Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site lamont.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!mhuxn!mhuxj!mhuxr!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!godot!harvard!seismo!cmcl2!philabs!lamont!rosen From: rosen@lamont.UUCP (stephan rosen) Newsgroups: net.bicycle Subject: Re: Bicycles as luggage on airplanes Message-ID: <134@lamont.UUCP> Date: Wed, 27-Feb-85 16:47:21 EST Article-I.D.: lamont.134 Posted: Wed Feb 27 16:47:21 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 4-Mar-85 04:19:35 EST References: <15597@mgweed.UUCP> <16200090@uiucdcsb.UUCP> Organization: Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, Palisades, NY Lines: 116 > > I have some limited experience shipping bikes by air and train; perhaps > you will find the following useful: > > 1. Q: Is one airline's container any better than another? > A: Maybe. Some airlines have bike boxes available for purchase > (or free??), some only provide plastic bags and recommend that > you not disassemble the bike at all (except turn the handlebars sideways > and remove the pedals). There seem to be two opposing camps on this > idea, that is, whether it is better to partially disassemble and crate > the bikes, or leave them whole and unboxed. The 'craters' say there is > a high risk of bike damage if you don't thoroughly protect it; that they > have suffered bent derailleurs and scratched frames by not crating their > bikes. The 'baggers' say > that luggage handlers treat an unprotected bike carefully, since they > know its not protected; that they have had no problem shipping their > bikes this way, and it saves dis/assembly time at both ends and the > trouble of finding bike boxes in remote places. > > There IS a difference in bike boxes. Some are double-thickness > corrugated boxes, some are single-thickness. The single thickness > boxes definately do not hold up as well. The reason I said "maybe" > above is that I don't know whether any airline bothers to provide the > double-thickness boxes. > > 2. Q: How does one make sure container is at airport ready to go? > A: I'm not sure I understand this question: Are you asking about how > to ensure that the airline will have an empty box waiting for you > at the airport, or are you asking how to make sure your bike, once > packed, arrives at the airport in time for the flight? > > If you've asked the first version, I don't know any other way than to > call the airline and verify that they will have one waiting. > > If you've asked the second version: You just have to get it there with > the rest of your stuff; take a cab, have a friend drive you, whatever. > > 3. Q: Does a small airport have containers? > A: No idea. Call the particular airport you will be going to and ask. > If they don't, you can always go to a bike > shop in the area and ask them for an empty bike box (that formerly held > a new bike). Most will be happy to give you a box; they just throw them > away anyway. Occasionally, they want to charge you for it. Then, of > course, you have the problem of how to get you, your bikes, and the > bike boxes to the airport. Since you can't really ride holding a bike > box, you don't have much choice but to take a cab or whatever. > > 4. Q: How much disassembly? > A: Some bike books will tell you how to do this. Also, sometime in 1981, > the Bicycling Magazine people published a separate one-issue magazine > called "The Bicycling Magazine 1981 Complete Guide to Cycling, Touring, > Camping, and Equipment" (perhaps they do this every year??) which > contains, among other things, a 1/2 page explanation of how to box a > bike. I'll summarize here; if you can't find a full explanation > anywhere, I'll type in the one that I have. > > Basically, you remove the front wheel, pedals, handlebars, seat, and > depending on the size box you have (try to get a bigger box than your > frame size would indicate) you may have to remove the fenders and front > (and possibly rear) racks. The front wheel gets tied to the left side > of the main triangle, the handlebars (still attached via brake and > possibly shift cables) get tied to the top tube so that the long > dimension of the bars is parallel to the top tube, and one crank arm > is tied to the chainstays to keep it from banging things. Get a block of > wood to fit in between the front fork dropouts to prevent damage to > the fork if (when!) the bike is dropped on the fork. Put the frame > into the box and stuff the rest of the loose items wherever there is > room. Be sure to pad things so that parts don't rub against each other. > > Most explanations then instruct you to write FRAGILE all over the box; > in my experience, this seems to be a written challenge to baggage > handlers to try as hard as possible to mangle the box. I have a picture > of my boxed bike taken at the airport after I returned from a trip; the > box looked like it had been run over by a truck--you could hardly make > out the word "Fragile". The bike, by the way, was fine, though I > wouldn't have believed it at the time. I credit lots of padding (in > the form of ensolite sleeping pads) for the bike's survival. However, > it is a good idea to write your name and address on the box, just in > case. In case you still want to try, the article suggests putting > "Fragile", "This End Up", and "Do Not Stack" at the appropriate places > on the box. > > 5. Q: How much does it cost to send a bike as extra baggage on an airplane? > A: It cost us $15/bike each way in the summer of 1983. I haven't done it > since, so I don't know what the current price is. It seems to vary by > airline, too. > > I hope this has been of some help. > > > Jon Harris n the spring of `84 I took a trip to Tuscon from Newark...My experiences with the airlines were quite bad. They assured me that my bike would be treated well. My first disappointment came when I saw the airline "bag," nothing more than a large baggie. So I "bagged" my bike and sent it off with my fingers crossed. My plane seat was near the tail section, and I watched in horror as the airline morons dropped my nice racing bike onto their conveyor, and then watched as it fell approximately 5 feet onto the concrete......Luckily nothing was really damaged (Miyatas are built like brick s***houses) My advice to anyone traveling with their machines-get something on your own to protect your investment. There are a few hard bike cases available -- check out an issue of BICYCLING for some adver- tisements, and enjoy your flight!!! Happy Pedaling. Stephan Rosen LDGO . w ? - q :wq *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***