Comments on: Traveling for the holidays? Here's how to take your bike along http://bikeportland.org/2009/12/09/traveling-for-the-holidays-heres-how-to-take-your-bike-along-26926 Portland Oregon bicycle news, events, culture, travel and opinion. Tue, 29 May 2012 00:55:47 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: John W. http://bikeportland.org/2009/12/09/traveling-for-the-holidays-heres-how-to-take-your-bike-along-26926#comment-1483672 John W. Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:34:37 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=26926#comment-1483672 Good article on transporting your bike. Also, you can try sending your bike ahead of time with a luggage delivery company. It is so much easier, and I have been doing it for the past few years. And sometimes it is cheaper too. I avoid the long check in lines, waiting at baggage claim, and get to travel a bit more relaxed. The company I like the best is MadTravelers, www.madtravelers.com, because they are easy to use and very reliable. Good article on transporting your bike. Also, you can try sending your bike ahead of time with a luggage delivery company. It is so much easier, and I have been doing it for the past few years. And sometimes it is cheaper too. I avoid the long check in lines, waiting at baggage claim, and get to travel a bit more relaxed.

The company I like the best is MadTravelers, http://www.madtravelers.com, because they are easy to use and very reliable.

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]]> By: Elly Blue (Editor) http://bikeportland.org/2009/12/09/traveling-for-the-holidays-heres-how-to-take-your-bike-along-26926#comment-1480336 Elly Blue (Editor) Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:42:39 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=26926#comment-1480336 I haven't taken Greyhound since I was 17, though I have to say it was an amazing social experience. If anyone's traveled Greyhound via bike I'd love to know. I did take a Brompton on a packed Megabus between NYC and DC. It took some doing to wedge it into the packed luggage hold with all the other baggage (there was no employee helping load-in the baggage, it was a complete free-for-all) and the load shifted audibly on every turn -- I was glad the bike is built like a tank. Megabus was not particularly comfortable, and the wifi and bathroom were both out of order, but wow it was cheap. I haven't taken Greyhound since I was 17, though I have to say it was an amazing social experience. If anyone's traveled Greyhound via bike I'd love to know.

I did take a Brompton on a packed Megabus between NYC and DC. It took some doing to wedge it into the packed luggage hold with all the other baggage (there was no employee helping load-in the baggage, it was a complete free-for-all) and the load shifted audibly on every turn -- I was glad the bike is built like a tank. Megabus was not particularly comfortable, and the wifi and bathroom were both out of order, but wow it was cheap.

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]]> By: Paul Johnson http://bikeportland.org/2009/12/09/traveling-for-the-holidays-heres-how-to-take-your-bike-along-26926#comment-1480332 Paul Johnson Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:30:54 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=26926#comment-1480332 Greyhound doesn't cover anywhere, and charges 3-4 times as much as Amtrak does. Even if there's no railroad tracks, there's a good chance Amtrak serves it anyway. If Amtrak and Greyhound serve both ends, Amtrak will, invariably, be cheaper and nicer, without exception. Greyhound doesn't cover anywhere, and charges 3-4 times as much as Amtrak does. Even if there's no railroad tracks, there's a good chance Amtrak serves it anyway. If Amtrak and Greyhound serve both ends, Amtrak will, invariably, be cheaper and nicer, without exception.

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]]> By: Peter http://bikeportland.org/2009/12/09/traveling-for-the-holidays-heres-how-to-take-your-bike-along-26926#comment-1480278 Peter Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:24:57 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=26926#comment-1480278 What about inter-city buses (Greyhound & other private carriers)? Much more of the country is accessible by bus than by train or airplane. What are the costs & experiences that people have had? What about inter-city buses (Greyhound & other private carriers)? Much more of the country is accessible by bus than by train or airplane. What are the costs & experiences that people have had?

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]]> By: Mo http://bikeportland.org/2009/12/09/traveling-for-the-holidays-heres-how-to-take-your-bike-along-26926#comment-1479504 Mo Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:04:51 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=26926#comment-1479504 I agree with 19: a rack is the way to go. A good rack can cost as much as some of these airline fees ($200 at Delta - yikes!), and a carpool/road trip can be a great way to go: you could even bring along more than one bike! I agree with 19: a rack is the way to go. A good rack can cost as much as some of these airline fees ($200 at Delta - yikes!), and a carpool/road trip can be a great way to go: you could even bring along more than one bike!

