Folding Bikes on Planes - Advice Sought

Elisa Francesca Roselli said:

A colleague also suggests that I may have to let the air-pressure way
down in the tyres to take Flyzipper on the plane, to prevent them from
exploding in a depressurized baggage hold. Is this true?

Yes and no... they won't explode, that's nonsense (or the plane's own
tyres would go Boom every flight!), but airline regulations often say
you must, and if you're playing their game you may want to abide by
their rules to minimise your chances of them having a bureaucratic sense
of humour failure at your expense. The check-in person may insist.

Quoted message said:

Because I don't
want, in addition, to have to travel with a floor-standing bike pump to
get the bike operational on landing (I'm too weak in the arms and hands
to use a hand pump.)

Once air goes in it shouldn't come back out, so you've got as long as
you want to get some pressure in, and then you only need enough to get
you to a gas station with an airline.

Or alternatively since there's an organised tour operator, have one of
their staff pump them up for you.

And/or look at pumps like the Topeak Road Morph, which is a portable
pump that can be used in floor-standing mode. If you can't pump up a
tyre on your own away from home then you really are inviting the
Puncture Fairy to come and visit in a really awkward spot.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Quoted message said:

A colleague also suggests that I may have to let the air-pressure way
down in the tyres to take Flyzipper on the plane, to prevent them from
exploding in a depressurized baggage hold. Is this true?

Kind if true. The airline may /think/ they'll explode but they don't.
Ever. Some airlines have realised this and have removed the rule. Others
haven't.

It's worth bringing copies of their bike carriage policy with you, as the
check in staff might not be familiar with their own rules and we've had
reports of them making them up on the fly. <-- you see what I did there?

(I'm too weak in the arms and hands to use a hand pump.)

That's scary. Practice.

Elisa Francesca Roselli said:

A colleague also suggests that I may have to let the air-pressure way
down in the tyres to take Flyzipper on the plane, to prevent them from
exploding in a depressurized baggage hold. Is this true?

No, it's a myth. Air pressure at sea level is about 15 psi. So even if
you took your bike into space the differential between the internal and
external pressures would not increase by more than that. Unless your
normal tyre pressure is within 15 psi of blowing off the rim there is
no danger, and you have to go way over the maximum pressure shown on
the tyre sidewall to make that happen.

The problem is that some airlines do insist you let your tyres down, as
do some check-in clerks working for airlines that officially don't
insist. The best bet therefore is to check with your airline, and try
to get a letter from them confirming you won't need to let air out of
your tyres. If you have problems at check-in you can then produce the
letter.

--
Dave...

in message <[email hidden]>, Elisa Francesca
Roselli ([email hidden]'😉 wrote:

Hi Elisa! Good to see you back...

Quoted message said:

On the other hand, Fly is dear to me and I don't want him damaged.
Especially if I'm going to ask much of him in the Bohemian wilderness.

I would have thought a stout padded canvas bag would do fine to protect
him in flight. Furthermore, if he's in a padded bag, the airline don't
need to know he's a bike, so you'll probably get away with not letting
the tyres down (holds on modern aircraft are at the same pressure as the
cabin, so the risk of exploding is an old myth).

If you do have to let the tyres down, Pete's suggestion of a Topeak Road
Morph is a good one.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; Generally Not Used
;; Except by Middle Aged Computer Scientists

Peter Clinch said:

Elisa Francesca Roselli said:

Because I don't
want, in addition, to have to travel with a floor-standing bike pump to
get the bike operational on landing (I'm too weak in the arms and hands
to use a hand pump.)

And/or look at pumps like the Topeak Road Morph, which is a portable
pump that can be used in floor-standing mode.

The Cyclaire would certainly be worth looking at for someone with weakness.
You pull a cord and its all done standing up. It won the C+ Innovation of
the Year too.

http://www.cyclaire.com/

Quoted message said:

If you can't pump up a
tyre on your own away from home then you really are inviting the
Puncture Fairy to come and visit in a really awkward spot.

