??? Re: Traveling with Bike (domestic/US)



S

Susan In La

Guest
Any advice on any of the following would be hugely appreciated:

1. What's the best hard-shell bike-travel case in your
opinion?

(I've already Googled extensively on the benefits of hard v.
soft v. cardboard v. plastic bags v. nothing......haven't
decided which is the best option but would love your
opinions on the current best hard-shell case in case I go
that route.)

2. Is there any hard-shell bike case that is small enough to
be treated as normal checked luggage by the airlines
(i.e., no extra fee as long as your luggage meets
size/weight/number limits)?

For example, the Delta website states "Any bicycle presented
in a box with overall dimensions (length + width + height)
that does not exceed 62" may be checked as part of a
customer's free baggage allowance." And I see that the Trico
Ironcase, for example, measures 47" x 30" x 10", i.e, less
than 62". However, my extensive Googling today indicates
that most cyclists flying domestically in the US are getting
hit with a fee for checking a bike no matter how small a box
it is in. Are these cyclists just using travel cases that
are too large or do the airlines just charge for any bike
period no matter how small?

3. Flying Delta from LA to Atlanta to Panama City Beach FL
(for the HIM in a few weeks) the second leg of the flight
is in a smaller plane. I'm worried that they may not
accept the bike on the smaller plane. Any
experience/advice?

I have called Delta numerous times but the nice people in
Customer Care can only read the website to me, which doesn't
answer my questions. I may just head down to LAX and see if
I can get some answers from the ticket agents there....(in
writing?!?)....but I thought I would try you guys first.

Many thanks in advance!!!

Susan in LA
 
Susan:

I like the Trico Iron Case. I have flown multiple time with it. Reasonably priced and fairly easy to use/load. Have to take out the seat/post, handlebars/aerobars, wheels and pedals.

I have been hit with an $80 fee one way before, and no fee as well. I think the case is 31 lbs and most full on tri bikes are about 20 lbs, so you will usually be over the weight limit (50 lbs at most airlines). However, that is a smaller fee than the "oversize" fee that most ticket people will want to charge you. Make sure they LOOK IT UP if they try to charge you anything other than overweight as the Trico case least is under all the size limits. They will then measure your case and frump because it is not as big as it looks.

It is a serious hassle getting the case into a cab/van whatever to your hotel, etc. Very bulky and difficult to move around (especially with other luggage, kids, etc.)

Best of luck to you!
 
Hi Susan,

Do travel with a hard case if you value your bike. Cardboard
works but is risky and nearly always results in a few new
scratches. Packing a hard case is easy for the return trip.
Advantage of a cardboard box is that you can discard it at
the destination if desired and not have to lug it around.

I have used several different hardshell boxes. The most
durable was the Pedalpac but it was big though UPS'able. I
currently use a Performance model that I got a great deal on
locally. It is about the size of the Trico case but has no
external straps, just locking clamps which work well. It is
on the small side but I can get everything inside for a
triathlon except my helmet. I would make the Trico my first
choice and the Performance a close second. The built in
wheels make moving it about the terminals easy. Both fit in
the back seat of even small rental cars or in the trunk with
a bungee to hold the car deck lid down.

The Small commuter airlines that will take you from a hub to
Panama City will carry your bike just as the larger airlines
do. So long as the airline is on your original destination
ticket there should be no additional charge. I have
been(Panama City) there a couple times traveling from Hawaii
with no problem. I have learned to just accept the fee but
remember times when the bike always went as a piece of
luggage with no extra charge. New Zealand Air still has that
policy but I know of no other.

The size limit is tricky as they total all dimensions which
will always go over the 62 inch. Trico total =87 inches.

