling with your bike from USA to Europe for races.
With travel starting to open up again, husband and I are looking at a vacation in France or Spain in 2022. I would love to sign up for one of the 70.3 races; however, with airfare baggage fees and/or VERY delayed shipping times these days due to covid - unsure if even feasible? So should I bring the bike on the plane with me or ship?
Does anyone have much experience with this and can they share any advice or tips?
I do have a bike bag - Scion TT (just take wheels off) -but its soft sided, and concerned not ideal for bringing on the plane for international trip most likely. Likewise, I have NO idea if I decided to ship who are the best carriers to attempt to ship a bike with from USA-Europe and back? Thanks for all your help!!
I’ve flown my bikes in Scicon bags around the world many times without any major issues. I do make sure there’s plenty of extra padding (clothing, towels, pipe insulation, foam pads, etc.) on and around the bike while it’s in the bag. To get it there, I suggest flying Delta or another airline who doesn’t charge you exorbitant fees (cough United) for bringing a bike.
Shipping is going to be about as much as your air ticket. Take the bike with you on the plane.
The last time I flew to the EU we looked at shipping the bikes back after the race. For a tri all 3 double bike box using a shipper # that did > $500k of shipping w/ UPS a year it was still about as much as one of our business class tickets.
Flying the bike was something like $100 each way and that’s only bc the airline at the time charged us for the domestic connection leg.
Some countries are pretty strict about wiping down your tires before you leave the airport. Can’t remember if that is the EU or was NZ/AUS.
Shipping is going to be about as much as your air ticket. Take the bike with you on the plane.
The last time I flew to the EU we looked at shipping the bikes back after the race. For a tri all 3 double bike box using a shipper # that did > $500k of shipping w/ UPS a year it was still about as much as one of our business class tickets.
Flying the bike was something like $100 each way and that’s only bc the airline at the time charged us for the domestic connection leg.
Some countries are pretty strict about wiping down your tires before you leave the airport. Can’t remember if that is the EU or was NZ/AUS.
When I looked into shipping bike back from Europe is was about $800 so I took it on the plane.
I did IM Norway in 2019 and took my bike along. We flew British Air and SAS - both airlines include a bike as checked luggage if it’s under their normal weight limit. I planned on this for the trip. The only issue I ran into was after the race when I found out the luggage storage place I’d paid for in advance to store my bike for a week at the Copenhagen airport had closed permanently.
We have a home in France and go back and forth with bikes quite a bit. If you’re racing I suggest that you buy the best bike box you can afford. Depending on the airline price can be 0-300 dollars. Foe our older, not so precious bikes we’ve used the cardboard bike ship boxes from the LBS.
If you decide to do Vichy 70.3 PM me as we have an apartment 20 miles form the race site.
We have a home in France and go back and forth with bikes quite a bit. If you’re racing I suggest that you buy the best bike box you can afford. Depending on the airline price can be 0-300 dollars. Foe our older, not so precious bikes we’ve used the cardboard bike ship boxes from the LBS.
If you decide to do Vichy 70.3 PM me as we have an apartment 20 miles form the race site.
I bought a used bike on a trip once and had the LBS pack it in a cardboard box. Something in transit punctured the box and cracked the carbon frame.
The upside is I did end up getting the money I paid for the bike back from the airline.
I have an Evoc soft sided bag. It has some “spines” that go on the sides to help keep things protected. I’ve used cut up pool noodles and bubble wrap around my bike and even put some bubble wrap around my wheels. I use a hard cardboard box cutout over the cassette.
I have flown with this bag back and forth to Hawaii (no not Kona), to Florida once and then this year to Waco. I think international doesnt make much difference as it can and will get tossed around.
On American you don’t pay for a bike bag unless its overweight - just counts as one of your checked bags. The weight of the bag + bike (including wheels but no pedals) for me was like ~40lbs (aluminum bike, carbon fork, but I’m also small so it is a ~46/47 cm). For my Waco race, we checked three bags a piece (bike, bag with bike stuff like pedals and tools, clothes bag) and only paid the small $40 fee for the 3rd checked bag.
I’d recommend you decide which airlines you might want to fly with, see their policies, and use that to help your decision. For some the fee is just as much as shipping - and with that you could always ship it and avoid the hassle of dragging a giant bike box through airport check in. If shipping - then you have to to be super handy with putting it back together (maybe you are) or schedule for a bike shop to assemble for you. Putting in the bike bag isnt as difficult as at least for me it just entails moving the handlebars around.
My husband and I have flown all over the world with our bikes and never had a problem with any of our cases (EVOC soft-sided and SciCon tri case). In fact, we’re currently on a flight back to the US after my husband raced the SGrail100 this past weekend in Girona.
The key things we do are remove derailleur and add extra packaging (foam/bubble wrap/cardboard) around the bike in the box for additional protection. It might add 5-10mins to overall packing time but it’s worth it.
We always fly United and they recently stopped charging for bikes… though you do need to respect the weight limit of 50lbs (70lbs if you have airline status).
The one thing to be aware of is that on the return leg of the journey, if you’re making connecting flights within Europe on European airlines (e.g. Lufthansa, Air France), they often require that you make a reservation for a bike as part of your luggage. This happened to us when we returned from Nice 70.3 World Champs in 2019 and again this morning flying out of Barcelona. Thankfully, they let us check in the bike this morning without a reservation… but it included a lot of raised eyebrows and sighing from the person at the ticket counter! I’m definitely adding that to my “to-do list” the next time we have any connecting flights within Europe.