A pump is an *absolute* essential in my book. If I forget mine I worry all
the time. I had one nicked in Beersheba in Israel once and had to divert
over rough roads for two days to obtain a replacement. The concern over
puncturing was not pleasant.

John B

dkahn400 a écrit :

Quoted message said:

The problem is that some airlines do insist you let your tyres down, as
do some check-in clerks working for airlines that officially don't
insist. The best bet therefore is to check with your airline, and try
to get a letter from them confirming you won't need to let air out of
your tyres. If you have problems at check-in you can then produce the
letter.

Haven't booked the air trip yet but the bike policy may be a deciding
factor in my choice. There are about 3 regular lines (Air France,
Lufthansa and a Czech liner) running the flights at more or less the
same price, so I have some options.

But what about the suitcase? The tyre pressure is the lesser of my worries.

EFR
Ile de France

Elisa Francesca Roselli said:

Haven't booked the air trip yet but the bike policy may be a deciding
factor in my choice. There are about 3 regular lines (Air France,
Lufthansa and a Czech liner) running the flights at more or less the
same price, so I have some options.

Phone them up, ask them what their policy is (noting that British
Airways policy does not require it) and if they agree ask them to put it
in writing to help you avoid confusion with the check in staff.

Quoted message said:

But what about the suitcase? The tyre pressure is the lesser of my worries.

Have a look at the options at
http://www.roseversand.com/rose_main.cfm?cid=170&mid=0&SPR_ID=2&KTG_ID=1106&PRD_ID=0
which start at €36 upwards. Or find a friend with a very big suitcase.
The suitcase size you need and how it fits in is shown at
http://www.dahon.co.uk/b-airporter.htm

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

John B a écrit :

Quoted message said:

The Cyclaire would certainly be worth looking at for someone with weakness.
You pull a cord and its all done standing up. It won the C+ Innovation of
the Year too.

http://www.cyclaire.com/

Thanks for the recommendation. It looks like a cool product, and I like
that it works on Schrader and Presta valves as I have bikes with both
kinds. I'll think about it.

Quoted message said:

A pump is an *absolute* essential in my book.

For the kind of cycling I generally do it is sufficient to have one in
the garage. If I have a problem on my trip to work it just means walking
the rest of the way. As for cycling holidays, as I said, this will be
the first time I'll be taking my bike with me, and in any case this is a
fully van-supported trip with the van there to service bike problems. In
fact, the issue only arises if I have to deflate the tyres for the plane.

EFR
Ile de France

in message <[email hidden]>, Tony Raven

(') said:

Quoted message said:

But what about the suitcase? The tyre pressure is the lesser of my
worries.

Have a look at the options at

http://www.roseversand.com/rose_main.cfm?cid=170&mid=0&SPR_ID=2&KTG_ID=1106&PRD_ID=0

Quoted message said:

which start at €36 upwards.

Being a folder, she doesn't need anything as big as a full sized bike
flight bag. A large canvas bag or medium-large hardshell suitcase will
do the job. The Dahon suitcase is only 690mm(26"😉 x 850mm(33.5"😉 x
350mm(13.75"😉.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.

Tony Raven a écrit :

Quoted message said:

Elisa Francesca Roselli wrote:

Quoted message said:

Have a look at the options at
http://www.roseversand.com/rose_main.cfm?cid=170&mid=0&SPR_ID=2&KTG_ID=1106&PRD_ID=0
which start at €36 upwards. Or find a friend with a very big suitcase.
The suitcase size you need and how it fits in is shown at
http://www.dahon.co.uk/b-airporter.htm

The Dahon link is the one I have already seen. That suitcase is
super-pricey. Moreover:

<<The Airporter suitcase has a measurement of 73 linear inches. However
the airlines have set a limit of 62 linear inches.>>

Which raises another issue: whatever the price, a suitcase that is large
enough to take my folded Dahon is possibly too large to go on a plane.
It is also not apparent that the case, when filled with the bike, will
hold any other luggage. Now, if I take such a large suitcase, it would
have to be my only suitcase, which means it needs at least to take some
changes of nappy and an evening gown or two ...

