Re: [RBW] Bike Travel - Share your thoughts
I want to throw out four options. They are: SS, Bike Friday, Brompton and rentals. I'm a small builder- for about the last 22 years and one of the early installers of SS couplers starting in 1995 or so. I share that only for the purpose of explaining that I've been though over 100 retro's and learned a bit along the way. I'm a big fan of them FOR the right person. If you are mechanical-it is a breeze. If you are not- it increases the expense and frustration. Can your frame be coupled? Any easy way to check is to cut our two cardboard squares 26x26 and draw a boarder around the edge 1/2 in. I like to do that to have a margin of error. When I stared I'd put it all in CAD but the cardboard lay-out process is much easier and can be more accurate. It also helps to see if you will have to remove your cranks or not on some bikes or how you will handle the for- many in the 56 and below range can remain installed.. Throw the squares on the floor and arrange them underneath your frame and fork laying on top of them(wheels removed) You will get a quick idea if your even close. Other considerations are actual tube size. I ran into a few metric sized frames where I've had to shim the couplers to fit. Not a huge deal- built an extra step and expense. $450-475 w/o paint is a good deal. If your frame is rough- have them primer the area and ride it that way for a while. If you are traveling much- the bike will get chipped up- why spend $350 or more on new paint-only to be messed up(technical term). I've traveled with a and SS coupled road bike and front suspended mtb many times over the years. I also have used a Bike Friday tandem and single as well as a Brompton. I like them all for a variety of reason and won' t writ that book today. How long is your trip is a key question followed by what is your intended mileage and course you are covering. I go Arizona a lot for short trips- personal and business. Many times I have a day or two to get some rides in. For that I'll either rent for off-road and check out a new bike I'm interested in- latest and greatest sort of thing. $60-80 for a $3500 -5k bike. That is me- I like my own bikes- also like to check out the new stuff. No hassle at all. For road rides- mostly I'll do a Friday- easy assembly-if I have a voucher for a checked bag. Otherwise the rental again is a cheaper or less hassle. Many cheap model to choose from and many on ebay- under 1k with easy ability to re-sell. Before the bag fee's a Friday or coupled bike was a no brainer- now a rental is a reasonable option as well. If you are doing an extended tour using a train in there- say my trip to Rome- Loved the Friday and the bag was free then. I really only like a Brompton for mixed mode transport (train-bus) or messing around in a city exploring. Not so much for longer rides-for me anyway. I also like to throw in the car for trips. It gives me an activity when I have down time. Again- I'm not road racer X and like to just get out and ride. More than anyone wanted to maybe know. If you have any questions- feel free to email off or on list. Rich -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
Re: [RBW] Bike Travel - Share your thoughts
This is a lot smaller than what you're looking for, but what appears to be a nice SS coupled bike on ebay right now: http://www.ebay.com/itm/131095397407 Cheers, David it isn't a contest. Just enjoy the ride. - Seth Vidal On Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 8:16 AM, Kieran J kjo...@gmail.com wrote: Hey Y'alls, I'm starting to think about air travel with a bike, with the first possible destination of the Bay Area this upcoming summer (hoping to repatriate the Ram Dawg, at least for a visit). Do any of you have experience with bike boxes or bike bags, on an airline? TSC/ATA cases, fabric bags, cardboard bike boxes even? At first, I entertained the idea of installing SS couplers on the Ram (it needs new paint anyways) but together, the retrofit would cost large $$. So now I'm thinking about just flying with it, as is. The Ram is a 66cm, so finding a box that would accommodate its sprawl would be one of the chief concerns. Any good experiences? Things to avoid? Anything to report with various airlines' policies and costs, as well? Thanks! Kieran in Toronto -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[RBW] Bike Travel - Share your thoughts
