Anyone ever had issues with cycling shoes in your carry on luggage?

[BdaGhisallo]

Has anyone ever had any trouble getting cycling shoes in your carry on luggage past the TSA agents? Is there any reason they wouldn't let you take them on the plane rather than put them in checked luggage?

I am anticipating travelling next month in the US and just wondered about this.

Thanks,
Geoff

[Bruce K]

The only issue I ever had was one time shortly after 9/11 over a set of Speedplay cleats as they thought they could be used as a weapon (big block of metal). I have never had a major issue with my Look cleats.

I have found that they will usually take an extra look at most airports unless the xray person knows what they are when he sees them (you could always tell them ahead of time that they are there).

Generally all you have to do is leave them on top with your little baggies and explain what they are and you are good.

Tire tubes have been a whole other matter as they seem to worry about them more.

BK

[bewheels]

I travel/fly a lot, though not a lot of travel with cycling shoes. You should be fine.
You could be pro-active and take them out of the bag and place them in the tray. Also keep in mind that different TSA stations and people can put you through a different experience. At this point I put anything in a tray that might slow things down. If they can see it in plan sight rather than tucked in a bag, things go faster.

Now with that said...there is a still a chance that you will stripped searched...

[bewheels]

There you go - two answers at the same time saying basically the same thing...must mean its true.

You're definitely getting stripped search now.

[rwsaunders]

I travel with a pair of Sidi road shoes and SPD-L cleats in my bag quite often...never had an issue.

[schwa86]

When I rode in Italy a couple years ago, I was advised to also pack pedals (Speedplays) in my carry on in case bike got delayed/lost. The agents spent a lot of time looking at those but ultimately no problem.

[witcombusa]

I always have my pedals attached to the shoes in the bag. This helps the idiots @ tsa figure out what they are...sometimes. :confused:

[happycampyer]

When I rode in Italy a couple years ago, I was advised to also pack pedals (Speedplays) in my carry on in case bike got delayed/lost. The agents spent a lot of time looking at those but ultimately no problem.This is good advice.

I recently took a cycling trip, and the organizer (Paul Levine of Signature Cycles) had a detailed list of everything riders should bring in their carry-on in case their luggage or bike was delayed or lost, and the list included shoes and pedals. As far as I recall, no one on the trip even mentioned having issues with the TSA (at least not regarding their shoes or pedals). And Paul has been running these trips for years—if the TSA had given people trouble in the past, I think that he would have mentioned it (if you know Paul, you know how detail-oriented he is).

(Ha! I was typing at the same time as witcombusa—same basic advice)

[BdaGhisallo]

Cheers guys. That's what I figured but it's always good to check with those who have first hand experience.

[lil_champ]

The only thing I've ever had an issue with is one of those folding allen wrench multitools. It's happened a few times where I forget it's in my bag, and they flag it going through the x-ray. They dig through my bag to pull it out and examine it like it's some kind of bizarre alien weapon, but every time they've concluded it's harmless and let me keep it.

[Lionel]

Travel with my shoes all the time. No issue. 10% of the time they will ask to see them.