Flying with your bike

Booking your flight and getting your bike to India these days is easy. Listed below are some pointers on airlines and advice on how to pack your bike for the journey. See also Cass' recent blog post on flying with BA.

Flight advice for Out There Bikers

Dates and times

Please note that as we get riders from all over the world arriving on different flights, the dates listed on the Holidays page are from Delhi to Delhi inclusive. The important thing is that you're in Delhi by 2am on the start date. Likewise, your return flight should depart no earlier than 8pm on the last day of the trip.

If your flight takes more than one stop, make sure that the final arrival date is still within time for the start of the trip. We advise checking with us before booking your flight. If you want to arrive early or stay longer to break up the journey or see more of India, get in touch and we can give you some ideas of things to do.

Airlines

If you're flying from Europe, the European carriers offer either non-stop or one (short) stop flights to Delhi. We've had good experiences with BA and Austrian Airlines. From the UK at least, BA offers the advantage of a pleasant, direct journey from London, while Austrian has been kind on bikes. Most European carriers offer around 20-25kg for checked baggage, as well as 6-8kg for handluggage. As long as you stick to the kit list, you shouldn't have to worry about going over this - though it's a good idea to pack some heavy stuff in your handluggage to be on the safe side. However, it's worth checking with the airline on their latest excess baggage fees (which can be as much as £25 per kilo).

It's also very important to check the airline's general bicycle policy - which may or may not require the use of bike bags. Make sure you tell them you're bringing a bike when you book your ticket, and remind them if you reconfirm the flight before departure. If you go over their limit, Austrian is the only carrier who will charge you a flat fee of 60 Euros for your bike - which is much cheaper than paying excess.

If you're flying from the States, pay extra attention to the arrival date, as you will often lose a day en route. Continental Airlines ( www.continental.com) has just begun a direct flight from Newark to Delhi with competitive fares.

Note that the Middle Eastern airlines, although often cheaper, have long layovers and have awkward arrival and departure times.

Who to book with

Scouring the net for deals will usually turn up flights costing around £400-550 from Europe, depending on when you book and which city you are coming from. A good place to check is www.opodo.com, which often has the best deals, though www.expedia.co.uk and www.ba.com are worth checking too. We also recommend using www.trailfinders.com and www.northsouthtravel.co.uk.

Preparing your bike for Out There Biking

For all of the trips, we head straight from Delhi airport to our starting point, without passing through the city itself. If you're coming on the Explore Lahakh or Spiti Epic trips, we begin and end the actual ride from the same point. This means you can pack your bike in a cardboard box or a bike bag, and stash it at the guesthouse.

For the self-supported Manali-Leh trips, we can't provide storage for bike boxes so recommend bagging your bike in a foldable bag (eg Ground Effect Body Bag), which can be sent forward to Leh whilst we ride. Foldable bike bags are convenient as you can use disposable cardboard and foam pipe lagging to pad the bike during the journey. For your return trip, we can find something suitable in Delhi and Leh.

Alternatively, you can simply pad your bike with pipe lagging - we usually follow the Minimalist Approch below. Then if your airline requires it, you can put the whole thing into a lightweight plastic bike bag like this one, which should last several trips. Check your airline's website for details on their bicycle policy - printing it out is also a good idea for when you're at the check-in desk. There's no surefire way of guaranteeing your bike arrives unscathed, though we've always found this has worked fine. Alternatively, if you prefer boxing your bike or using a specialist bike bag, we've put together some guidelines too.

The Minimalist approach

You'll need: a set of Allen keys, a 15mm spanner, tape, bubblewrap/cardboard, plenty of pipe lagging and just ten minutes.

Wrap plenty of pipe lagging around all the tubes of the frame. Release the headset, undo the stem, turn the handlebars in line with the frame, and re-tighten. Tape the handlebars to the frame so they don't spin round. Remove the pedals; anti-clockwise on the right, clockwise on the left. Let down some pressure out of the tyres but keep a cushion of air to protect the rims. Make sure you remove lights/cycle computer and tape waterbottles in place. Same goes to any dangling cables so they don't snag. Where there's metal on metal, be sure to tape in some bubblewrap or cardboard. Shift the chain onto the biggest chainring at the back to minimise the chances of the rear mech being knocked and tape a piece of cardboard round it to protect it. If you're running bar ends, swivel them round so they protect the brakes and gear shifters. Voila. It's as simple as that - your bike's ready to go.

The advantage of this minimalist approach is that you can wheel the bike round the airport and pieces of cardboard/bubblewrap are easy to find. It's also easier for the baggage loaders to wheel round (make sure the wheels can still spin) which seems to put them in a good mood. Hopefully your bike, which still resembles a bike, will get treated with the respect it deserves.

Boxing or bagging a bike

You'll need: a bike box/bag, a set of Allen keys, a 15mm spanner, tape, bubblewrap/cardboard/pipelagging and half an hour.

For the outward journey at least, bike boxes are easy to find. Most bike shops should be able to give you one when they next have a delivery. Try and find a reasonably sized box, which will fit your racks without needing to take them off. If you plan to ride to the airport, your airline might be able to provide one though they'll probably charge you for it.