Hey Y'alls, I'm starting to think about air travel with a bike, with the first possible destination of the Bay Area this upcoming summer (hoping to repatriate the Ram Dawg, at least for a visit). Do any of you have experience with bike boxes or bike bags, on an airline? TSC/ATA cases, fabric bags, cardboard bike boxes even? At first, I entertained the idea of installing SS couplers on the Ram (it needs new paint anyways) but together, the retrofit would cost large $$. So now I'm thinking about just flying with it, as is. The Ram is a 66cm, so finding a box that would accommodate its sprawl would be one of the chief concerns. Any good experiences? Things to avoid? Anything to report with various airlines' policies and costs, as well? Thanks! Kieran in Toronto -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
Re: [RBW] Bike Travel - Share your thoughts
The handlebars were a problem on the 68cm custom that I own, traveling to France and using a hard shell plastic case that I borrowed. There was not enough slack in the shifter and brake cables to remove the threaded stem from the steerer tube. But the bike seemingly would not fit in the box with the handlebars and stem attached to the frame. And the fact that threaded quills only have one bolt for loosening and tightening didn't help; this is one way that threadless is superior. I finally finagled the handlebars in there somehow and used extra straps to keep the thing shut. Knowing what I know now, I would have just removed the barend shifters and disconnected the brake cables. But oh well, youth and inexperience, back in 2007 ;) On the way back to the US, I got a pair of pliers and cut the cables, that made it a lot easier to get the thing in the box. Obviously, I had to have new cables installed before I could ride it again. Another thing I didn't know how to do in 2007... If I knew I was going to ship my bike often, I would get the quick disconnect cables that I have seen on some bikes. I didn't need an SS to make my huge frame and fork fit in a bike box and I don't suspect most other people do, either. If you're not going to be traveling with your bike much, I think just paying the oversize baggage fee makes more sense. It was $110 each way in 2007, little bit of an ouchy but it's much less than installing couplers. I would probably only get SS couplers if I was building a custom tandem, which in my case would be probably near impossible to get on an airplane. Timely question. I need to start thinking about how to get my bike to France in 2015 again (hopefully, anyway). -Jim On Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 10:16 AM, Kieran J kjo...@gmail.com wrote: Hey Y'alls, I'm starting to think about air travel with a bike, with the first possible destination of the Bay Area this upcoming summer (hoping to repatriate the Ram Dawg, at least for a visit). Do any of you have experience with bike boxes or bike bags, on an airline? TSC/ATA cases, fabric bags, cardboard bike boxes even? At first, I entertained the idea of installing SS couplers on the Ram (it needs new paint anyways) but together, the retrofit would cost large $$. So now I'm thinking about just flying with it, as is. The Ram is a 66cm, so finding a box that would accommodate its sprawl would be one of the chief concerns. Any good experiences? Things to avoid? Anything to report with various airlines' policies and costs, as well? Thanks! Kieran in Toronto -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- Keep the metal side up and the rubber side down! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
Re: [RBW] Bike Travel - Share your thoughts
Hey Jim, thanks for your thoughts. Could you not have just loosened the cables at the brakes and the derailleurs? Getting the handlebars off will definitely be necessary, I think. Air Canada appears to charge $50 each way on flights, which is not too bad. The weight and dimensions limits are also reasonable, so it might be doable, as long as we fly with them. Do you happen to know what box you used? Was it a plastic type hard case jobby? KJ On Thursday, January 2, 2014 11:50:22 AM UTC-5, Jim Bronson wrote: The handlebars were a problem on the 68cm custom that I own, traveling to France and using a hard shell plastic case that I borrowed. There was not enough slack in the shifter and brake cables to remove the threaded stem from the steerer tube. But the bike seemingly would not fit in the box with the handlebars and stem attached to the frame. And the fact that threaded quills only have one bolt for loosening and tightening didn't help; this is one way that threadless is superior. I finally finagled the handlebars in there somehow and used extra straps to keep the thing shut. Knowing what I know now, I would have just removed the barend shifters and disconnected the brake cables. But oh well, youth and