Traveling with a bike

Even if you live in a great place to ride, eventually you'll crave adventure. Most unforgettable rides usually involve some traveling. While carrying a bike on a trip may seem daunting, it's actually quite manageable. Although it might initially feel intimidating, it's a skill every cyclist should learn. Of course, sometimes you may need to trust others with the logistics, which can raise concerns about whether they'll handle your bike as carefully as you would. However, there are simple steps you can take to increase the chances of your beloved bike surviving any travel experience intact.

Air Travel

Not long ago, taking a bike on a plane seemed like a hassle: airline fees and requirements varied widely, and they frequently changed. Luckily, market dynamics sorted themselves out, and costs and requirements have stabilized. You can expect to pay $70-$150 each way to bring your bike along, and airlines are happy to collect the money. If air travel is on your itinerary, there are a few things you should consider before packing up and heading out.

Bike Case Options: Hard or Soft

Two types of cases are available on the market. Depending on availability, needs, and preferences, you'll either end up with a soft or hard case.

The early versions of hard cases were spacious enough to fit your entire wardrobe along with your bike. These cases were so large that most were a snug fit in the back of a mid-size SUV! Eventually, airlines adjusted their dimensions requirements, making practically all of these cases oversized luggage, subjecting them to additional $50-$250 fees on top of the regular bike fee. These cases can still be rented from many bike shops and offer ultimate protection for your bike.

Travelers managed to avoid paying extra fees by carrying bikes in these cases, but it was only a matter of time before airlines caught on and started identifying them. The market responded by producing a generation of softshell cases that meet airline size, weight, and assembly requirements. The best softshell cases have a rigid frame to which your bike is secured with the axles. This setup keeps the bike from moving around and protects it from external forces. The wheels sandwich the frame, providing additional stability.

Disassembling the Bike

To fit a bike into a travel case, it will need to be partially disassembled. You'll need to remove the tires from the rims and detach the pedals, wheels, handlebars, and possibly the derailleur. If your bike has disc brakes, install pad spacers to prevent the calipers from closing and sticking the pads together. All of these operations are straightforward but require practice to execute smoothly. Make sure to bring a pump (even a compact one) because CO2 cartridges are not allowed to travel by air.

Packing a Bike Case

Bikes can easily get damaged in transport, so when packing your bike case, pay close attention to how everything is secured so that nothing is loose. Remember, you're not the only one who will be handling your bike case—TSA agents will be, too.

Do not overload the bike case with gear. Expect that your bike case will be opened and its contents inspected by the TSA. A bike placed in a well-organized bike bag is easier to inspect, increasing the likelihood that everything stays in the bag. If the bag is packed with so much gear that the bike cannot be easily viewed, the agent will have to remove the items and may not return them neatly. Always place a notice on the cassette asking TSA luggage inspectors to ensure the wheel with the cassette is not replaced facing the frame. A “This Side Out” notice taped to the cassette can save your bike from nasty frame scratches.

While it’s possible to assemble your bike with a small multitool, it’s not ideal. A full-sized set of hex wrenches will speed up the process significantly. If your bike has carbon parts, it might be more practical to bring a torque wrench. To avoid a frantic search for a bike shop, pack a few spare parts, including a tire, a spare tube, a chain, a set of brake pads, and a spare derailleur hanger.

Checking in the Bike and Observing the Inspection

Why the TSA needs to inspect your bike luggage is a mystery, but it’s always better to err on the side of caution. Offering guidance when handling your bag is recommended. In many airports, you have the option to observe the bike inspection. You may be invited, but you may have to ask for it. If you have this option, don’t pass it up; you may be able to assist with repacking the bike, which is especially useful if you encounter a clumsy agent. Sometimes, you might even have to explain something. A triathlete once had to clarify that their aero wheels labeled “Zipp Speed Weaponry” were not actual weapons.

Airline-Related Damage

Most airlines allow a two-hour window to report any bike damage and now require a liability waiver, limiting payouts to $500. Inspecting your bike at the arrival port might seem inconvenient, but it’s crucial if you want to recover any losses. It’s highly recommended that you take the time to conduct a thorough inspection.

Other than being damaged in transit, the next worst thing that can happen to your bike is it not arriving at all. Your bike passes through many hands and machines, often handled by third-party logistics contractors. Given the complexity and speed of this process, it’s not uncommon for a bike to be missing from the luggage carousel. Your bike might be on the next flight, stuck at another airport, or truly lost. Before panicking, bring your receipt to the airline’s baggage office and see if they can locate it.

Pro Tip: Installing a GPS tracker in your bike carrier might be a worthwhile investment if you frequently travel with your bike. Owners with GPS trackers have had great success recovering their bikes from the depths of airport sorting facilities.

Reassembling the Bike

Once you’ve reached your final destination, it’s time to reassemble the bike. Many mistakes, such as under or over-tightening bolts, happen at this stage. Like disassembly, reassembly requires practice, which is best acquired at home. Doing a few trial runs of disassembling, packing, unpacking, and reassembling your bike with the travel tools can help you build efficiency and confidence, even if you’re not mechanically inclined.

Road Travel

Traveling by road with your bike is simpler than dealing with airport staff and protocols, but it still comes with its own considerations. There are many ways to transport your bike on or in a car, each with its own set of benefits and challenges.

Inside the Car

If you have the space inside your vehicle to fit a bike, it might be the easiest and most reliable way to transport it. A bike carried within a car does not suffer from the aerodynamic penalties of roof or tail hitch racks, provides adequate security, and is free. Depending on the size of your vehicle, you may need to remove the front or both wheels. With both wheels removed, most bikes will fit in the trunk of a mid-sized sedan and all SUVs. Use blankets to pad the components to prevent them from moving around and staining your car’s interior or trunk.

If an overnight stay is planned, do not leave your bike in the car. Hotel parking lots are particularly concerning because they are hotspots for thieves; a car with a bike inside is likely to become a target. If leaving a bike in a car is unavoidable, it should be left inside the trunk where a thief cannot see it.

Roof Racks

Roof racks are popular with sedan owners due to a few key advantages: they don't alter the vehicle's already low departure angle, they don't catch on curbs, and they are relatively easy to load and unload. All roof racks are designed to carry one bike each, and most cars can accommodate two racks on the roof.

Bikes transported on roof racks are subjected to strong forces, so it’s important to perform regular bolt checks to ensure the rack is securely attached to the car. Check all attachment points before each trip to avoid losing your rack and bikes at freeway speeds. It’s also a good idea to place a note on your rearview mirror reminding you that there are bikes up top and warning you to avoid low overhead areas like drive-throughs and low parking garages.

The main drawbacks of roof racks include reduced fuel efficiency (expect to lose 1-5 MPG), exposure to debris at high speeds, the risk of damaging the bike in a low garage, and excessive wind noise at highway speeds. Loading and unloading bikes from the roof of an SUV is quite challenging and typically requires two people.

If you're leaving your bike unattended (even for just a quick errand), make sure it’s secured to the rack. Many roof top racks come with built-in locks, but it doesn’t hurt to add an additional heavy-duty lock to discourage a potential thief. Under no circumstances should you leave your bike on the roof of the car overnight.

Hitch Racks

Hitch racks are most popular with SUV owners because the height of the vehicle allows the rack to clear even the highest curbs, makes loading and unloading bikes a breeze, and protects them from road debris. Hitch racks are designed to easily move out of the way to allow access to the trunk—even when loaded with bikes! Most tail hitch bike racks are designed to carry two bikes, but some can be extended to carry four or six.

Despite their simple design and popularity, there are still precautions that should be taken. First and foremost, always double-check that the rack is properly secured to the car and the bikes are properly secured to the rack. The vast majority of rack mishaps result from operator error, so taking a moment for a second look can prevent a lot of grief. Beware that a bike rack extends your vehicle’s overall length by over three feet, some models by as many as five. Pay particular attention when maneuvering in tight parking lots, during hard braking, and when merging and passing—especially in heavy traffic.

Pickup Trucks

Pickup trucks make excellent bike carriers. From in-bed racks to side clamps and the popular tailgate method, whichever method you choose, always ensure everything within the bed is secure. When transporting bikes in a pickup bed, especially if the bike’s front wheel is hanging off the tailgate, place a strap over each bike to ensure it cannot slide around during vehicle movement. Tailgate pads are commonly available and are always a good idea because they protect both the bike and the vehicle from unnecessary scrapes and scratches.

Just like with roof top and hitch racks, be sure to secure the bike to the truck with a heavy-duty chain when leaving it unattended. Bikes hanging over tailgates make particularly attractive theft targets because they become a simple “grab and dash” job.

Strap-Mounted Racks

Unless you rarely transport your bike by car, racks that attach to your car’s trunk with straps should be seen as a last-resort solution. These racks rest against the bodywork of a car with multiple feet and are further secured by hooks that slide into door and trunk jambs and grab onto the sheet metal. Once the bike is placed on the rack, the tension on the straps needs to be adjusted to ensure a stable assembly. While many of these racks are touted as capable of carrying two and even three bikes, the sheet metal on your car could tell a different story.

Recent advancements in automotive manufacturing, specifically improvements in unibody and crumple zone designs, allow manufacturers to use much thinner sheet metal for car bodies without sacrificing safety and reliability. Unfortunately, as sheet metal gets thinner, strap-mounted racks continue to rely on door jambs as anchor points. Even when installed according to manufacturer’s recommendations, these racks tend to flex and slide around, making rack-induced paint scuffs on your car inevitable. One final thing to be aware of: the vibrations will amplify the forces exerted by the rack on the body of the car and could result in a complete failure, making them completely unsuitable for any sort of off-road driving. If you’re shopping for a bike rack, it’s highly recommended you pass on this design.

Shipping Your Bike

Opting to ship your bike to your destination is a great way to avoid the hassles associated with air travel. While you can ship your bike with a conventional courier like FedEx or UPS, it’s worth exploring specialty bike shipping companies like ShipBikes and BikeFlights. These companies partner with UPS and FedEx and leverage economies of scale to get you better pricing.

If you don’t have a bike box, both of these companies can ship a custom-designed sturdy cardboard case to your home. They also streamline the customs paperwork for international travel and provide several optional services, such as GPS tracking and high-priority handling.

If you choose to ship your bike, take the time and possible delays into consideration and make sure there’s a party at the destination willing and capable of receiving your bike and storing it until you arrive. While most hotels have no problem receiving and holding a package, most Airbnb hosts do. If this is the case, you can request that the courier (FedEx or UPS) hold it at their office or distribution center for you to pick up. This option is often free for up to 5 days and costs a few bucks for every day thereafter. Make sure to ship your bike to a location that’s open during the hours convenient to you.

Pro Tip: If you’re hoping to avoid paying for a box, consider using a TV box (or printing out a picture of a TV set and gluing it onto your box) as an alternative. Shipping companies do not like paying out claims on damaged electronics and tend to treat them with greater care. One major bicycle manufacturer started shipping their bikes in boxes that displayed a bicycle on a TV screen, resulting in a significant drop in damage. At the very least, “do not double stack” stickers should be liberally applied to all sides of the box.

Public Transportation

With most buses, trolleys, and commuter trains now accommodating cyclists, bicycle commuters often find themselves using public transportation to cover a leg of their journey. Depending on where you live in the US, the public transportation network will range from mediocre to extensive and well-maintained. Being able to bring a bicycle along to fill in the gaps and overcome last-mile hurdles can significantly cut down on commute time and make it more enjoyable. While the cycling infrastructure in most bicycle-friendly US cities still lags behind those of Amsterdam and Copenhagen, there’s no doubt that North America is experiencing a bicycle commuting renaissance, and it’s not too late to join the movement.

The most common way for bikes to be carried on a bus is on a rack affixed to the front, providing a clear view to the driver. Be aware that the bus driver is not responsible for the safekeeping of bikes, and locking a bike to the bus’ bike rack is almost always prohibited. Without a security system in place, there’s a prime opportunity for bike theft; it’s not hard for someone to simply grab the bike off the rack and ride away. One way to mitigate the risk of theft is to ensure that the bike’s back wheel is immobilized with a lock before lifting it onto the bus rack. By immobilizing the wheel, the bike becomes impossible for a thief to pedal away.

Most trolleys, rail systems, and intercity trains have their bike racks inside the passenger compartment, making it easy to lock it up. A lightweight lock should be sufficient to prevent someone from grabbing your bike right before the doors shut.

Bike Touring

The most extreme way of traveling long distances with a bike is by pedaling it there. Bikepacking and bike touring might not be for everyone, but for those who just can’t ride enough, it’s the perfect way to travel. Traveling by bike means you’ll be limited to bringing only what can fit on you and your bike. Expect to load up with your personal items and camping gear, and be sure to devise a method to protect your possessions against damage and theft. If you must leave your bike unattended, only do so after it’s been locked to an immovable object with a heavy-duty lock—a cable lock will not save your bike.

To learn more about bike touring, please check out our article Bike Touring -- What Is It and How Do I Get Started?

Protect the Bike

When traveling with a bike, the biggest risk and fear is ending up at your destination without one, so you must remain vigilant in protecting it against theft or damage. Whether you roll it into a hotel room for an overnight stay, lock up the wheel before placing it on a public transport rack, or simply lock it overnight with a heavy-duty lock, just do it. An attitude of accepting that it’s worth investing those extra few minutes into caring for your bike is what separates cyclists from future pedestrians.

Lock It Up

Whenever possible, avoid leaving your bike and vehicle unattended—even if it’s “just for a minute.” If leaving it unattended is unavoidable, then always make sure your bike is locked to the vehicle or the rack. Many tow hitch bike racks come equipped with cable locks that are easily cut in seconds with battery-powered tools. Even some of the beefier cable locks available for purchase are still no match for a diamond blade battery-powered grinder. Avoid leaving your bike locked to or inside of a vehicle overnight, but if you have no other option, be sure that it’s hidden in the trunk.

If the device used to secure your bike is inadequate, it’s almost pointless to lock it up at all. When placed in a good cutting position, chain links with diameters less than 10 mm are easily cut with medium-sized bolt cutters. While more difficult, it’s still possible for links with a diameter between 10 and 12 mm to be cut by medium-sized bolt cutters—all it requires is a thief with experience and good leverage on the chain. When purchasing a chain lock, always go with one that is at least 13 mm. Chain links with diameters between 13 and 15 mm can only be defeated by the biggest 40+ inch bolt cutters, a tool most bike thieves do not carry. Chains with a link diameter at 16 mm or above cannot be cut by even the biggest bolt cutters, making them your best bet against theft.

Insure It

Bicycle travel insurance is a simple way to ensure you always have a backup plan for those times when you’ve run out of ideas and options. Velosurance offers coverage for bicycles kept at a USA address and covers the bicycle for travel throughout the USA and Canada. The policy coverage can be extended worldwide with a purchase of optional coverage. Standard coverage includes theft, loss, or damage while the bicycle is in transit by air or road as well as crash damage and theft at home and away from home. An instant quote can be obtained in two minutes, and policies are issued the same business day. Even if you don’t think you’ll need it, you’ll be glad you have it if anything happens to your bike.