Packaging is key when flying with your bike

Travelling by bike can be a great way to explore new terrain, but flying with your bike can be a nerve-wracking experience. Choosing the right packaging for your bike is the best way to ensure it will survive the trip.

There are three options to pack up your bike: A bag: Packing up a bike for travel can be as simple as throwing a bag around it. Some airlines will allow cyclists to simply wrap their bike in a plastic bag and treat it as special cargo. Cardboard box: The least expensive packaging material is a cardboard box. Since bikes are shipped to bike shops in cardboard boxes, shops often have spare boxes lying around that they provide either free of charge or for a nominal fee. Since cargo is charged based on its dimensional weight, the bigger the box, the higher the fee will be. Bike case: A bike case is the best option as it provides the most protection for your bike. There are several types of bike cases, some of which have a hard shell like a suitcase, and others that are inflatable.

What you need to know before you go Airline fees: Check with your airline to see how they charge for bikes. Some airlines have a “bike fee”; Air Canada, for example, charges a $50 handling charge for bicycles as long as the packed bike is less than 70 lbs. and less than 115 dimensional inches.) Packing your bike: How you pack your bike will depend on the type of packaging you use. If using a cardboard box, for example, typically only the front wheel will need to come off since bikes are normally shipped with the back wheel attached. A hard-case bike box will often come with a wheel bag for both wheels. When removing the seat and handlebars, it’s a good idea to mark your settings with a felt pen so you know where to line it up once you arrive at your destination. Get a tune-up: Before you travel with your bike, Nick Di Cristofaro, owner of the GTA’s Velofix Mobile Bike Shop, recommends giving your bike a tune-up. “You want to make sure everything is in working order before you go away because the last thing you want is to arrive at your destination and something doesn’t work,” he says. Where to get your bike packed

Most bike stores offer bike-boxing services. Some will rent boxes for around $60 a week. Others may require that you provide your own box. For those who don’t want to take their bike to a shop, Velofix offers a bike-boxing service. Its full-service van will show up at your home or office and will pack up your bike in a hard-shell bike case that can be rented from them, or in your own bike box.