inexperience, back in 2007 ;) On the way back to the US, I got a pair of pliers and cut the cables, that made it a lot easier to get the thing in the box. Obviously, I had to have new cables installed before I could ride it again. Another thing I didn't know how to do in 2007... If I knew I was going to ship my bike often, I would get the quick disconnect cables that I have seen on some bikes. I didn't need an SS to make my huge frame and fork fit in a bike box and I don't suspect most other people do, either. If you're not going to be traveling with your bike much, I think just paying the oversize baggage fee makes more sense. It was $110 each way in 2007, little bit of an ouchy but it's much less than installing couplers. I would probably only get SS couplers if I was building a custom tandem, which in my case would be probably near impossible to get on an airplane. Timely question. I need to start thinking about how to get my bike to France in 2015 again (hopefully, anyway). -Jim On Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 10:16 AM, Kieran J kjo...@gmail.com javascript:wrote: Hey Y'alls, I'm starting to think about air travel with a bike, with the first possible destination of the Bay Area this upcoming summer (hoping to repatriate the Ram Dawg, at least for a visit). Do any of you have experience with bike boxes or bike bags, on an airline? TSC/ATA cases, fabric bags, cardboard bike boxes even? At first, I entertained the idea of installing SS couplers on the Ram (it needs new paint anyways) but together, the retrofit would cost large $$. So now I'm thinking about just flying with it, as is. The Ram is a 66cm, so finding a box that would accommodate its sprawl would be one of the chief concerns. Any good experiences? Things to avoid? Anything to report with various airlines' policies and costs, as well? Thanks! Kieran in Toronto -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com javascript:. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.comjavascript: . Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- Keep the metal side up and the rubber side down! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
Re: [RBW] Bike Travel - Share your thoughts
$50 is a good price. FedEx or UPS ground service within the US is higher. You mention weight dimensions are reasonable. Keep in mind that many hard plastic cases by themselves are in the 30 lb range. There are several cardboard boxes that are coated with a plastic material that are quite rugged and under 20 lbs. Crate Works is the brand that comes to mine but there are several out there. My Atlantis is 58 cm a lot of stuff has to come off. Cable splitters are a great convenience, and the bars most surely will have to come off. Think about whether you'll need racks on your trip leave big ones (rear pannier rack for instance) at home if not. They take a lot of space. Each airline seems to have its own size, weight, policy restrictions, and they change often. Check all the details before you buy your ticket, then print out the policy in effect on the day you bought your ticket. This has come in handy at check-in. dougP On Thursday, January 2, 2014 8:59:55 AM UTC-8, Kieran J wrote: Hey Jim, thanks for your thoughts. Could you not have just loosened the cables at the brakes and the derailleurs? Getting the handlebars off will definitely be necessary, I think. Air Canada appears to charge $50 each way on flights, which is not too bad. The weight and dimensions limits are also reasonable, so it might be doable, as long as we fly with them. Do you happen to know what box you used? Was it a plastic type hard case jobby? KJ On Thursday, January 2, 2014 11:50:22 AM UTC-5, Jim Bronson wrote: The handlebars were a problem on the 68cm custom that I own, traveling to France and using a hard shell plastic case that I borrowed. There was not enough slack in the shifter and brake cables to remove the threaded stem from the steerer tube. But the bike seemingly would not fit in the box with the handlebars and stem attached to the frame. And the fact that threaded quills only have one bolt for loosening and tightening didn't help; this is one way that threadless is superior. I finally finagled the handlebars in there somehow and used extra straps to keep the thing shut. Knowing what I know now, I would have just removed the barend shifters and disconnected the brake cables. But oh well, youth and inexperience, back in 2007 ;) On the way back to the US, I got a pair of pliers and cut the cables, that made it a lot easier to get the thing in the box. Obviously, I had to have new cables installed before I could