Bikes on flights...

[Moder-dye]

We've got flights to Norway booked this summer and were looking at hiring for some rides while there but the prices are extortionate ( like everything else there really!).

So we were thinking to take out own, 2 adult and one kids MTB. But the flight can only take a max of two bikes (smallish prop plane Sumburgh to Bergen).

So we were wondering if we could break my sons bike down and maybe put frame with one adult bike and wheels with the other in cardboard boxes. And suddenly there'd only be two bikes! Does that sound feasible or just silly?

We did think we could maybe just take two bikes and only hire one when there but that's seems like just more hassle (getting two riders and one non-rider to a hire shop) as well as expense.

Never taken a bike on a plane at all so its all new and scary anyway.

Any thoughts appreciated!

[Gari]

Not sure about the smaller carriers from Shetland, usually they state a max weight per box. I use easy jet quite a lot and they have a max of 32kg when you pay for a bike, they are not overly fussy about what else you put in the box/bag as long as it is within the weight limit. Is there a stated limit per item?

[Moder-dye]

It doesn't give a specific weight for bikes and sports equipment but the excess baggage is 30kg per bag and £10. Bikes are also £10 so I don't known if that means the 30kg would apply too.

[danielgroves]

Worth noting some airlines only allow one complete bike in each box too. Weather they'd check or not is another question entirely though.

[Moder-dye]

I've emailed to ask about the weight and boxing (obviously not about sneaking two in), but their responses on things are usually pretty dire and change depending on who you speak to.

The website only mentions turning handle bars, reversing pedals and letting air out tyres. No mention of needing a bag or box even.

[NorwayCalling]

All bike flying to/within Scandinavia must be placed in a cardboard box or (a specifically designed) bike bag. Scandinavia a a region was one of the first to crack down on bikes in plastic bags unfortunately. This has already been talked about on here (CTC plastic bag thred IIRC)

So yes, you will need to place the bikes in a cardboard box. Check with your airline on the max LENGTH of the box as, if its the aircraft I think it is the box has to be 150 cm or less in length. Weight is normally between 30 - 35 kg so never an issue.

When are you in Bergen? Cycling to Voss? The reason i as is three fold.

1. Time of year will lead to "demand" so if you are over here when demand is low, you can hire bike more cheaply than the stated price (if you ask nicely)
2. You can buy a new bike in Norway - ride it for a few weeks and sell it back to the bike shop at an agreed price (as long as you don't trash it). Again, can work out cheaper than hire costs.
3. Not all "bike hire" places are the same - most "hire" places in and around Bergen are for the tourist market and the vast quantity of cruse ship clientele that Bergen gets each season (so expensive, cheap bikes for a few hours is their business model).

I am currently in Stavanger but work in Bergen quite a bit too, so if there is anything you need to know - drop me a message, I will attempt to help if i can.

[Moder-dye]

Thanks for that input NorwayCalling. We're going the first 2 weeks of July so yeh, it's peak time and the hire places I found are, like you say, set up for short tourist hire really and also don't particularly have bikes suited to touring.

Loganaire have got back saying each has to be 20kg or less (£10 per bike each way which seems pretty good) and no specifics of packing other than the deflated tyres and turned handle bars and no specific length. I guess we'll need to try it out with packing and weigh them then decide. The risk is if they don't get on our flight (which they can't guarantee) with us the next flight they could be put on is 4 days later as there are only 2 flights a week

We've no specific plans yet NC, though we were loosely considering the Odda , Jondal, Tyrvikbygd areas before my wife mentioned taking the bikes. If we do take the bikes it'll be something like a 200km little tour from Flesland Airport using ferries too. I do have a link to tunnels that can/can't be cycled http://www.cycletourer.co.uk/maps/tunnelmap.shtml and open cycle map is pretty good for planning. https://www.opencyclemap.org/ plus the Norway mapping https://kart.1881.no/#

The other year we unknowingly did what is the tourist trail of Voss ,Gudvangen, Flam via train, bus, ferry and camping, but added to that with a gem of a walk through the Aurlandsdalen, camping in the gorge and near Aurland. We had hoped to hire bikes and do the Rallarvegen, but the cost was just too much. Flam itself was awful with the cruise ships, but lovely country inland from there.

We need to do more thinking. The benefit of bikes for me would be massive as my knee is now too painful to really walk much at all with a big pack on of family camping gear. Easy tootling each day with the family on a bike would be fine though.

Thanks for your offer of help. I'll likely be in touch if there's something specific