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TRAVELING WITH A BIKE
When you are traveling to
a race, flying with a bike is always a bit of a drag. If you take a
couple of extra steps in planning, you can avoid some of the pitfalls.
First, consider shipping it via UPS or Fed-Ex, so that your bike is there
when you arrive. To do this, it has to be packed in a box that is of or
less than the maximum ship-able dimensions. Both Tri-All-3 (Clam Shell,
or compact velo safe) and Trico (Iron Case) are the right size or you
could simply get a box from your local bike shop. In fact, you could have
your bike shop, pack and ship your bike to a bike shop close to your
destination and have the receiving shop unpack and put your bike
together. This is definitely the low hassle way to do it. You
won't miss having to drag your bike a through the airport. Be sure to
plan ahead - with usual ground service (which is the most economical way)
it can take up to 5-7 business days. Also make sure that you have
record of the tracking # just in case. Since it seems to cost as
little as $50 and as much as $100 to fly with your bike, the $35 or so
that it costs to UPS your bike can be money well spent.
Now, if you're going to take the bike on the plane with you, it can cost
anywhere from $50 to $100 each way, so be prepared to pony up. Some
airlines do give a USAT discount (check with USAT for a listing of these
participating airlines). Also with the heightened security measures
at most airports, you can fully expect to have your bike case opened up
by the security personnel. To ease this process, get to the airport
with plenty of time, and don't overstuff your bike case. In
addition, do not include CO2 cartridges in your bike case as they will
most definitely be confiscated during the screening process.
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