ride it again. Another thing I didn't know how to do in 2007... If I knew I was going to ship my bike often, I would get the quick disconnect cables that I have seen on some bikes. I didn't need an SS to make my huge frame and fork fit in a bike box and I don't suspect most other people do, either. If you're not going to be traveling with your bike much, I think just paying the oversize baggage fee makes more sense. It was $110 each way in 2007, little bit of an ouchy but it's much less than installing couplers. I would probably only get SS couplers if I was building a custom tandem, which in my case would be probably near impossible to get on an airplane. Timely question. I need to start thinking about how to get my bike to France in 2015 again (hopefully, anyway). -Jim On Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 10:16 AM, Kieran J kjo...@gmail.com wrote: Hey Y'alls, I'm starting to think about air travel with a bike, with the first possible destination of the Bay Area this upcoming summer (hoping to repatriate the Ram Dawg, at least for a visit). Do any of you have experience with bike boxes or bike bags, on an airline? TSC/ATA cases, fabric bags, cardboard bike boxes even? At first, I entertained the idea of installing SS couplers on the Ram (it needs new paint anyways) but together, the retrofit would cost large $$. So now I'm thinking about just flying with it, as is. The Ram is a 66cm, so finding a box that would accommodate its sprawl would be one of the chief concerns. Any good experiences? Things to avoid? Anything to report with various airlines' policies and costs, as well? Thanks! Kieran in Toronto -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- Keep the metal side up and the rubber side down! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to
Re: [RBW] Bike Travel - Share your thoughts
Great topic. I’ve had good and bad experiences traveling with bikes, mostly associated with being charged for putting a bike on a plane. I’ve traveled with a bike three ways: 1) With a folding and disassembled Dahon Speed Pro that fits (with some practice) in a standard-sized suitcase. Never a problem, but it’s a hassle to get it in and out of the case. I have never been charged for putting this on a plane. 2) With a slightly larger folding Dahon Smooth Hound that fits easily into a case that’s a few inches over the maximum size for “oversized luggage” (but below the 50-pound weight limit that most airlines use). In some cases, the baggage handlers or ticket counter staff take the case (which looks like a really big suitcase—no bicycle pictures on it) and put it on the conveyor. In others, the person accepting baggage gets out the tape measure and I know I’m about to be charged for oversized baggage. On a recent trip from Sacramento to Portland, this bike flew free on the way up, and I paid $75 on the way back. In my experience, it all comes down to how much of a stickler the person at the counter is. The guys accepting baggage outside the terminal seem to care less about a few inches of excess size, but that’s not a sure thing. 3) With a regular bike inside an Iron Case. I’ve flown around the US and to France twice this way without any problems. Downside is of course the cost—no getting a bike case on the plane without paying—and the need to have ground transport at the other end with the capacity for something this large. The airline I usually use (Southwest) now charges $75 per leg, which adds $150 to each trip. My personal calculation, based on the number of times I fly each year, doesn’t make it pencil out to get an SS-coupled frame. I’ve been hunting around my local thrift store for a large, used suitcase that I could squeeze the Dahon Smooth Hound into. That would solve many of my problems—it’s a good bike that rides almost as well as a standard bike, and if I could fly with it for free it would be worth it. --Eric Norris Email: campyonly...@me.com Web: www.campyonly.com Blog: http://campyonlyguy.blogspot.com Twitter: @CampyOnlyGuy Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/campyonlyguy On Jan 2, 2014, at 8:16 AM, Kieran J kjo...@gmail.com wrote: Hey Y'alls, I'm starting to think about air travel with a bike, with the first possible destination of the Bay Area this upcoming summer (hoping to repatriate the Ram Dawg, at least for a visit). Do any of you have experience with bike boxes or bike bags, on an airline? TSC/ATA cases, fabric bags, cardboard bike boxes even? At first, I entertained the idea of installing SS couplers on the Ram (it needs new paint anyways) but together, the retrofit would cost large $$. So now I'm thinking about just flying with it, as is. The Ram is a 66cm, so finding a box that would accommodate its sprawl would be one of the chief concerns. Any good experiences? Things to avoid? Anything to report with various airlines' policies and costs, as well? Thanks! Kieran in Toronto -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
