Author Topic: Packing for Air Travel -- Tandems  (Read 7069 times)

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Offline 2sailkayakbike

Packing for Air Travel -- Tandems
« on: March 01, 2014, 05:41:14 pm »
We are planning BIG tour with kids on tandems... researching all of the gear now.  We have figured out the bike, cases etc... but where do we, or how do we carry bike racks for two bikes.... Do they fit in the case?  Or do I need to come up with another way to carry them?

Thanks !!

Offline Tandem Tom

Re: Packing for Air Travel -- Tandems
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2014, 07:23:59 pm »
we took our tandem, a Co-Motion with S&S couplings, to Europe last year. I was able to get the front and rear rack in the cases with the bike. I did make 2 cases, 10"x26"x26".

Offline BrianW

Re: Packing for Air Travel -- Tandems
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2014, 08:10:54 pm »
Coupled bikes going in S&S cases or regular tandems going in fills size cases? In either event it shouldn't be a problem.

We always fit our front and rear racks in our S&S cases. For a front rack, consider the Tubus Duo that is basically an "S" shape without a hoop and is very easy to pack. You need a fork with low rider mounts that go through the fork, though.
« Last Edit: March 13, 2014, 09:27:57 am by briwasson »

Offline 2sailkayakbike

Re: Packing for Air Travel -- Tandems
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2014, 08:23:54 pm »
Thanks for the feedback!  We are working to get bikes with S&S couplers, a backpack softcase so that we can easily carry the case .... problem solving all the details in advance.

All ideas are welcome!!

Thanks

Offline mbattisti

Re: Packing for Air Travel -- Tandems
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2014, 08:41:15 pm »
If traveling within the US, I would look into UPS.  We shipped our non- S&S coupler tandem for $170 from Seattle to upstate NY in 2010.  That included insurance.  Took 2 reg. sized cardboard bike boxes (free from local bike shop) and spliced them together.

Offline 2sailkayakbike

Re: Packing for Air Travel -- Tandems
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2014, 09:36:59 pm »
Thanks for the feedback.  We are trying to plan big tour of many countries and want to be totally self supported... Trying to figure out all of the gear we will need and how to transport...

Every idea or experience is helpful

Thanks

Offline BrianW

Re: Packing for Air Travel -- Tandems
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2014, 09:30:53 am »
Don't plan on hauling the S&S backpack cases along with you on your tour! They are fairly heavy and don't pack down that small if you include the plastic side stiffeners. I wouldn't be too keen on lugging around two of them on a long tour. Plan on finding bike boxes at your destination and just cutting them down to size. I've made up disposable S&S-sized cardboard boxes (26x26x10) and just threw them away at my destination, making a new one at the end.

Offline rhard

Re: Packing for Air Travel -- Tandems
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2014, 11:22:53 pm »
Be careful about shipping unaccompanied goods to Europe.  They can be subject to import tax.  I had this happen when a bike frame was returned FedEx to France following repair in the US.  Tax was equal to VAT (17% of declared value). Never had a similar issue for goods that shipped US Postal Service but those were typically undeclared and uninsured.