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Post by Rocket on Aug 24, 2017 13:32:29 GMT
Anybody got one or used one? Looking to purchase a couple for me and Karen as more cycling holidays are planned and the rent a bike experience we had was OK but they weren't our own bikes.
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Post by Scott M on Aug 24, 2017 16:56:00 GMT
Don't have one of my own to offer advice, but I know that some local bike-shops in my area rent out cases, which could work out better than buying one, depending on how many trips abroad you intend making.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 24, 2017 17:05:08 GMT
Only one I have and use is for the Brompton. As Scott M suggested, if you can hire one I'd go for it, I've experienced a few problems in the past by not using one. Lots of folks now hire and I've also been down that road but as you say Rocket it's not your bike and in my world that counts for a lot.
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Post by cocopops on Aug 24, 2017 22:35:03 GMT
Just make sure you buy or hire an hard plastic one, Airport staff tend to throw hold baggage around a bit.. just a thought
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Post by utriban on Aug 25, 2017 6:04:10 GMT
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Post by Rocket on Oct 4, 2017 17:07:18 GMT
I've gone and bought a Bike Box Alan case from Sigma Sport
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Post by Rocket on Oct 5, 2017 14:57:02 GMT
Bike box arrived this morning already after ordering less than 24 hours ago. Seems an awful lot of money for a load of modified wheelie bin plastic but if it does its job for many trips then it will have paid for itself. Back out to Majorca in a few more weeks so will soon be tested.
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Post by Scott M on Oct 9, 2017 10:52:15 GMT
Bike box arrived this morning already after ordering less than 24 hours ago. Seems an awful lot of money for a load of modified wheelie bin plastic but if it does its job for many trips then it will have paid for itself. Back out to Majorca in a few more weeks so will soon be tested. Who are you flying with? I noticed that Jet2 are offering half-price bike transport to Balearics and Canaries all winter, so £30 return. I've booked for a week in the sun in Jan, and was considering taking my own bike, but by the time I add transport for the bike at either end, the cost saving isn't massive over hiring a bike for the week, so to avoid the hassle I'm going down the rental route. If I was going away for longer than a week, then taking my own would work out a lot cheaper.
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Post by Paulinblack on Dec 1, 2019 19:37:26 GMT
Can you give us a long term review on this please plus your experiences thus far Rocket (and anyone else who has something to contribute on this front) ? I like the idea of going abroad to cycle, but have not so far been able to get a group of friends to agree on where to go, when to go, how much they can afford etc etc. I've cycled in Tenerife during a family holiday. I rented a bike (BMC, discs, di2) for approx 32 Euros for one day (but you pick it up the day before, so I had 2 good rides). I see that Sigma have a BikeBoxAlan for £375 and Probikekit a Scicon for £359 or their own brand for £175 (with mixed reviews!) When you review, can you touch on: - Thoughts on the box itself (ease of use, protection etc) - What does it cost to fly with it? (What weight does it come out with all your kit in it?) - Do you pack all your clothes, shoes, gloves, gels, etc in it? - Knowing what you know now, would you buy again or go the bike rental route? - I've seen BBA's for rent for £5-10 per day. Was that an option at the time?
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Post by Rocket on Dec 3, 2019 22:16:41 GMT
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Post by Rocket on Dec 5, 2019 13:02:44 GMT
2 years ago I bought a BikeBoxAlan case for around £400. I have since used it 6 times so it has already paid for itself in the savings I’ve made over hiring a bike. I knew hiring a case was an option but with the number of times I planned to go on cycling holidays it wasn’t financially viable, especially when adding in the cost to collect and return it to the place of hire.
The case is still in good condition with nothing broken. There are a few marks and scrapes on it which are to be expected from any baggage being taken on a plane but nothing of concern. More importantly my bike has never suffered any damage whilst in the case. BikeBoxAlan are the only company who offer a 7 year manufacturers warranty on their product and consistently come out top on reviews so although there were cheaper options that appeared similar this is the one I bought. I find the case to be well designed and it is easy enough to haul around an airport. In fact, I usually manage 2 of them together as Karen is with me and she takes both cabin bags. Carrying them up stairs when there is no lift is a proper workout but the same would apply to any case.
When my Canyon Aeroad is packed in the case along with my helmet, shoes, cycling clothes, spares, tools and a track pump the total weight is usually between 27-28 Kg so well within the 32 Kg limit for both Jet2 and EasyJet although RyanAir are 30 Kg. I also take a cabin bag with my normal clothes in as this is at no extra cost with Jet2 and EasyJet. With RyanAir I would have to be very selective in what I packed to stay under 30 Kg.
Prices to take a bike case are currently £30 each way with Jet2, £45 each way with EasyJet and £60 each way with RyanAir when booked with the flight. These figures need to be taken into account for the overall cost of flights. I've yet to use RyanAir as although their flights are cheapest when adding the bike case they are the most expensive and they no longer allow you to take the usual cabin case on-board for free so putting all your belongings in your bike case makes it very unwieldy.
I only hired a bike the first time I went on a cycling holiday to Mallorca and after that I decided to invest in a bike case and take my own. Your first day can be wasted getting your hire bike and you need to return it the day before you leave which again limits your riding time. With my own bike it's just 30 minutes to build it up or pack it away. You are also riding your own bike and not having to adapt to another which may not be possible to fit correctly. My bike also possesses a multitude of sensors which I would have to fit and remove with a hire bike. I would always take my own bike on a cycling holiday as I go often and it works out much cheaper. There aren't many shops I could hire a Canyon Aeroad from and I’m not keen to ride anything else.
A hire bike may come with some form of roadside assistance from the hire shop but you can always buy cover for your own bike or a hired one in case of a breakdown of either bike or rider. I've never suffered either so far but stuff happens. Hire shops usually offer you extra insurance against damage to their own bike for a small extra fee but the one I used said it did not cover for a total loss to the bike meaning you could still be left with a large bill if it was stolen or you broke the frame for instance. I pay a bit extra on my house insurance to cover my bikes on holiday and cover can always be added as part of travel insurance.
One thing to bear in mind is the cost of transport to and from airports. With a bike case, or two, you can’t simply hire any taxi. You need a minivan or larger and these cost a bit more as the drivers surcharge for a bike case. On Mallorca a good option is to pre-book a place for you and your bike on a TransUnion shuttle bus as these go to most of the popular resorts. I’ve used them many times to Alcudia and Port de Pollenca. To keep costs down I often stay close to the airport, especially on the Canary islands.
3 tips I would add for packing a bike in a case:
1. With the chain on the big ring use tie-wraps to secure the chain to it so it cannot fall off. This stops the chain from slapping around on the frame and protects the teeth of the big ring from damage.
2.Tie-wrap the levers on the wheel skewers closed so that if customs open and close your box the skewers can’t flick out and possible damage the frame. Reusable tie-wraps are best as they release easy.
3. Put something distinctive and unique on the outside of your case so you can recognise it. You don’t want to open a case to find out it belongs to someone else.
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Post by Paulinblack on Dec 6, 2019 8:03:34 GMT
Thanks for the review - Just what I was looking for. This seems to back up everything I have read about the BBA. I'd read some good reviews on other bike boxes but wasn't convinced. Most reviews on these things talk about trade off between weight of boxes and cost of taking them - Thanks for clearly explaining.
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