Re: [RBW] Bike Travel - Share your thoughts
Eric, what does Dahon say about putting the Rock Hound in the Samsonite case Bike Friday sells? http://store.bikefriday.com/product_info.php?cPath=46products_id=10966 We have these cases from our Friday purchases and use one of them when we travel with the tandem. The Samsonite is more rectangular which allows us to drop in the front section of our tandem without removing the tall fork. We spread the tandem frame over three cases, this one and two SS cases (which get one wheel each) and stuff them with clothes that would take up our third suitcase. Ed Washington, DC On Thursday, January 2, 2014 2:14:42 PM UTC-5, Eric Norris wrote: Great topic. I’ve had good and bad experiences traveling with bikes, mostly associated with being charged for putting a bike on a plane. I’ve traveled with a bike three ways: 1) With a folding and disassembled Dahon Speed Pro that fits (with some practice) in a standard-sized suitcase. Never a problem, but it’s a hassle to get it in and out of the case. I have never been charged for putting this on a plane. 2) With a slightly larger folding Dahon Smooth Hound that fits easily into a case that’s a few inches over the maximum size for “oversized luggage” (but below the 50-pound weight limit that most airlines use). In some cases, the baggage handlers or ticket counter staff take the case (which looks like a really big suitcase—no bicycle pictures on it) and put it on the conveyor. In others, the person accepting baggage gets out the tape measure and I know I’m about to be charged for oversized baggage. On a recent trip from Sacramento to Portland, this bike flew free on the way up, and I paid $75 on the way back. In my experience, it all comes down to how much of a stickler the person at the counter is. The guys accepting baggage outside the terminal seem to care less about a few inches of excess size, but that’s not a sure thing. 3) With a regular bike inside an Iron Case. I’ve flown around the US and to France twice this way without any problems. Downside is of course the cost—no getting a bike case on the plane without paying—and the need to have ground transport at the other end with the capacity for something this large. The airline I usually use (Southwest) now charges $75 per leg, which adds $150 to each trip. My personal calculation, based on the number of times I fly each year, doesn’t make it pencil out to get an SS-coupled frame. I’ve been hunting around my local thrift store for a large, used suitcase that I could squeeze the Dahon Smooth Hound into. That would solve many of my problems—it’s a good bike that rides almost as well as a standard bike, and if I could fly with it for free it would be worth it. --Eric Norris Email: campyo...@me.com javascript: Web: www.campyonly.com Blog: http://campyonlyguy.blogspot.com Twitter: @CampyOnlyGuy Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/campyonlyguy On Jan 2, 2014, at 8:16 AM, Kieran J kjo...@gmail.com javascript: wrote: Hey Y'alls, I'm starting to think about air travel with a bike, with the first possible destination of the Bay Area this upcoming summer (hoping to repatriate the Ram Dawg, at least for a visit). Do any of you have experience with bike boxes or bike bags, on an airline? TSC/ATA cases, fabric bags, cardboard bike boxes even? At first, I entertained the idea of installing SS couplers on the Ram (it needs new paint anyways) but together, the retrofit would cost large $$. So now I'm thinking about just flying with it, as is. The Ram is a 66cm, so finding a box that would accommodate its sprawl would be one of the chief concerns. Any good experiences? Things to avoid? Anything to report with various airlines' policies and costs, as well? Thanks! Kieran in Toronto -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com javascript:. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.comjavascript: . Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
Re: [RBW] Bike Travel - Share your thoughts
