MTB New Zealand - Fly, ship or rent?

[rinconryder]

I am headed to South Island New Zealand at the end of November. Going to RV around for a week for some MTB and trail running.

I have been quoted $1000 to rent MTBs for a week. They are decent but not great. I wouldn't mind flying bikes but I am going to Fiji for a couple of days on the way home and that will just be an additional pain but maybe one that I can endure.

Anyone have any ideas as far as shipping? Or should I just suck it up and fly the bikes?

[d_douglas]

No good advice here on shipping vs renting, but you are one lucky guy - I have heard that cycling in NZ is spectacular.

Renting seems like throwing away your money, but it sure seems convenient. I rented on Mallorca several years ago, and while it was only for an afternoon, I was happy to pay the money and save the hassle. I rode a size too big, but it was a decent bike and I made it work. I was more interested in the scenery than the technology anyways.

Lucky you :)

[raygunner]

But then again you have to take into account the charges for flying with your bike. I've never done so internationally but NZ is on the bucket list for 2016 and I'd have to assume it'd be around $500 for both legs of the trip.

[mecse]

I am headed to South Island New Zealand at the end of November. Going to RV around for a week for some MTB and trail running.

I have been quoted $1000 to rent MTBs for a week. They are decent but not great. I wouldn't mind flying bikes but I am going to Fiji for a couple of days on the way home and that will just be an additional pain but maybe one that I can endure.

Anyone have any ideas as far as shipping? Or should I just suck it up and fly the bikes?

How are you getting to NZ? Which airline, etc?

If you're only going to MTB for a little bit, it seems like it's not worth it. Trail running there is spectacular (as is any hiking in that country)

Depending on who you fly it can be very expensive or very cheap to take a bike.

E.g. it's not NZ, but flying Qantas to Australia means that a bike is just another piece of luggage. (so it's free if you're in the limit)

[josephr]

$1000 seems a little steep in a mtn bike rental anywhere. If that's US$, I'd pass on hauling a mtb with you the whole week or try to work out just 1 or 2 days.

I prefer renting as I don't like the hassle and it gives the opportunity to ride a bike maybe otherwise wouldn't have ridden or could afford. It was really cool to ride a Yeti SB95 in Colorado for a week!

[malcolm]

I rented a carbon fiber giant 650b hardtail with a xtr/xt in park city, ut for $58 daily.

[jh_on_the_cape]

Just bought tix to Christchurch last night!
Pls share what you figure out about a mountain bike.
I am going for longer so was either going to buy a bike there, or ship one of mine there and then just sell it there. But probably just buy a bike there.

I need to check out duties, etc.
If you are size large and bring a bike to Christchurch in November and want to sell it... let me know!

[45K10]

I flew to NZ last year and toyed with the idea of bring the bike but I ended up just hiking instead. I seem to recall that bikes fly for free on Air NZ.

You might want to check that out.

[rinconryder]

Thank you! Good input. I am flying Air NZ so I will look into flying the bike for free. Would much prefer to fly my own bike.

[jdhansen63]

3 years ago, my wife and I spent a month biking the South Island for our honeymoon. Bikes were considered standard luggage and had no extra charge on Air NZ.

[45K10]

Thank you! Good input. I am flying Air NZ so I will look into flying the bike for free. Would much prefer to fly my own bike.

Another thing to checkout with Air NZ is about a month out from your flight they will send you an email letting you bid on a chance to upgrade.

I took a shot a offered to pay $50 extra per ticket (wife & I) to upgrade to economy comfort or whatever they call it. I never heard anything back until the day before our flight and bam upgraded for $100 nz.

Pretty sweet deal, the same deal worked for my in-laws as well when they flew this past February

Definitely worth a shot.

[makoti]

I flew to Aus last year & took my S&S bike. Normal sized luggage, so no extra cost other than standard extra bag ($100 r/t). Had it been a normal bike, it would have been $200 r/t. NZ has got to be the same or cheaper (I took united. I think Air NZ is more forgiving)

[mccx]

I think renting vs flying is your choice. It's just a matter of weighing up cost vs convenience. Shipping probably isn't worth it (see below.)

How many bags are you allowed? AirNZ counts a bike as a standard piece of luggage, but the base fare/status only allows 1 bag per traveller (even on long haul US-NZ). I think you can prepay for an extra bag with AirNZ for about $100 each way.

Shipping out of NZ is a major cost. NZ Post doesn't accept packages that large so it might have to be shipped by someone like UPS or DHL. My workplace's shipping calculator tells me that a 51 x 7 x 31 cm box that weighs 10kg would cost US$485 to ship from Christchurch to Los Angeles, before insurance, with UPS. There may be other freight companies that would do it, but that would take more research.

[Marburg]

I've only flown with bikes twice (once to get here, and one round trip back to the states), and I did this:


AirNZ counts a bike as a standard piece of luggage, but the base fare/status only allows 1 bag per traveller (even on long haul US-NZ). I think you can prepay for an extra bag with AirNZ for about $100 each way.

At the time the allowance was two bags. It's now one and you would pay for the "extra bag", depending on where you are in the cattle car.

The stop on Fiji on the way back is a bit of a wrinkle, I have to admit. Extra legs == extra costs.

Was that $1000/bike? How about: http://www.naturalhigh.co.nz/biking/mountain-bike-rentals/

I've done lots of riding around Christchurch, but very little around the remainder of the SI (lots of hiking, tho). Hit me up if you need local info. When is your trip?

Also, support the Kennett Brothers: http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/product/BOO/CLA