Having travelled overseas for the last seven years to compete, I think it’s safe to say I’ve learnt the “joys” of travelling with a bike. Being only 2.5 weeks out from travelling to Europe inspired me to share some useful tips I’ve learnt and thought might be helpful for anyone taking their beloved two-wheeled friend with them on their adventure. Note: this is for the average Jo toughing it out in economy class.
Need to lose some weight?
Travelling with a bike will mean you’re almost always close to the threshold of your weight limit. A lot of airlines like Emirates and Singapore Airlines have a 30kg checked allowance. If you can keep your entire contents – bike, tools, spares, clothing, etc. below that you will save yourself an excess weight fee which is usually around USD 150 (this varies between airlines so you will have to check each policy). It’s pretty steep, especially considering the weak AUD at the moment, so this is definitely something to consider avoiding.
Helpful equipment tips:
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1. Bike Bag. Buy yourself a bike bag WITH WHEELS. I’ve ran through enough airports and walked to enough bus and train stations to know how valuable a bike bag with wheels is. I personally like the Evoc bike bag because it’s big enough to fit a bike plus tools and clothing. It also has some bright colour options which is perfect for when you’re trying to spot it in the sea of bags at the airport.
2. Multi-tool. Tools are one of the heaviest things you will need to pack so the less you can take, the better. This is where a multi-tool can be very handy. I would suggest either the Topeak Mini 18+ or the Lezyne Rap 20 Piece Multi-Tool V2, both of which weigh between 170-190g.
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Some fun extras
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Travelling will expose you to some beautiful places and let you experience some unforgettable moments. It’s great to be able to capture these moments! I take a GoPro Hero3+ when I travel and I'd definitely recommend it because it has a number of mounting options – helmet, bars, chest, etc., as well as capturing HD video and images. Hope some of this has been useful for those bike aficionados with the travel bug.