I would have to check. My guess is that this is a bit too small for the Smooth Hound, which has a more standard-looking frame than some of their other folders and doesn’t fold into as small a package. The Smooth Hound is no longer made, but this Dahon looks basically the same: http://dahon.com/mainnav/folding-bikes/single-view/bike/dash_p18-1.html Mine came with mustache bars, which I changed out with standard drop bars (which take up a little more space). --Eric Norris Email: campyonly...@me.com Web: www.campyonly.com Blog: http://campyonlyguy.blogspot.com Twitter: @CampyOnlyGuy Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/campyonlyguy On Jan 2, 2014, at 11:47 AM, dailyrandonneur eddie...@gmail.com wrote: Eric, what does Dahon say about putting the Rock Hound in the Samsonite case Bike Friday sells? http://store.bikefriday.com/product_info.php?cPath=46products_id=10966 We have these cases from our Friday purchases and use one of them when we travel with the tandem. The Samsonite is more rectangular which allows us to drop in the front section of our tandem without removing the tall fork. We spread the tandem frame over three cases, this one and two SS cases (which get one wheel each) and stuff them with clothes that would take up our third suitcase. Ed Washington, DC On Thursday, January 2, 2014 2:14:42 PM UTC-5, Eric Norris wrote: Great topic. I’ve had good and bad experiences traveling with bikes, mostly associated with being charged for putting a bike on a plane. I’ve traveled with a bike three ways: 1) With a folding and disassembled Dahon Speed Pro that fits (with some practice) in a standard-sized suitcase. Never a problem, but it’s a hassle to get it in and out of the case. I have never been charged for putting this on a plane. 2) With a slightly larger folding Dahon Smooth Hound that fits easily into a case that’s a few inches over the maximum size for “oversized luggage” (but below the 50-pound weight limit that most airlines use). In some cases, the baggage handlers or ticket counter staff take the case (which looks like a really big suitcase—no bicycle pictures on it) and put it on the conveyor. In others, the person accepting baggage gets out the tape measure and I know I’m about to be charged for oversized baggage. On a recent trip from Sacramento to Portland, this bike flew free on the way up, and I paid $75 on the way back. In my experience, it all comes down to how much of a stickler the person at the counter is. The guys accepting baggage outside the terminal seem to care less about a few inches of excess size, but that’s not a sure thing. 3) With a regular bike inside an Iron Case. I’ve flown around the US and to France twice this way without any problems. Downside is of course the cost—no getting a bike case on the plane without paying—and the need to have ground transport at the other end with the capacity for something this large. The airline I usually use (Southwest) now charges $75 per leg, which adds $150 to each trip. My personal calculation, based on the number of times I fly each year, doesn’t make it pencil out to get an SS-coupled frame. I’ve been hunting around my local thrift store for a large, used suitcase that I could squeeze the Dahon Smooth Hound into. That would solve many of my problems—it’s a good bike that rides almost as well as a standard bike, and if I could fly with it for free it would be worth it. --Eric Norris Email: campyo...@me.com Web: www.campyonly.com Blog: http://campyonlyguy.blogspot.com Twitter: @CampyOnlyGuy Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/campyonlyguy On Jan 2, 2014, at 8:16 AM, Kieran J kjo...@gmail.com wrote: Hey Y'alls, I'm starting to think about air travel with a bike, with the first possible destination of the Bay Area this upcoming summer (hoping to repatriate the Ram Dawg, at least for a visit). Do any of you have experience with bike boxes or bike bags, on an airline? TSC/ATA cases, fabric bags, cardboard bike boxes even? At first, I entertained the idea of installing SS couplers on the Ram (it needs new paint anyways) but together, the retrofit would cost large $$. So now I'm thinking about just flying with it, as is. The Ram is a 66cm, so finding a box that would accommodate its sprawl would be one of the chief concerns. Any good experiences? Things to avoid? Anything to report with various airlines' policies and costs, as well? Thanks! Kieran in Toronto -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups RBW Owners Bunch group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- You
Re: [RBW] Bike Travel - Share your thoughts
