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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
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