Firstly, remove the pedals to stop them damaging wheels or poking out of the box. A small 15mm pedal spanner or even an Allen key behind the axle will generally do the job. The right side (driveside) unscrews anti-clockwise, the left clockwise. Don't forget to pack them!

If you have some pipe lagging (great for protecting paintwork), tape it round the tubes of the frame. Remove the front wheel and the skewer that runs through it. It's a good idea to protect the ends of the axle by taping on a piece of thick card to stop it rubbing against the frame or ripping the bike box. Alternatively, your local bike shop might even donate you a set of plastic axle end caps new bikes come with to support them against the cardboard.

To be extra careful your rear mech doesn't bend, remove it, pulling the gear cable from the cable stop on the frame, wrap it up and tape it to the frame. If you can, fit a plastic fork brace into the fork dropouts to stop them bending inwards - this is something else your bike shop should be able to give you. You shouldn't need to let down the tyres unless you're running them at really high pressure, though check in staff may well want you to. Don't let it all out though, leave enough so there's a cushion of air to protect the rims.

Turn the handlebars 90 degrees in line with the frame, by releasing the headset and loosening the stem with an Allen key. Place the frame and back wheel into the box. If the box is too small, unhook the front V-brakes and take out the outers from the cable stops. Remove the handlebars altogether, wrap them up and tape them to the top tube of the frame. If you have disc brakes, place a piece of card between the pads to stop the pistons being pumped out should the levers get depressed.

Pack the front wheel to one side. If need be, lower the saddle and tighten it in place. Depending on the size of the box and the racks you're running, you may need to remove the front rack and adjust the rear by undoing the seat stay bolts and moving it forward. Fill the box with bubblewrap or pieces of cardboard. Try and make sure there are as little loose parts to rattle round as possible; these will invariably nuzzle up against the paintwork and gouge it out. Bubblewrap, pieces of cardboard, newspaper scrunched up in balls or old bits of material will do. Put all the spare bits (eg skewers and pedals) in a padded bag and tape it down to the frame so it doesn't go flying about.

Seal the box up and label it 'This Way Up', along with your name, destination and flight details. If you're a perfectionist, you might want to cut yourself a few handholds out if it doesn't have them already. And as you watch it disappearing down the carousel, just don't forget to whisper a quick prayer to the God of Baggage Handlers and hope for the best.

It's much the same for a bike specific bag, though you may need to take off both wheels and turn the bike upside down. Just make sure you pack in as much cardboard as possible to stop sharp edges tearing or rubbing through the material.

General advice for independent travellers

Picking an airline

Here's some thoughts for independent cylists who are planning a tour in Northern India. Even if you book through a travel agent, you'll need to find out what your prefered airline's policy is on carrying bikes by phoning them, or checking their website - in fact, this may determine which airline you take. Some charge a flat fee of around £60 each way, others include the bike in the overall baggage weight allowance, generally around the 18-25kg mark. If you're travelling light, you should slip through the excess radar undetected (airlines often wave the first extra 5kg). But if you're travelling independently with 4 panniers worth of kit, you may be way off target, in which case charges can be extortionate - as much as £20 per kilo. Flag carriers often keep a beadier eye on the scales but the more reputable the airline, the more likely it is to cough up the cash if your bike gets ill treated. Lastly, damage is more likely to occur on indirect flights where your bike is moved from one plane to another.

Costs are around £400-550 from Europe to Delhi with European carriers (such as BA, Austrian Airways and Lufthansa) who tend to be reliable and offer good connection times - Middle Eastern carriers are often cheaper and more fexible on return dates, but generally have considerably longer transfer times. The small, specialist travel agency North South Travel channel profits through registered charity projects (www.northsouthtravel.co.uk) and offer competitive prices.

Preparing your bike for the plane

Preparing your bike needn’t take long and should go some way to ensuring it arrives damage free - though there's aways a risk. There are different schools of thought, each with their followers. Disposable bike boxes are a popular method. Easy to find, they’re relatively strong, roomy (so you can stash extra kit if it's a fixed bike fee airline) and disposable on arrival. Specialist bike bags are another option, though you’ll probably have to remove your front and rear rack. Use one that folds down small if you plan to carry it with you - handy too if you're taking buses and trains where your bike needs to be contained.

With baggage handlers famed for their heavy handedness, many travellers opt to entrust their steeds (so long as they're tough, touring bikes or mtbs) pretty much as is - that's the way we tend to go. See the Minimalist approach above. A bike that looks like a bike tends to get treated as such, while bike boxes and bags have a habit of being slung about and sandwiched between luggage. Bear in mind though that some airlines make you sign a damage waiver if you hand your bike over unboxed or bagged.

If you’re way over the weight allowance, negotiating check-in staff is your next hurdle. Ring up a day before to confirm your bike will be on the plane. Much can depend on a particular mood that day or how busy the flight is. Do yourself a favour by arriving extra early, making sure your bike is ready for the flight and adopting an extra cheery, friendly attititude – surly staff spell trouble. Pack as much heavy kit as you can get away with in your hand luggage – just about anything that won’t be construed as a weapon – to save on those pricey kilos. This is where fixed bike rates are really advantageous - you can sneakily stash your box with extra kit if you’re really overloaded.

Links

http://www.bikeaccess.net - a handy resource for travelling with your bike by plane and train, with a list of airline contact numbers.

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