Taking a cycle to the UK
 

My son will be travelling one-way to the UK in a couple of weeks. He's going to grad school at the University of Durham. He'll be travelling from our little airport via treehopper to Boston, then from Logan, Aer Lingus to Dublin and Aer Lingus to Manchester, then train to Durham. I know the airlines will take a bicycle with no problem if it correctly boxed up ... but I'm worried about him crossing Logan Airport with this plus a huge backpack, and the same at the Manchester end; airport to train etc. Anybody done a trip like this with a bicycle?

Alternatively, has anyone sent a bicycle independly via FedEx or DHL or similar. I'm wondering if that would be easier, how much it would cost etc.

This is a good touring bike, weighing about 25lbs. Any insights appreciated!!

Robin

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

It's probably cheaper to ship it (though watch out for Customs trying to levy excise duty - he shouldn't be due to pay, but that's not to say they won't try). Also a lot easier.

If he is going by a stack of different airlines, they may each try to charge him for each segment of his trip (plus more chance of it going missing).

Check eBay for a bike case as this might prevent damage. For example: http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...0Travel%20Case

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

Couple on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/TUFFBOX-CASE-for...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/THULE-ROUND-TRIP...QQcmdZViewItem

and

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bicycle-Case-Tri...QQcmdZViewItem

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

Hi Robin

'Fraid I can't help with the cycle info...but I just wanted to say my big sister went to Durham and absolutely loved it! Those student bars - wow - I think she's still paying off her student debt now - and she graduated about 15 years ago! :eek:

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

I've done this a few times. It's a hassle (frankly) but nothing a teenage boy/young man of normal health can't handle.

Pack with lots of padding, handlers will throw it around. Buying a hard case will make it easier - but then you have the challenge of what to do with the box at the other end! If you pack properly with lots of foam, pipe lagging etc, there's nothing wrong with a cardboard box (get one from your LBS).

AA charged me $100 from airport of origin to airport of destination (i.e. regardless of sectors) last time. I doubt FedEx is cheaper, though.

The other thing he's going to need once he gets to Durham is the biggest, baddest lock he can handle - Kryptonite Fuhggedaboutit or Abus Steel-O-Flex are among the best imho. Even then (unfortunately) it's hard to keep your stuff. He might want to consider a cheap toon commuter that's ugly and wouldn't be so upsetting if it got nicked - good touring bikes don't come cheap, as I am sure already knows...

You could get him to go onto the touring/travel forum at bikeforums.net for more advice.

THT

L-W

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

If your son cant manage to get a 25Ibs bike across an airport he shouldn't bother with university and maybe retake the 5th grade.

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

OOhh...rather uncalled for!

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

L-W & dunroving,
Thanks for the good tips -- actually I'm encouraging him to buy a new bike over there, and leave me his; it's a nicer cycle than mine, as well as being 20 years newer (and, cleaned more recently ;))
Yeah, I think he already has his eye on those student bars ..

Robin

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

Not at all. He is going to be a graduate and cant carry a 25Ib bike from one airort terminal to another?????

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

Noone said he couldn't, they were just asking if there is an easier way.

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

Part of the issue is, since he's travelling one-way and moving to the UK long-term, he'll be wanting to take a lot of stuff with him; and the bicycle (either in terms of weight or in terms of maximum number of pieces) will reduce what he can travel with without paying excess... that made me think of shipping it independently as an alternative...

Robin

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

I say, I went up to Oxford so I could afford to pay rough-necked men to carry my things for me!

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

I am significantly older and so far I have taken a bike to Sri Lanka and back, plus two to the US.

First one I brought over on a visit and left, the other when I moved over. Along with two large bags, used ever pound of my allowance. Interesting getting everything across London on the Tube.

My wife has also taken her bike to the UK and back.

She has a hard case, I have a soft one, my Bikes are larger!

25lbs is very light for a touring bike.

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

logan airport is a shitter though :lol:

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

:rolleyes:

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

Are students really as dense and lacking in common sense as they seem to be on BE. FFS it is a BICYCLE.....why doesnt he RIDE it between terminals or WHEEL IT.

