Flying with bikes

[cribbit]

About to move cross country and am hoping to take two of my stable with me. Luckily I have long term storage for the rest.

I booked Alaska because they seem to have the most bike friendly policies - a box with a bike in it gets charged as a normal checked bag, no oversize/weight fees. (https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/baggage/special-baggage/traveling-with-sporting-equipment)

I talked to a phone rep and they said that as long as the box is under 115" total dimentions (L + W + H) and under 100lbs I shouldn't have any issues.

Looking largely for tips on packing the box.

I'm thinking of taking 2 boxes and stitching them into one larger box, then nearly-fully disassembling both bikes to pack inside. I also have a pump, various spare parts, a couple of locks, a helmet, etc to fill the gaps, and plenty of packing material. I'm sticking with 2 bikes since none of my others are quite nice enough to bring with, and 2 is already pushing my luck.

I figure attaching some proper handles will make it less likely to be abused and of course plenty of 'fragile/do not stack' stickers. Debating whether to try to internally reinforce the box, especially in the middle where crushing is both likely and risky.

What big pitfalls should I make sure to avoid when packing the bike box?

[PeregrineA1]

Consider shipping via BikeFlights.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cribbit]

Consider shipping via BikeFlights.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ends up being far more expensive than checked baggage. Coast to coast.

[BryanE]

Good move on Alaska Airlines.
Join Club 49 and get a free bag. And that includes your bike! Please check it out. It is well worth it.
I lived in Anchortown for two years and shipped several times on Alaskan Airlines.
I went to my LBS and had them box up my bike.
It should all be good.

[cribbit]

Good move on Alaska Airlines.
Join Club 49 and get a free bag. And that includes your bike! Please check it out. It is well worth it.
I lived in Anchortown for two years and shipped several times on Alaskan Airlines.
I went to my LBS and had them box up my bike.
It should all be good.

Seems to be only for Alaska residents :(

[AngryScientist]

even if it is more expensive, i'd prefer to ship via bikeflights, fully insured for full sized bikes.

[BryanE]

Seems to be only for Alaska residents :(

Oops. Sorry.
Back to original question.
I always had my LBS box up my bikes.
They use a box one of their bikes came in.
If you want be extra careful, like I do, use pipe insulation on the tubes.
Bikeflight or AA? You have gorillas on both ends moving the bike.
I have used both with no problems.
I would do AA. I am cheap.

[a4a]

If you not too risk-averse, try this:

http://www.twowheeltravelblog.com/2012/10/25/how-to-fly-with-a-bike-cheap-and-easy-method/

A friend of mine uses a plastic bag and the bike has made it every time unscathed. I'm not quite ready to make the leap.

[CaptStash]

I don't think I would try to stuff two bikes into one box. Bikes pack up pretty well into bike boxes, and survive UPS and FedEx pretty regularly, so should be fine with Alaska. I would find a YouTube video showing how to box a bike up, there are plenty. I second the idea of using pipe insulation. Helps keep paint pristine.

CaptStash....

BTW: I am a huge fan of Alaska Airlines since I fly them about 100k every eyar. Do yourself a favor and get their mileage VISA if you are thinking you may be flying back and fourth. You get free checked bags with it and can build miles pretty fast; plus the BOGO deal is pretty sweet.

[Fishbike]

Et?

[B^2]

When it comes to packing a bike, assuming you're using a card board box, most of what you can protect against is scratches and scrapes. May be worth investing in a hard case if you're worried about stuff getting crushed. Check your local bike shop and see if they have some packing material you can take/use.