Safe Bike Bag drop off storage points near Airports Worldwide

[zomarzi]

 Anyone have any hints/tips on bike bag storage points worldwide ?  I find it's great to pack your bike take it with you on the plane to travel in a different country but arriving the other end having to find somewhere safe, easy to get to and is reasonably priced is sometimes quite difficult to find.

[rualexander]

Other than using airport left luggage services which can be expensive and sometimes not available, any other method would mean transporting your bag somewhere, and if you're going to do that you'd be as well using a lightweight unpadded bag that you can carry on the bike with you anyway.
A possible alternative would be to try and find someone who lives near the airport and is a member of warmshowers.org or couchsurfing.org and ask them if they could look after your bag or box for you.

[zomarzi]

I tried the clear plastic bag from CTC theory in as much as the baggage handlers can see what's inside the bag and handel it with some care it worked ok going out to Morocco but not on the way back and even then I had to lug around 2llb in dead weight of plastic bag on my bike while I was there.

[Danneaux]

...it worked ok going out to Morocco but not on the way back...

Hi Zomarzi!

Can you tell us why the clear plastic bag failed to work very well on your return from Morocco? Did you incur damage in transit?

This is a question and dilemma near and dear to my heart, and I would love to find an ideal answer. My last trip to Europe, I used a standard, heavy cardboard bike box, which I stored at the home of the friend I toured with. Unfortunately, that was not the problem. While the bike sailed through security on the way over, it was subject to intense inspection on the return trip, and poor/careless packing by security personnel resulted in some heavy damage (the loose pedals were driven through both wheels, taking out the spokes and damaging the hubs and rims in the process). There was no recourse, as the "hold-harmless" tag left in the box by the TSA indicated. I had no basis for a claim against the carrier (airlines) and apparently security cannot be subject to a claim, at least not here. In fact, I don't even know where the inspection/damage took place, only that I was left with considerable damage at my expense.

I have often wondered if the clear plastic bag might have avoided the problem I faced, but it does have some problems of its own, including storage while touring, as you have found. Looking forward to reading any offered suggestions.

Best,

Dan.

[zomarzi]

Hey Dan,

Compared to your probs mine were a lot less, some scratches and one or two things slightly bent but rideable after re-assembly I suppose if I would have padded out fragile areas, rear mech and such like it would have been miniscule. Apart from burrowing a hole near the airport and burrying your bag but you then run the risk of possibly getting thrown into jail as a suspected terrorist planting bombs, much prefer the option of carrying it around with you.   

[Danneaux]

Thanks for the additional details, Zomarzi; that really helped! Sorry you had damage, but very glad it was relatively minimal,

I've been thinking about the problem of what to do with the plastic sack. While its weight can't be reduced, if the bulk could be reshaped, that would at least help with the carry.

Looking at how small my sleeping bag and my silk liner each stuff, I wonder if a small compression stuff sack might make it possible to get the plastic bag down to the size of a soda can. If so, it could be stowed in a bottle cage or outside pannier pocket. In fact, it might even be cached for one's return. Until recently, I ran a "trap-line" of 25 geocaches, and I'm wondering if one could stow a stuff-compressed plastic bike bag similarly.  You spoke the very thought in the back of my mind wrt it being mistaken for an IED, but if it could be tucked inside a roadside guardrail or perhaps a roadside culvert or drain, it would be wonderful to leave it there, just awaiting one's return. Being plastic, it isn't like it would be ruined if it became wet. Let's see...it could be submerged or even buried, and certainly disguised as something else.

Hmm. There's some real possibilities there, and I'll give it some more thought!

Being careful to mind the "cache in, trash out" philosophy, I still managed to make one cache that consisted of a beverage container appropriate to the setting where it was placed. I used a side-cut can opener to free the lid, and it was a tight-enough fit for friction to retain it on refitting. Perhaps in the right setting, something similar could be made to work while traveling, yet not present an unwitting threat to others' security nor draw the attention of trash collectors of any variety.

You've set me to thinking!

Best,

Dan.

[rualexander]

Having used the CTC plastic bag regularly for the past few years with no problems, I don't really see a problem with it. Ok it weighs a few hundred grammes, but it folds or rolls up fairly compactly (not quite to bottle cage size though!) and it can be used as a useful tent groundsheet protector on stony or thorny ground and also could be used as an emergency bivvy bag.

[AndrewC]

The other option is to book accomodation (hotel/hostel) near the airport for the first & last night of the tour and arrange to leave the bag there.

When I did Seattle to San Francisco I brought my Nomad over in an S&S backpack case, and posted that from Seattle to the hotel I'd pre-booked in San Francisco for the end of the trip.

When I've used the CTC bike bag I usually roll it up tight and left it strapped to the rear rack.  One one circular trip I left it at the campsite in Bodo on the first night and collected it on my return.

[zomarzi]

OK staying on the CTC clear bag and bike bag theme what/how do "you" pack your bike safely, a used Iltr empty plastic water bottle cut to size protecting the rear mech is one idea for the ctc bag any more please ?

[Danneaux]

Hi Zomarzi,

Not that it helped me on the return (thanks to the TSA's help), but on the way over, my plans worked successfully. I...

1) Took and printed a photo of the bike as it was secured for packing and taped it to two places inside the bod (side wall and under lid flap) for my own reference in re-packing and (intended) for any third party repacking it (TSA couldn't follow the pic when repacking).

2) I unbolted the rear mech (leaving the cable/housing intact) and secured it to the chainstay with a reusable zip-tie. <= This is an invaluable tool for packing/shipping. Electronics supply firms have them. Each comes with a tab you can squeeze to release; otherwise just as secure as the standard variety.

3) Removed front mudguard with stays intact and stacked it atop the rear mudguard, beneath the rear rack, which was left in place.

4) Pedals removed and placed in spare socks, then held in bottle cages with removable zip ties.

5) Handlebar cabling left intact, quill stem loosened and rotated on drop 'bar; drop handlebar hung by the hooks from the top tube of the bike (suitably padded and secured with removable zip ties).

6) Fork reversed but left in frame.

7) Saddle removed with seatpost intact; saddle inverted in bottom of box. Be-socked and secured with removable zip-ties to crankarm, which is also be-socked (I save old, holey socks for just these purposes).

8 ) Front racks laid on side and secured to each side of rear wheel with zip-ties.

Old socks on everything that can be scratched -- crank arms, seatpost, fork legs, everything. Everything secured with removable zip-ties. Pillow-block between fork legs and a piece of styrofoam beneath to absorb drop-impact.

9) Front wheel (with q/r removed) secured to side of top- and downtube.

10) If canti brakes then bolts loosened and arms swung vertically inline with stays and fork blades.

11) I used rebar protectors on short sections of PVC pipe to make anti-crush supports for the sides of the box. These were placed  in the middle of the main frame triangle, between the seat tube and seat stays, and through the rear wheel spokes.

The really nice thing about this packing method is the bike can be lifted in and out of the box intact and as a single unit and will pretty much stand up by itself.

It is an awful lot of work to pack, however, and I was fortunate to be able to store the box at a friend's home on arrival overseas and collect it later for repacking on departure. A plastic bags sounds a whole lot better!

Best,

Dan.

[AndrewC]

I buy the closed cell foam insulation that is used for pipe lagging. Cut it to fit the tubes and secure with duct tape.    It's cheap enough to dump when you get to your destination, and you can pick up more at DIY stores.   Alternatives would be foam carpet underlay, bubblewrap or cardboard.

Pedals off and secured to the frame with tape, rear mech detached, handlebars rotated, seatpost down low.  Front wheel secured to the downtube with a strap so it doesn't flop around.