Whether you’re off on a training camp, racing abroad or enjoying some time on two-wheels in the sun with your mates – there’s nothing quite like heading off for an adventure with your trusty steed. But the prospect of travelling with your bike can feel a bit daunting! Tom Epton, a triathlete will plenty of experience of taking his bike abroad, shares his top tips for making travelling with your bike as stress-free as possible…
Tom’s Top Tips for Travelling with Your Bike
Travelling with your bike can be a stressful experience, especially the first time. But it’s something many cyclists and triathletes will need, or want, to do eventually. Getting confident at travelling with your bike can open up a world of adventures. Whether it’s sunning yourself in your bib shorts on the Balearic Islands, climbing the great cols of the alps or riding on the legendary trails of Girona.
You might have thought about taking your bike abroad with you, but perhaps have been put off by the logistical problems of getting it on an airplane. And trusting the baggage handlers with your prize possession can definitely feel a bit dauting, especially the first time!
Whether you’re travelling for a race or off on a cycling holiday (make sure you go and visit Stolen Goat’s friends at the Sa Ruta Verda Café if you’re in Mallorca!) hopefully my top tips will help to navigate the logistics and alleviate your fears of travelling with your bike.
Bike box or bag? How to transport your bike
Deciding what to pack your bike into is one of the most important tips of all! Bikes go in a box or bag on an airplane. These can range from a £50 bag (or even a tightly packed cardboard box going spare) all the way to a £600 box which is practically a nuclear bunker for your bike. Selecting something that’s robust enough for the journey will have you travelling safe in the knowledge that the bike will arrive in good working order ready for your training camp, holiday, or event. My favourite bike bag provider is Bike Box Alan – a British bloke called Alan who makes a wide array of bike boxes. He also caters for racing wheelchairs and hires bike boxes out from several locations.
Choose your airline wisely
Some airlines have a reputation for being gentler with your bike than others. There’s also the chance of added fees, which are popular with some airlines. Make sure you don’t just look at the flight fees when booking – check the cost of all the added extras too! Being careful to check the weight allowances, and the distribution of these allowances across your luggage, will also help to reduce your travel costs and reduce the chances of surprise charges when you get to the airport. Check reviews carefully on cycling forums, ask your friends and read the airline’s policies online before booking to save yourself from added stress at the airport. Travel is stressful enough already!
Get bike insurance (or check your existing cover)
Getting an insurer who will cover your bike in transit as well as at your destination is important and gives you the confidence that your bike is covered. This is reassuring as you won’t be hit with a big bill if the baggage handlers are less than gentle. If you already have bike insurance, check your policy to see make sure that it covers travel. And if it does, check how long this cover lasts – some have limits ranging from 7-90 days and various levels of coverage depending on your destination. You can also buy cycling specific travel insurance, which may be better covering both you and your bike in the case of any mishaps. Making sure the insurance company has an incident hotline and matching its opening hours to whatever time zone you’re in can also reduce stress in the unfortunate instance that something goes wrong.
Scope out the local bike shop at your destination
If you’re anything like me, when you land at your destination one of the first things you’ll do is build your bike. Every now and again this build might go wrong. This can be because a bolt becomes rounded or another snaps. Whatever it is, a local bike shop will be able to help. Scope one out online before you fly. If you’re going to a popular cycling destination this will be simple, however it can be a little more difficult if you’re travelling somewhere remote. In these cases, social media is your friend. If you can’t find information nearby contact a local organisation for information on where the nearest bike mechanic is. Tourist offices can be very helpful in this scenario as they have good local knowledge and usually speak English.
Practice makes perfect!
This tip is the best one as it is essentially saying that you should go on lots of cycling holidays! The more you travel with your bike the more of these tips and hacks you start doing automatically. Every time you travel with your bike you get a little better at it! Whether it’s booking a training camp, racing abroad or just holidaying with the bike, practice makes perfect! Start off somewhere close (not too close..) to home with lots of English speaking locals then get more adventurous once you become confident travelling with your bike.
Travelling with your bike doesn’t have to be a very stressful and expensive experience. Follow these tips and you’ll be able to enjoy low-stress travel and all manner of adventures with your bike. By carefully selecting your bike bag, picking the airline that suits you best, insuring yourself and your bike and looking for a local bike shop you’ll be able to take the stress out of travelling with your bike leaving you covered and with nothing to do but enjoy your riding!
Have you got any overseas adventures planned with your bike? Make sure you tag us in your photos and tell The Herd all about it over on our Facebook group. There’s nothing like a bit of cycling holiday inspo to make us want to hit that ‘book now’ button!