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01-11-2005, 09:20 PM

Greg Anderson wrote:

<snip>

> I was wondering if anyone in the group had any experiences to share
> of things that might not be obvious that help ensure that a bike gets to
> its destination in one piece. Stuff like, um, "don't pack your tools
> with the bike," or "definitely pack your tools with the bike."

> Basically, I think I've got the "book smarts" to pack things up well,
> but if anyone's had any gotcha's from a previous experience, I'd be
> interested in being enlightened.

You may want to remove your rear derailleur, wrap it in a piece of
newspaper, and use some tape to tie it to your frame. In my experience,
this is the only part of the bicycle that protrudes enough to be damaged.

I will usually pack my clothes in plastic bags, and use them as padding
in various places in the box. Empty water bottles also are useful (both
bicycle water bottles, and just empty thin plastic water bottles.

When you tape the box, go all the way around the box with the tape,
don't just use small strips to tape the box shut.

If you put stuff into the box, make sure that nothing can get loose and
come out the hand-holds in the box.

If you are removing the wheels for the bike to fit into tbe box, be
especially careful to pack your QR skewers (often it is better not to
have the skewers in the hub as they tend to poke through the side of the
box). Antecdote time---I was on a trip to Russia, and one guy had had
his tandem "professionally boxed" by a bike shop. Only they hadn't
included the QR skewers. There is no place in Russia to buy QR skewers.
By the grace of g-d, before leaving on this trip, I threw a bunch of
miscellaneous used parts into a duffle bag, and had included two
skewers. They were way too long, but he found some rusty thick nuts on a
chain link fence behind the hotel, and removed them to use as spacers,
and went 800km like this. This is what is referred to as fixing your
bike with roadside trash.

If the wheels are removed, then you'll want to put blocks of wood
between the dropouts.

01-11-2005, 09:20 PM	#19 (permalink)
Steven M. Scharf Posts: n/a	Re: Airplane travel with bicycles Greg Anderson wrote: <snip> > I was wondering if anyone in the group had any experiences to share > of things that might not be obvious that help ensure that a bike gets to > its destination in one piece. Stuff like, um, "don't pack your tools > with the bike," or "definitely pack your tools with the bike." > Basically, I think I've got the "book smarts" to pack things up well, > but if anyone's had any gotcha's from a previous experience, I'd be > interested in being enlightened. You may want to remove your rear derailleur, wrap it in a piece of newspaper, and use some tape to tie it to your frame. In my experience, this is the only part of the bicycle that protrudes enough to be damaged. I will usually pack my clothes in plastic bags, and use them as padding in various places in the box. Empty water bottles also are useful (both bicycle water bottles, and just empty thin plastic water bottles. When you tape the box, go all the way around the box with the tape, don't just use small strips to tape the box shut. If you put stuff into the box, make sure that nothing can get loose and come out the hand-holds in the box. If you are removing the wheels for the bike to fit into tbe box, be especially careful to pack your QR skewers (often it is better not to have the skewers in the hub as they tend to poke through the side of the box). Antecdote time---I was on a trip to Russia, and one guy had had his tandem "professionally boxed" by a bike shop. Only they hadn't included the QR skewers. There is no place in Russia to buy QR skewers. By the grace of g-d, before leaving on this trip, I threw a bunch of miscellaneous used parts into a duffle bag, and had included two skewers. They were way too long, but he found some rusty thick nuts on a chain link fence behind the hotel, and removed them to use as spacers, and went 800km like this. This is what is referred to as fixing your bike with roadside trash. If the wheels are removed, then you'll want to put blocks of wood between the dropouts.