Traveling with bike

Get a cardboard bike box from a bike shop. Before I got a hardcase, I covered every inch of a cardboard bike box in packing tape to make it more water resistant in case it's raining when the luggage gets put onto the plane, and it did the job well enough

I use a soft case.  We've traveled with it 5 times and never had an issue.  Actually the first time I didn't pack it properly and the BTA bottle cage I had attached was bent.  Since then, no issues.

Typically "traveling with bike" and "cost effective" don't end up in the same sentence.  Make sure you do your research on the airline you book with.  That flight that saves you $100 might cost you an extra $300 in bike fees.

Sometimes I have to pay the fee, sometimes I don't.  I certainly wouldn't count on it.

Delta is going to cost you $150 each way.

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/baggage/before-your-trip/special-items.html

We have made dozens of flights with bikes, and I have shipped ahead on FedEx twice.

#1 - forget oversize costs......your bike is not an oversized item, it's a BIKE....different rules and costs.

#2 - No, you can't buy a seat for your bike.

#3 - If you pack your bike so that the box can't be opened, TSA WILL cut your box open.

#4 - The soft cases today are good.  We use a Scicon, some of the team uses a hen house, some still use hard cases.....the damage factor is really minimal for all. (I have unpacked and built up hundreds of bikes after flights....the horror stories are greatly exaggerated)

#5 - Delta is one of the worst airlines to fly your bike on, and one of the most expensive......United is trying to be the worst.

#6 - Alaska Airlines, hands down, is the best airline for flying bikes.....Frontier is second.

#7 - FedEx is a great option....and much cheaper than airlines.....jus tuse the same case when shipping.

#8 - you can get TSA locks at the hardware store......TSA has a key to open them.....TSA likes people who use them.....TSA can trash your gear of they don't like you......do the math.

It's not an oversize item, it's a bike.  There is a section on that link specifically for sporting goods.

Why did you exclude a hard case? While soft cases have improved, hard cases are still what I see most commonly.  And they're usually available on Craigslist or eBay for much less than retail.

I've flown my bike using a hard case on around 5 round trips.  And I shipped it UPS once, which was great.  I shipped it via IM Lake Placid's bike receiving program, where you shipped it to their affiliated bike shop for a nominal fee above what UPS charged, and they could do everything from just hold it for you to basic assembly to assembly and tune-up. I had them assemble it. After the race I packed the bike myself and shipped it home. 

Check out http://rustersports.com/product/hen-house/

This is a soft sided case that isn't oversize. A lot of disassembly needed, but no $100 each way charge. And no big rental car needed at your destination. I'm here at the Expo at IM Boulder looking at the armored version of this and strongly considering buying it. Two bags one for bike one for wheels and then you can also stuff in gear.

My only experience with long distance travel and bikes is when we flew with a bike for my husband to do Ironman Canada in 2007.  He rented a hard case from the LBS in our neighbourhood. No need to buy it outright. I don't remember the cost but it wasn't crazy.  But as said before if you are flying with it they will likely look inside whatever box you have so it needs to be able to open. 

TSA opens my hard case every single time, but no apparent impact. How do they mess with yours?

Tri Bike Transport is great and I've used it five times so my next time is free. It's more and more expensive each time so its not as cost effective as it once was.

Basically there are cheap once in a while options vs. more expensive initial cost but cheaper after multiple uses options. Then there are convenient but pricey every time options.

I have packed and unpacked dozens of bikes for a hen house bag.  It's one of the best products out there for flying a bike and the bag is inbelievabvly durable.  There are only two drawbacks, and the first just takes some experience because it's no big deal.   1. You must break the bike down further than for any other bag out there......to unclude seat, handlebars, front fork, some take the brakes off, pedals, etc.  Again, none of this is a big deal and if you own a bike you should be able to do these basic things.....but it is time consuming on both ends.  2.  If your bike has an integrated seat post it likely will not fit in that bag unless your bike is REALLY small. 

Once the bike is disassembled, there is really only one way to get it into this bag and still zip it shut.  Less chance for TSA to mess something up.  I have the armored version, which I always recommend because of the wheels.  I don't think I'd want to carry the bags on shoulder straps very far.

Being able to fit your bike into a compact rental car or Prius taxi is a big plus for this bag.

I shipped my bike fed exp ground, and it arrived late and my frame was broken.

Fed Express did pay my insurance claim.

If you ship UPS or Fed Express ground, they often play a game with the cost. The measurement of the box and the fee, is a moving number often. If you measure at home and prepay, they sometimes charge you additional when it gets processed. Bike boxes often get pushed up to a next minimum size based on volume/size. My Thule bike box has been charged double one way of the trip compared to the other way.

Using that Bike shipping website other mentioned fixes the price so that the size/weight game is avoided.

SWA is the way we usually use to fly as bike fees are okay and not a game.

Often bike fees are greater than your seat cost so shop that when booking your ticket.

OK! Based on LB's and Spud's comments, I bought one of these Armored Hen House soft case with plastic side inserts.  So far so good, packing was easy and it certainly seems as safe as my Trico Iron Case.

I only had to disassemble my P3C a little more than I did with my old case. The extra was to remove the front brake, pull the fork, and rotate the stem leaving it on the base bar.  All frame parts are wrapped in pipe insulation as I did with my Trico, with nice Velcro straps holding everything in place.  Wheels fit into the wheel bag without issue, but I do have to jury rig some hub protection because the included hub caps didn't fit my Zipps.

I sold my Trico on Boulder Craigslist, and I hope I never pay another excess baggage / oversize / bike fee again.

DO NOT utter the word Bicycle while at the ticket counter/bag check.  I know people with that bag who have been charged bike fees because the airliine said "a bike is a bike".....it was US Air.   If someone asks you what's in the bags you can just say, "wheels",  for the one bag, and "cycling gear" for the other.....it works for the folks we know and they don't have to lie or teach their kids to lie.  There is not a bicycle in either bag, right?   It's VERY rare you will be asked because of the size....but be ready in case you are.