The passion for adventure travel and biking has taken many cyclists, including me, to all the four corners of this world. Even though traveling with bicycles has become easier over the years, still many people are worried about transporting their precious bikes on automobiles, trains, as well as planes. Whether you are a bicycle racer heading to a race event away from home, or just a keen cyclist going overseas for a holiday, you ought to know the best options for traveling with your bicycle. In the long run, your decision should be based on the convenience that you long for.
In today's post, I want to share with you guys a few valuable tips on how to travel with your bicycle.
1. Prevent Inconvenience and Damage by Racking the Bike Properly
Roof-mounted bicycle racks present one of the most serious risks. It is easy to forget that the bicycles are up there and just drive into a garage or carport. This ends up damaging the bike and the car roof.
• Remind yourself that a bicycle is on top. You can do this by putting the garage’s remote control in the cycling glove, hanging a photo of a bicycle on your carport, putting a sign on your dashboard, etc.
• In case you choose to use a rear rack, keep the bike(s) high enough and above the exhaust system.
• Check the rack installation multiple times.
2. Ensure That Your Bicycle Is Carefully Packed For Transportation
This will help to avoid damage which may occur during shipping. Below are some tips for packing your bicycle.
• Pad your bicycle so as to protect it.
• Take inventory so as to ensure that everything is packed inside the box before sealing it (the box). This will help to ensure that you don’t forget anything.
3. Tips for Flying with Your Bicycle
After getting to your destination, it is very frustrating to find out that some part of your bike has been damaged. Avoid this by packing it very carefully. You can do this by taking the bicycle apart just enough to fit in the box for safe traveling. That is, remove the pedals, seat & unit as a single unit, handlers and the front wheel. After reaching your destination, you can reassemble the components very easily using a pedal wrench and a few Allen wrenches. Some additional tips on flying with your bike include:
• Don’t deflate the bicycle’s tires.
• When packing the different bike components in the box, install some shipping materials to prevent the parts from banging against each other.
• If you are a frequent traveler, consider buying a hard-shell bike case.
4. Travel with Some Spare Parts and A Tool Kit
This can be very helpful especially if the bicycle breaks down in transit or during the trip in an area with no bike shop. You should also develop some repair skills. Some of the recommended spare parts to travel with include:
• Brake & Gear Cables.
• Seat-Binder bolt.
• Chain tool.
• Tire & tube.
• Spokes.
• Clip-less pedal & cleat screws.
The tips mentioned above can be very helpful. In case you reach your destination and then realize that you have left something essential behind, don’t panic as you have an option of shipping practically anything from almost anywhere in the world within one day at a certain price. Last but not least, check the corresponding charges in case you are to travel using public mean of transportation.
In today's post, I want to share with you guys a few valuable tips on how to travel with your bicycle.
1. Prevent Inconvenience and Damage by Racking the Bike Properly
Roof-mounted bicycle racks present one of the most serious risks. It is easy to forget that the bicycles are up there and just drive into a garage or carport. This ends up damaging the bike and the car roof.
• Remind yourself that a bicycle is on top. You can do this by putting the garage’s remote control in the cycling glove, hanging a photo of a bicycle on your carport, putting a sign on your dashboard, etc.
• In case you choose to use a rear rack, keep the bike(s) high enough and above the exhaust system.
• Check the rack installation multiple times.
2. Ensure That Your Bicycle Is Carefully Packed For Transportation
This will help to avoid damage which may occur during shipping. Below are some tips for packing your bicycle.
• Pad your bicycle so as to protect it.
• Take inventory so as to ensure that everything is packed inside the box before sealing it (the box). This will help to ensure that you don’t forget anything.
3. Tips for Flying with Your Bicycle
After getting to your destination, it is very frustrating to find out that some part of your bike has been damaged. Avoid this by packing it very carefully. You can do this by taking the bicycle apart just enough to fit in the box for safe traveling. That is, remove the pedals, seat & unit as a single unit, handlers and the front wheel. After reaching your destination, you can reassemble the components very easily using a pedal wrench and a few Allen wrenches. Some additional tips on flying with your bike include:
• Don’t deflate the bicycle’s tires.
• When packing the different bike components in the box, install some shipping materials to prevent the parts from banging against each other.
• If you are a frequent traveler, consider buying a hard-shell bike case.
4. Travel with Some Spare Parts and A Tool Kit
This can be very helpful especially if the bicycle breaks down in transit or during the trip in an area with no bike shop. You should also develop some repair skills. Some of the recommended spare parts to travel with include:
• Brake & Gear Cables.
• Seat-Binder bolt.
• Chain tool.
• Tire & tube.
• Spokes.
• Clip-less pedal & cleat screws.
The tips mentioned above can be very helpful. In case you reach your destination and then realize that you have left something essential behind, don’t panic as you have an option of shipping practically anything from almost anywhere in the world within one day at a certain price. Last but not least, check the corresponding charges in case you are to travel using public mean of transportation.