Hi all
Can anyone advıse of a cheap/reputable company for shıppıng my tourıng bicycle from Istanbul, Turkey to Australıa? Apprecıate any advıce on companıes to use, costs, your experınce, etc.
Look forward to any help!
Cheers

Can't you just check a bike in as luggage ??

I'm sure I've seen bikes, as well as bloody great big golf bags and even surfboards sitting around airports.

Standard parcel companies will transport bikes, people like DHL and UPS. Thing to do is to try and get yourself to a bicycle shop and ask for a shipping box that one of their bikes come in. I've used UPS to send a bike to Australia before and it got there no problem and I could track it on-line, but they did want it well packed.

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You certainly can; just get one of those bike boxes mentioned in another post, take off the pedals and turn them inwards (or just pack them in other luggage), turn the (flat) handlebars through 90 degrees (or pack them separately as well) and pack the bike securely in the box - check it in with your flight as hold luggage; there might be excess baggage charges if you are carrying a lot of kit.
At the destination, there are no carnet requirements, re-filling of fuel tanks or heavy lifting! - ideal.

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Dave

not any more you can't, at least in the UK. many/most airlines are now imposing restrictions (least of which is a 'proper' bike bag, which you'd have to dump at the other end). it's become a right pain in the ****.

best check with your airline before turning up at the airport. seeing a few reports of cyclo-tourists being rejected at airports here. BA, SleezyJet and RyanScare are ones to be wary of.

still, not as bad as trying to take a surf board on a plane trip....

You almost certainly would have to pay, but nothing like as much as to transport a bike that has an engine.

CTC - the UK's national cyclists organisation

I agree that the cheapie airlines can't be bothered with anything that gets in the way of making a few £.
A half decent airline that is used to providing good service would certainly carry a bike.

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Dave

British Airways are at it as well, with new rules:

British Airways - New baggage policy

the rest will no doubt follow.

Hi Chris,

Not sure how helpful this well be as see your inquiry was three weeks ago.

I have had a bit of experience shipping my mountain bike to a flew places from Canada, and although I see on the post there may be more restrictions then when I last did it. But the way I have shipped my bike is using a product that holds the bike and allows you to fly with it as check-in luggage.

I am not at home right now or could check the bag, I am actually in Europe right now on a five week motobike trip, but will check when I get back to Canada and let you know the product name for future reference.


Velo-bag seems to ring a bell?

Anyhow, as per the other post, the disasembly required is very minimul:

Handlebars off, turned sideways and taped,
Pedals off ( I wrap them in bubble wrap and zap strap them to the frame.
Seat and seat post off ( I tape it to the seat tube inverted)
Front tire off (It goes in its own little pouch in the bag)

That about it. Places I have taken it as checked in luggage are Eire, Trinidad and Tobago, Fiji, Philipennes, Cuba, Mexico to name a few.

Had a quick peek on the internet. Here is a page showing some products, but I do not see the one we used, but they are very similar.


Mountain Bike Bags


Ours was a soft shell bag with extra padding at the hubs for protection.

One thing we found that often charter airlines we a little more accomadating with bikes as they also take skiis, surfboards etc.

With the larger airlines, we always tried to check in advance to be sure.

Hope that helps a bit!

Kind regards,

Ian

The BA link is a 404 but I thought they did a 'sporting goods' allowance?
I took mine to India on Emirates in a bike box and just brought it back in a tarp wrapped in string. Cant see the prob as long as it's under the weight limit (30kg with Emirates).

One mistake I made: deflating the tyres completely; the rim cut the tube at some point in transit. A rotor got bent too but it bent back OK. I packed it better on the way back.

Took a bulky IK back with Ryanair once and had to sign some damage disclaimer which I think is all they are worried about.

Ch

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