Ironman Logistics Help... confused, please help

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2007-05-08 2:10 PM

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Subject: Ironman Logistics Help... confused, please help
So Louisville is staring me down in the face and I am starting to get nervous about logistics type stuff. This is my first Iron distance and I am kind of freaking out.

Can anyone help me clear up some of these questions?

1. Flying from NYC and going to be renting a car. I asked Avis if they had bike racks, and the answer was "no." I then tried two other car rental places and no dice. How do you get your bike from the airport to the hotel?

Do I need to upgrade and get an SUV? Will the bike box even fit in the back of an SUV?

2. Is it easier to find a bike shop that will ship it direct to a bike shop in Louisville and do it that way? If so, how do I find a bike shop to do this? And

Staying at Galt House in Louisville, if that helps. This stuff is so confusing.

Thank you everyone in advance,
Courtney

2007-05-08 2:22 PM
in reply to: #793314

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Subject: RE: Ironman Logistics Help... confused, please help

TacomaLuv - 2007-05-08 1:10 PM So Louisville is staring me down in the face and I am starting to get nervous about logistics type stuff. This is my first Iron distance and I am kind of freaking out. Can anyone help me clear up some of these questions? 1. Flying from NYC and going to be renting a car. I asked Avis if they had bike racks, and the answer was "no." I then tried two other car rental places and no dice. How do you get your bike from the airport to the hotel? Do I need to upgrade and get an SUV? Will the bike box even fit in the back of an SUV? 2. Is it easier to find a bike shop that will ship it direct to a bike shop in Louisville and do it that way? If so, how do I find a bike shop to do this? And Staying at Galt House in Louisville, if that helps. This stuff is so confusing. Thank you everyone in advance, Courtney

I rented a mini-van, but I had other family showing up as well.  There was no problem getting the bike box in the van.  Other buddies got an SUV or something a little larger than a car.

2007-05-08 2:31 PM
in reply to: #793314

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Subject: RE: Ironman Logistics Help... confused, please help

There should be a tri bike transport associated with the race....

2007-05-08 2:35 PM
in reply to: #793314

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Subject: RE: Ironman Logistics Help... confused, please help
You may want to look into Tribike Transport - I'm pretty sure they operate out of the NYC area. It's like $200 bucks - you give them your bike w/o pedals, they drive it in a specially made truck to your race site. You pick it up, attach pedals, race, detach pedals, give them bike, they drive it back. Easy as pie. www.tribiketransport.com, I believe. Book early - they fill up quick.

I rented through AVIS for IMAZ. I just packed my bike in a standard cardboard bike box (long story). We had rented a "midsize" car, which turned out to be a Chevy Impala. The boxed bike fit easily in the backseat - didn't even have to mess with flipping the seat down to expose the trunk. Your boxed bike will surely fit in any SUV, if you want to spend the extra $$.

and FWIW, my bike fits in the trunk/backseat of my crappy 1996 Saturn sedan, given that I take off the front wheel and seatpost - so you'll be fine in pretty much anything midsize and up.
2007-05-08 3:14 PM
in reply to: #793314

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Subject: RE: Ironman Logistics Help... confused, please help

Your questions leave me wondering....how were you planning to get your bike TO the airport in the first place?

Assuming your bike will be packed in a bike box, you just need to make sure the bike box will fit in your rental.  SUV or mini-van will surely do the trick, but as others have mentioned it may even fit in a mid-sized car.  A bike rack won't do you any good unless you were planning to assemble your bike in the airport parking lot....and even then, you still gotta get your bike box in the car, no?  :-)

All that said, I'd go the TriBike Transport route and save yourself a lot of hassle.

 -Steve

2007-05-08 3:28 PM
in reply to: #793407

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Subject: RE: Ironman Logistics Help... confused, please help
Steve in IL - 2007-05-08 4:14 PM

Your questions leave me wondering....how were you planning to get your bike TO the airport in the first place?

Assuming your bike will be packed in a bike box, you just need to make sure the bike box will fit in your rental.  SUV or mini-van will surely do the trick, but as others have mentioned it may even fit in a mid-sized car.  A bike rack won't do you any good unless you were planning to assemble your bike in the airport parking lot....and even then, you still gotta get your bike box in the car, no?  :-)

All that said, I'd go the TriBike Transport route and save yourself a lot of hassle.

 -Steve



Good point. No freaking cabbie in NYC is going to pick me up with a bike box! They don't like picking you up with rolling luggage, let alone a giant bike box.

Apparently there is some car service that you can rent a mini van to and from JFK for $60 each way. I guess I will do that.

I emailed tribike transport to see if they are doing Louisville. It's not listed as one of the races they are doing. That seems the easiest, thank you for recommending them! Even if they don't do IMKY, I'll keep them in mind for the future.

Thank you everyone for your replies. I took the $$hit and upgraded to an SUV. Pontiac vibe "or similar."


2007-05-08 8:54 PM
in reply to: #793314

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Subject: RE: Ironman Logistics Help... confused, please help

Even a hatch back with the rear seats folded down should be sufficient.  I've got a small Hyundai Elantra and with the tri bike out of the box, it fits in through the hatch back, with just the front wheel removed.  A bike box should be a piece of cake.

 

2007-05-08 9:07 PM
in reply to: #793314

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Subject: RE: Ironman Logistics Help... confused, please help

When I did Lonestar, I brought my bike to SBR Multisport in NYC, and they boxed it and shipped it to a local shop in Texas who put it together and tuned it up for the race. Same thing in the other direction after the race was over.  I think it cost something like 250 bucks for the whole process.  I found a few shops in the city with similar services, at varying prices. 

 

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