"Susan in LA" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Any advice on any of the following would be hugely
> appreciated:
>
> 1. What's the best hard-shell bike-travel case in your
> opinion?
>
> (I've already Googled extensively on the benefits of hard
> v. soft v. cardboard v. plastic bags v.
> nothing......haven't decided which is the
best
> option but would love your opinions on the current best
> hard-shell case in case I go that route.)
>
> 2. Is there any hard-shell bike case that is small enough
> to be treated as normal checked luggage by the airlines
> (i.e., no extra fee as long as your luggage meets
> size/weight/number limits)?
>
> For example, the Delta website states "Any bicycle
> presented in a box with overall dimensions (length + width
> + height) that does not exceed 62" may
be
> checked as part of a customer's free baggage allowance."
> And I see that
the
> Trico Ironcase, for example, measures 47" x 30" x 10",
> i.e, less than
62".
> However, my extensive Googling today indicates that most
> cyclists flying domestically in the US are getting hit
> with a fee for checking a bike no matter how small a box
> it is in. Are these cyclists just using travel
cases
> that are too large or do the airlines just charge for any
> bike period no matter how small?
>
> 3. Flying Delta from LA to Atlanta to Panama City Beach FL
> (for the HIM in
a
> few weeks) the second leg of the flight is in a smaller
> plane. I'm worried that they may not accept the bike on
> the smaller plane. Any experience/advice?
>
> I have called Delta numerous times but the nice people in
> Customer Care
can
> only read the website to me, which doesn't answer my
> questions. I may just head down to LAX and see if I can
> get some answers from the ticket agents there....(in
> writing?!?)....but I thought I would try you guys first.
>
> Many thanks in advance!!!
>
> Susan in LA
 
"IMKen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi Susan,
>
> Do travel with a hard case if you value your bike.
> Cardboard works but is risky and nearly always results in
> a few new scratches. Packing a hard
case
> is easy for the return trip. Advantage of a cardboard box
> is that you
can
> discard it at the destination if desired and not have to
> lug it around.
>
> I have used several different hardshell boxes. The most
> durable was the Pedalpac but it was big though UPS'able. I
> currently use a Performance model that I got a great deal
> on locally. It is about the size of the Trico case but has
> no external straps, just locking clamps which work
well.
> It is on the small side but I can get everything inside
> for a triathlon except my helmet. I would make the Trico
> my first choice and the Performance a close second. The
> built in wheels make moving it about the terminals easy.
> Both fit in the back seat of even small rental cars or
in
> the trunk with a bungee to hold the car deck lid down.

You guys talked me into it.....my LBS had a Trico in stock
so I bought it yesterday.

> The Small commuter airlines that will take you from a hub
> to Panama City will carry your bike just as the larger
> airlines do. So long as the
airline
> is on your original destination ticket there should be no
> additional
charge.
> I have been(Panama City) there a couple times traveling
> from Hawaii with
no
> problem.

Thanks; this is good to hear.

> I have learned to just accept the fee but remember times
> when the bike always went as a piece of luggage with no
> extra charge. New Zealand Air still has that policy but I
> know of no other.
>
> The size limit is tricky as they total all dimensions
> which will always go over the 62 inch. Trico total
> =87 inches.

Ooooooooooh! So *that's* the 62 inches they're talking
about! So all I need to do is find a bike case that
measures, say, 20x20x22.....maybe if I break it down enough
I can fit the bike into my toiletries bag.

Thanks for responding to my post!

Susan
 
"rroof" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Susan:
>
> I like the Trico Iron Case. I have flown multiple time
> with it. Reasonably priced and fairly easy to use/load.
> Have to take out the seat/post, handlebars/aerobars,
> wheels and pedals.
>
> I have been hit with an $80 fee one way before, and no fee
> as well. I think the case is 31 lbs and most full on tri
> bikes are about 20 lbs, so you will usually be over the
> weight limit (50 lbs at most airlines). However, that is a
> smaller fee than the "oversize" fee that most ticket
> people will want to charge you. Make sure they LOOK IT UP
> if they try to charge you anything other than overweight
> as the Trico case least is under all the size limits. They
> will then measure your case and frump because it is not as
> big as it looks.
>
> It is a serious hassle getting the case into a cab/van
> whatever to your hotel, etc. Very bulky and difficult to
> move around (especially with other luggage, kids, etc.)
>
> Best of luck to you!

Thank you for your help. I bought the Trico yesterday....it
seemed like the best option for transport. Thanks for the
reminder about cabs too.....I'll have to specify a van or
station wagon.

Susan