Jesus H Christ!!! :rolleyes:

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

Terminals at Manchester 1/2/3 all within about 300 yards of railway station which is in the complex of the terminals with mobile walkways to the platforms. Trains direct to Piccidilly, Mcr then onward to Durham.Check out various bicycle carry packages,very neat nowadays and lightweight. If in doubt, wait till you get up to Durham and then steal one, everyone else does it.it would save time and money !:lol:

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

I think it's you that's being dense - bikes have to be packed in cardboard bags, cases or boxes before being checked in, as you might have guessed from the references above to bags and boxes.

:rolleyes: back at you!

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

I've been shipping bikes and bike parts to the UK all year via FedEx for a friend in the UK who buys them off Ebay. A full bike is usually between $70 and $100 and it gets there in 3 days.

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

That's how I'd get it there in his situation. Many of the cyclists I have ridden with often FedEx their bikes to events rather than take with them on the plane. They seem to think it will be better treated by the FedEx guys than the airline baggage handlers.

When I came back from the States in June there were three cyclists whose bikes were in a sorry state at the luggage carousel - admittedly, it looked like they hadn't been packed particularly well (they were in cardboard bike boxes) - but hard to tell if that was actually bad packing or the aftermath of being slung around like a sack of potatoes by the airline staff. I couldn't see them getting very far on their bike tour without a little attention from a bike wrench. :(

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

You're obviously a student as anyone with any common sense would take the bike out of the box, attach the front wheel and then wheel it. I appreciate that this might involve a certain amount of radical thinking along the lines of actually using your student hands for a task other than lifting a half of cider, rolling a joint, opening a pot noodle or holding an open palm out to mum and dad.

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

GYAC, mate. The bike isn't packed fully assembled into boxes or bags because the box would be too big to be handled and all the stuff would be rattling around inside. The wheels are removed, handlebars rotated 90 degrees (or removed, it's easier), pedals removed, rear mech removed and (ideally) crankset removed. Then there's all the pissing about with skewers, seatpost and jamming the holder-thingies in the dropouts. Then the whole lot is disassembled and packed with copious amounts of bubblewrap, tape and cardboard.

http://www.bikemecca.com/techstuff/p...s/IMG_0024.JPG

It takes a ******* age to do properly and just as long (if not longer, weirdly) to reassemble. It's not something you particularly want to be doing in the middle of an airport (speaking as someone that's done it a few times).

Unlike most people on this thread, you apparently don't have any relevant experience or knowledge to contribute. Maybe you should stick to topics you know something about like...umm...hold on, I'm sure we'll find out sooner or later.

Pimpbot: oh, yeah, if FedEx only costs $100 for a full bike, I'd definitely send it that way in that case. That's exactly the same price as he's likely to be charged by the airline per segment!

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

Where does it say that it has to be packed like that by law? You could just remove front wheel, turn the bars and remove the crank gear and it would easily fit in a box and still be able to have the front wheel put back on in a second and ****ing wheeled through the airport.

As this is way to complicated a task for the accademic student mind then just put the bike on a trolley and push it...failing that carry it, its only 25Ibs you pussy.

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

Even in a bike bag its a lot more comlicaed than that, i a box, cardboard or purpose designed for re-use, its a lot worse..

Re: Taking a cycle to the UK
 

Nowhere! You could "legally" check in a Ming vase unpacked too, if you wanted, but no-one would expect it to be in very good condition after it's been Seeing as the OP started off by saying it's a good bike that's worth keeping, it wouldn't make much sense to transport it in a condition that's likely to get it damaged (i.e. sticking it in a big cardboard box and hoping nothing happens to it).

A smarter (and less beardy) person than you might have just said "oh, you're right - I hadn't thought about that" by now and exited gracefully, but you're just blustering on. Anyway, like they say, "never argue with a fool, because people looking from a distance can't see who is who", so cheerio... :rofl: