CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

Flying with a folding bike?

(9 posts)
  • Started 9 years ago by Mandopicker101
  • Latest reply from ivangrozni

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  1. Mandopicker101
    Member

    This weekend I have to travel for work, flying with Flybe to Stornoway. As I'm travelling on a Sunday lunchtime and work only occupies a small part of the Monday with an evening flight back to Edinburgh I was thinking of either hiring a bike (on the Monday...) or taking my folder to tootle about with.

    Via Twitter, Flybe tell me they only take bikes on a Standby basis (i.e. if the baggage guys say there's enough space) and they'll relieve me of a modest wad of banknotes for the privilege. Has anyone tried flying with a folding bike and did it survive?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  2. fimm
    Member

    What kind of folding bike?
    Sallyhinch took a Brompton to Copenhagen:
    https://cityexile.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/travels-with-my-brompton/

    Posted 9 years ago #

  3. SRD
    Moderator

    do you have a case to put it in? (i have a soft dahon bag if you want to borrow)

    Posted 9 years ago #

  4. sallyhinch
    Member

    Fimm beat me to it! The plane to Stornoway might be rather smaller than the one to Copenhagen though.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  5. sallyhinch
    Member

    Here's the actual experience of flying with it https://cityexile.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/travels-with-my-brompton-part-2/

    Posted 9 years ago #

  6. Mandopicker101
    Member

    Thanks all for your thoughts and offers of assistance. My folder is a Revolution Compact, that is to say a Made By Dahon.

    The twin prop plane to Stornoway is 'compact and bijou' (I've been before...). The possibility of not getting it on the the plane might be higher than I'd hope. Not just going, but coming back. Also FlyBe seem to think all bikes are Large Sporting Items and merit extra charges.

    That said, I have a 20kg allowance, the bike is 13kg and I can probably get my kit into a pannier/courier bag. If the costs aren't too high I'd be tempted to risk it for a biscuit...

    Posted 9 years ago #

  7. fimm
    Member

    Mandopicker1, as I understand it, if your folder is folded into a bag and therefore doesn't look like a bike but does look like a thing in a bag, then it is a thing in a bag, and if it weighs less than 20kg then there's no reason for the airline not to transport it.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  8. Arellcat
    Moderator

    Mandopicker, I know Made By Dahon is a little larger than Made in London, but Chris Rust (Brompton owner) has blogged a lot about his packing techniques for taking the bike on flights.

    https://sevenleagueboots.wordpress.com/category/practicalities/luggage/

    As fimm said, if it's in a bag and the bag doesn't exceed conventional linear dimensions and weight then you should be good to go.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  9. ivangrozni
    Member

    Sorry for this but I couldn't help myself!


    http://www.jebiga.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Paratrooper_Folding_Bicycle_Montague_2.jpg

    Posted 9 years ago #

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