It doesn’t seem to be an issue if you’re flying back to direct to the US but those inter-European flights can be more tricky!
Flown internationally with my bike many times. Europe, South Africa, New Zealand… just take it as luggage. I’ve never had an issue with it. Fees are hit or miss (a few lucky free ones) but mostly no different really from traveling with it domestically. Don’t be intimidated by it. It’s really not that bad. Just make sure your airport transportation at your destination can handle the bike cases.
Also a lot of those races may have people offering services to take care of your hotels and airport transfers and even put your bike together for you. I’ve done that as well as just dealing with it myself.
I’ve traveled overseas to Europe twice with my bike and no problems with the bike/airlines. One trip was actually Montreal direct to Nice in 2019. The other was VT to NY to Copenhagen. It did cost more on Delta going to Copenhagen in 2018. Maybe $150 each way? And there were two of us with bikes so it was a bit pricey. But cheaper than other options. The worst part is waiting by the baggage door and waiting for your bike after your flight. Knock on wood my bike has always made it. But I always get nervous and anxious waiting. Nice was the worst as there were so many of us standing around waiting and my bike was one of the last ones. I was sweating bullets for that.
I’ve flown to Western Canada, Caribbean and within the US with a bike and also had good experiences.
I see a lot of soft cases but have a hard shell case (Bike box Allen). It works well. No damage to my bike. I know of some athletes who have had damage with soft cases. Not all airlines or workers treat the bikes well sadly.
To get it there, I suggest flying Delta or another airline who doesn’t charge you exorbitant fees (cough United) for bringing a bike.
FWIW - United quietly withdrew extra Bike Fees last month for North American travel. Not sure about Europe. They were the last of the major US carriers to do this. Thank you UA!
I’ve used a Thule Transition soft case several times between US and the Middle East with no issues.
A hard case would give me more piece of mind but soft cases are a little easier to store when not in use.
The soft cases are also easier to squeeze into the smaller taxis and rental cars you tend to find overseas.
Similar to what others have mentioned:
Remove rear derailleur and wrap secure to frame
Zip tie or tape foam pipe insulation/pool noodles around frame and fork tubes
use towels or clothing in plastic bags for extra padding
Remove any CO2 cartridges
It’s also a good idea to reinstall the rear thru axle if applicable or fit a spacer between the rear dropouts to support the chain stays/seat stays.
For my frame with traditional quick release dropouts I use a spacer made from Home Depot threaded rod and nuts, washers, rubber washers.
The fees were definitely hit or miss. Sometimes I was charged and other times they checked the bag no fee. On one return flight, the agent was gong to charge the $150 published fee but when I pointed out I hadn’t been charged on the outbound flight, she said ok and waived it.
International or domestic really shouldn’t matter when flying with the bike. However, I suggest considering the mechanics of traveling with the bike case one you get there. I’ve got the Ruster Armoured Hen House, which I really like (except for the horrible camouflaged fabric on the outside). It’s a two bag system where frame and wheels are packed in separate bags. I usually pack the rest of my stuff in a backpack, so I can manage everything in one trip and am comfortable wheeling it for a fair ways if I have to hike around the airport or a train station. How many other people and how much luggage will you have? Can you get a rental car large enough to accommodate? My usual approach is to race first, then pack the bike back up and check it in at the luggage storage service at our outgoing airport. This leaves us a lot more mobile for the rest of the trip.
Like others, I usually take it on the plane with no issues. Shipped it home with Fedex twice. Was travelling after the race and didn’t want to haul it around. First time no issue, bike was home in 3-4 days. 2nd time it got held up at FedEx in Germany. The Co2 cartridges showed up on an x-ray and they wouldn’t ship it. Had to send them permission forms to open the case and toss the Co2 cartridges. Was more worried they were going to say the internal Di2 battery was the issue. Was having nightmares of a random Fedex guy trying to disassemble the bike to get the battery out.
I’ve used soft/inflatable Biknd case successfully several times. Remove the derailleur, and keep extra crap in the bag minimal (I know others use it like a suitcase… but often they’ll have you fully open the bag at the airport, and it’s annoying to have to repack things). Definitely do not pack CO2 cartridges (they’ll get confiscated) or your Di2 batteries (easy to lose if they go through your bag when you’re not around) in there.
When checking ticket prices, consider your bag fees. Some airlines are doing free bikes!
I took my Zipp wheels off when going USA to Rome, Italy and I carried the wheels on the plane. Deflating tires, they fit in over head bin! On trains, buy the premium tickets and bringing a bike is ok. I figured that out after getting yelled at a number of times.
To get it there, I suggest flying Delta or another airline who doesn’t charge you exorbitant fees (cough United) for bringing a bike.
FWIW - United quietly withdrew extra Bike Fees last month for North American travel. Not sure about Europe. They were the last of the major US carriers to do this. Thank you UA!
Thanks. About damn time. Good to know for the next time I’m back in the US.
You are so right - taking the wheels as carry on is so easy - especially disc wheels which don’t fit easily into most bike boxes - I use BikeBoxAlan boxes which are great, except you can’t insert the anti crush poles when travelling with a disc - the solution is easy - take the disc as carry on - I have flown all over the world this way and never once had an issue getting it on the plane or in the overhead locker.