EFR
Ile de France

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

which start at €36 upwards. Or find a friend with a very big suitcase.
The suitcase size you need and how it fits in is shown at
http://www.dahon.co.uk/b-airporter.htm

The Dahon link is the one I have already seen. That suitcase is
super-pricey. Moreover:

<<The Airporter suitcase has a measurement of 73 linear inches. However
the airlines have set a limit of 62 linear inches.>>

i have a dahon jetstream 20inch and have put it (easily with room for
other bits and bobs and padding) into an ordinary large suitcase.I had
to remove the wheels and seatpost and handlebars, but as you know they
are designed for that, and in they go too.For flying I will put some
reinforcing rods made of plastic tube from b&q across the soft sides of
the case, and perhaps a sheet of hardboardeach side. I have not decided
yet whether to use drainpipe or a smaller bore with the ends fixed to
discs or the hardboard.Or you could buy a hard case , not so
cheaply.This is so easy to pack I would not dream of getting the huge
Dahon case and then worrying about the airline restrictions.You might
need to detach mudguards; I left my cheap ones on.If you have no access
to a big case to try out, then yoiu could take your bike down to the
shop with a very clean looking (orange mountain survival£3) bag to try
it .
Are you sure about that 62 inches, seems awfully big to me.
I'll get some more details of mine.
TerryJ

floor-standing bike pump to
get the bike operational on landing (I'm too weak in the arms and hands

to use a hand pump.)

You'll need a pump anyway, but the really quick thing is co2 cylinders
from mike dyason
http://www.mwdyason.ltd.uk/shop
Cool.
terryJ

In my research, I've just found a useful web-site that deals with a
number of airlines and their bike policies. Here is is for the Google
record:

http://www.ibike.org/encouragement/travel/bagregs.htm

This also cleverly suggests the option of FedExing my bike to myself.
Not cheaper, but so much more convenient I may look into it.

EFR
Ile de France

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Tony Raven

(') said:

Quoted message said:

But what about the suitcase? The tyre pressure is the lesser of
my worries.

Have a look at the options at

http://www.roseversand.com/rose_main.cfm?cid=170&mid=0&SPR_ID=2&KTG_ID=1106&PRD_ID=0

Quoted message said:

which start at €36 upwards.

Being a folder, she doesn't need anything as big as a full sized bike
flight bag. A large canvas bag or medium-large hardshell suitcase
will do the job. The Dahon suitcase is only 690mm(26"😉 x 850mm(33.5"😉
x 350mm(13.75"😉.

Yes, you don't need it that large folded but cheap suitcases that size
are rare and stuff for full size bikes relatively common and cheap.
Since airlines are used to carrying full size bikes, bagged, boxed or
naked, why not simply treat it as such?

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

Quoted message said:

You'll need a pump anyway, but the really quick thing is co2 cylinders
from mike dyason

Could you take them on a plane?

John B

[email hidden] a écrit :

Quoted message said:

You'll need a pump anyway, but the really quick thing is co2 cylinders
from mike dyason
http://www.mwdyason.ltd.uk/shop
Cool.

Doubt they'd be allowed on planes, though.

EFR
Ile de France

Elisa Francesca Roselli said:

In my research, I've just found a useful web-site that deals with a
number of airlines and their bike policies. Here is is for the Google
record:

http://www.ibike.org/encouragement/travel/bagregs.htm

This also cleverly suggests the option of FedExing my bike to myself.
Not cheaper, but so much more convenient I may look into it.

EFR
Ile de France

Pity its not the US. There is a company there which collects your
sports equipment from your house and delivers it to you hotel (and vice
versa) for a fee.

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

Never thought of that one! Ryan air didn't spot them in the hold
luggage.If they can hold so much pressure surely a little more can't
hurt as with tyres, but there will be no point in trying to argue if
challenged, you would just lose them.
TerryJ

In article <[email hidden]>, John B ([email hidden])

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You'll need a pump anyway, but the really quick thing is co2 cylinders
from mike dyason

Could you take them on a plane?

Only if you deflate them at the check-in desk...

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
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