Yes, I could have definitely loosened the cables at the brakes and derailers, but I was very inexperienced at bike maintenance at that point in time. I could change tires pretty well and remove my chain and cassette to clean and re-lube, but that was about it. Derailers, brakes and cables were black magic to me at that point in time. I really wasn't sure where I would go once I got to France if it didn't go back together and shift and brake well. I was going for PBP2007 and not sure of what to expect once I got there. In retrospect, there are quite a few bike shops in France and I'm sure I could have found help had I needed it. I did end up removing the rear derailer. I wrapped pipe insulation around it and ran tape on top of that, then taped the protective cocoon to the seat stay. That worked well, the derailer went right back on when I got to France and shifting was as expected. Unfortunately, when I was over there, something broke that I didn't even mess with. The ratchets on my DT Swiss hub failed about 10KM from the first control. I didn't have a spare set with me. I managed to get another Campy compatible rear wheel and tweaked that one too when it came out of the dropouts when I was pulling away from a stop. I wobbled on through the rain and hills until 412.5 KM at Illyfaut, France where I said to myself this is not fun and caught a ride to Pontivy and ultimately the train back to Paris. Quitting PBP is one of the major regrets of my life and one that I am preparing to go back and rectify in 2015. Anyway...if you are comfortable uninstalling and reinstalling cables and adjusting derailers and brakes, it should be easy for you. The case I used was a hard shell case, I don't remember the name of it now though, sorry. It's been a few years ;) On Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 10:59 AM, Kieran J kjo...@gmail.com wrote: Hey Jim, thanks for your thoughts. Could you not have just loosened the cables at the brakes and the derailleurs? Getting the handlebars off will definitely be necessary, I think. Air Canada appears to charge $50 each way on flights, which is not too bad. The weight and dimensions limits are also reasonable, so it might be doable, as long as we fly with them. Do you happen to know what box you used? Was it a plastic type hard case jobby? KJ On Thursday, January 2, 2014 11:50:22 AM UTC-5, Jim Bronson wrote: The handlebars were a problem on the 68cm custom that I own, traveling to France and using a hard shell plastic case that I borrowed. There was not enough slack in the shifter and brake cables to remove the threaded stem from the steerer tube. But the bike seemingly would not fit in the box with the handlebars and stem attached to the frame. And the fact that threaded quills only have one bolt for loosening and tightening didn't help; this is one way that threadless is superior. I finally finagled the handlebars in there somehow and used extra straps to keep the thing shut. Knowing what I know now, I would have just removed the barend shifters and disconnected the brake cables. But oh well, youth and inexperience, back in 2007 ;) On the way back to the US, I got a pair of pliers and cut the cables, that made it a lot easier to get the thing in the box. Obviously, I had to have new cables installed before I could ride it again. Another thing I didn't know how to do in 2007... If I knew I was going to ship my bike often, I would get the quick disconnect cables that I have seen on some bikes. I didn't need an SS to make my huge frame and fork fit in a bike box and I don't suspect most other people do, either. If you're not going to be traveling with your bike much, I think just paying the oversize baggage fee makes more sense. It was $110 each way in 2007, little bit of an ouchy but it's much less than installing couplers. I would probably only get SS couplers if I was building a custom tandem, which in my case would be probably near impossible to get on an airplane. Timely question. I need to start thinking about how to get my bike to France in 2015 again (hopefully, anyway). -Jim On Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 10:16 AM, Kieran J kjo...@gmail.com wrote: Hey Y'alls, I'm starting to think about air travel with a bike, with the first possible destination of the Bay Area this upcoming summer (hoping to repatriate the Ram Dawg, at least for a visit). Do any of you have experience with bike boxes or bike bags, on an airline? TSC/ATA cases, fabric bags, cardboard bike boxes even? At first, I entertained the idea of installing SS couplers on the Ram (it needs new paint anyways) but together, the retrofit would cost large $$. So now I'm thinking about just flying with it, as is. The Ram is a 66cm, so finding a box that would accommodate its sprawl would be one of the chief concerns. Any good experiences? Things to avoid? Anything to report with various airlines' policies and costs, as well? Thanks! Kieran in