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]]> By: Mary http://bikeportland.org/2009/12/09/traveling-for-the-holidays-heres-how-to-take-your-bike-along-26926#comment-1479503 Mary Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:02:13 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=26926#comment-1479503 I flew to Copenhagen on Delta with a Pacific Cycles Carry-Me in October. It didn't seem worth risking the $300 (!!!) fee each way by having it at all visible, so I packed it inside a duffel bag with clothes around it. The small wheels were a bit tricky on cobblestones, but I took some seriously long rides through the city and had a great time. However, we rented from Baisikeli for my husband, and I would strongly recommend that as a better alternative. Baisikeli supports bike sales, repair, and manufacturing start-ups in Africa by renting a tremendous variety of good bikes to ride around Copenhagen. They are terrific people and fun to deal with. I flew to Copenhagen on Delta with a Pacific Cycles Carry-Me in October. It didn't seem worth risking the $300 (!!!) fee each way by having it at all visible, so I packed it inside a duffel bag with clothes around it. The small wheels were a bit tricky on cobblestones, but I took some seriously long rides through the city and had a great time.

However, we rented from Baisikeli for my husband, and I would strongly recommend that as a better alternative. Baisikeli supports bike sales, repair, and manufacturing start-ups in Africa by renting a tremendous variety of good bikes to ride around Copenhagen. They are terrific people and fun to deal with.

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]]> By: John Shewmaker http://bikeportland.org/2009/12/09/traveling-for-the-holidays-heres-how-to-take-your-bike-along-26926#comment-1479502 John Shewmaker Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:00:33 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=26926#comment-1479502 Traveling with a bike is always a good idea. However, if you are not too crazy about the low performance most folding bikes deliver, there's a bike shop in Portland that sells bikes for travel that come in kit form. Disassemble, pack, travel and reassemble is the process. Real high performance bikes too. I circled Australia on one, worked pretty good. Traveling with a bike is always a good idea.
However, if you are not too crazy about the low performance most folding bikes deliver, there's a bike shop in Portland that sells bikes for travel that come in kit form.
Disassemble, pack, travel and reassemble is the process. Real high performance bikes too. I circled Australia on one, worked pretty good.

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]]> By: jv http://bikeportland.org/2009/12/09/traveling-for-the-holidays-heres-how-to-take-your-bike-along-26926#comment-1479107 jv Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:08:01 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=26926#comment-1479107 I travelled to LA in October with a Brompton Folder and hard case that I rented from Clever Cycles for a week. The setup was perfect - I used a flatbed Burley trailer to carry the hardcase and my luggage, then packed the Brompton and traler in the case and checked as normal baggage. It was about half a pound overweight, but I never got charged extra for it, just the standard checked baggage fee. It was a great trip, and would highly recommend this route - rental and everything was much cheaper than taking a cab to/from the airport to where I needed to go. Also, I would say that riding Amtrak is great with bikes - just be sure you don't get on your bike until you are out of the terminal, they really don't like that... I travelled to LA in October with a Brompton Folder and hard case that I rented from Clever Cycles for a week. The setup was perfect - I used a flatbed Burley trailer to carry the hardcase and my luggage, then packed the Brompton and traler in the case and checked as normal baggage. It was about half a pound overweight, but I never got charged extra for it, just the standard checked baggage fee. It was a great trip, and would highly recommend this route - rental and everything was much cheaper than taking a cab to/from the airport to where I needed to go.

Also, I would say that riding Amtrak is great with bikes - just be sure you don't get on your bike until you are out of the terminal, they really don't like that...

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]]> By: Daily Roundup: Tough grrrl, Fat Cyclist—Fat Fundraiser, Shipping your bike for holidays, Wrongful deaths & more « Bike Intelligencer http://bikeportland.org/2009/12/09/traveling-for-the-holidays-heres-how-to-take-your-bike-along-26926#comment-1478959 Daily Roundup: Tough grrrl, Fat Cyclist—Fat Fundraiser, Shipping your bike for holidays, Wrongful deaths & more « Bike Intelligencer Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:16:59 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=26926#comment-1478959 [...] your bike along on holiday travels? You’re a fool, you know. Here’s BikePortland.org to wise you up. I may well take my bike on my holiday travels. It will be on a Thule rack atop my [...] [...] your bike along on holiday travels? You’re a fool, you know. Here’s BikePortland.org to wise you up. I may well take my bike on my holiday travels. It will be on a Thule rack atop my [...]

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]]> By: Tom http://bikeportland.org/2009/12/09/traveling-for-the-holidays-heres-how-to-take-your-bike-along-26926#comment-1478909 Tom Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:04:33 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=26926#comment-1478909 I flew, with a bike, to NYC last month. When I researched the checked bike fees, the wide range suprised me. Southwest & jetBlue qouted 50.00, Continental 100.00 and Delta 200.00 (the agent seemed a bit embarassed about the price) these prices are each way! I flew, with a bike, to NYC last month. When I researched the checked bike fees, the wide range suprised me. Southwest & jetBlue qouted 50.00, Continental 100.00 and Delta 200.00 (the agent seemed a bit embarassed about the price) these prices are each way!

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