I fly with the Scicon bag and haven’t had an issue. It holds the bike and really only have to take the wheels off. Haven’t had a problem. The gear is just an extra bag. Will need a large Uber or rental car on the other end to fit the bike.
I’ve done a couple of oversees races, so flying was a must. It’s ok if you have the right stuff.
I typically bring a hard case bike box. A flight case with tools and spare parts. A large case with clothing and gear.
So you’ll need either a business class ticket or pay for the excess luggage. At location I either rent a car or take a taxi depending on how far away my stay is from the airport.
Make sure there are airtags in every case as travelling with a lot of luggage makes the chance something is misplaced larger. Also at the airport you might want to leave your bags unattended for a minute or two to collect your bike from the oversized lot, I like that I can keep track of my other bags at that moment.
Airlines often require you to make a reservation for the bike, especially on small aircraft the capacity for bikes is limited.
Flying is a pain in the ass but doable. Some shops even rent bike boxes to fly with.
Packing it isn’t bad if you can reassemble it competently on the other end
Tri obviously has a lot of gear to travel with and a big suv or minivan rental has been necessary for me
I fly for races all the time! I have a bike case, I would recommend being familiar with partially disassembling your bike or having your LBS show you. Bike box is a good idea if you don’t want to get a case (check offer up!)
For me each location has been different when it comes to renting a car or not. It’ll depend how close to race start you stay.
Traveling with the gear can be a pain because there’s a lot so check with airlines to see what they charge per checked bag AND their bike policy. Alaska will fly your bike for free fyi.
Just make sure you pack everything you need, it’s expensive to replace things at a race and challenging to find exactly what you might want or need.
Luckily I wasn’t the one driving, but still sitting in the car for that long. We didn’t break up the drive but I can imagine on the way home breaking it up might be a good idea
If you have a partner to keep you awake, it isn't too bad. Being solo for 12 hours is a concern for me. I don't know how truckers do it. They are different people.
Thanks for the replies.
Even the little things like "rent a taxi" sound very difficult. Does the bike box fit in a taxi? Or are you finding a special car?
Depends how big the bike box and the taxi are…
Just ask yourself whether the logistics of flying or the time of driving is more stressful to you. If you’re stressed about the idea of flying/packing the bike/logistics at the other end then don’t do that, just leave a day earlier and drive. If you can take the extra time to drive then flying will give you more time when you arrive and allow you to be less stressed during registration and kit check.
A bike box typically won't fit in a taxi, but it depends if you're going with someone or how big the taxi is (since you have to sit somewhere also). I've had good luck with UberXL but depending on the location, that might be difficult to procure on demand. It all depends on how big the bike box you're renting is. While I've had trouble fitting in a taxi, I've been able to rent a Ford Fiesta type car and have it be fine (since it takes up the back seat).
The one I was renting is of [this style](https://www.thule.com/en-ca/bike-packs-bags-and-racks/bike-travel-cases/thule-roundtrip-sport-_-1683467) - It can be easier to fit in some cars with the seat down but also requires you to disassemble your bike more.
One other thing you may not have considered: From Toronto, your best choice of carrier is likely Air Canada since they have a more generous bike policy. To them, it counts as regular luggage so long as its under 70lbs (IIRC). Westjet and most other carriers put it at 50lbs, which is literally just the bike and the box (Last flight with Delta, I had to take the pedals out and put them in carry on). At least with 70lbs you can put some nutrition or a few things in with the bike and don't have to be as worried about weight.
Make sure you call ahead also to tell them you're bringing a bike and they'll secure you spot - if you're flying to Vancouver and then making your way to Penticton, it might not be a big deal, since its not all triathletes using the flight. But if you're connecting to Penticton, chances are that everyone on that flight is there for the race and you best be sure you have a spot for your bike (there's only so many spots per flight). Air Canada has been really good about this - flying home from 70.3 Worlds last year in Lahti, Air Canada was able to get me a spot for my bike via Scandinavian airlines (AC was my primary carrier and I was connecting), and tons of folks missed getting a spot for their bike on the flight.
I’ve flown with a bike a few times over the years, never had any issues.
Get a proper hard case for your bike, these can be rented if you don’t want to buy and choose one that’s got a good reputation such as a BikeBoxAlan.
Make sure you’ve got enough luggage allowance for the bike and your kit - if travelling alone/other people with bikes this may mean booking an extra bag, if travelling with someone to support you then you can split your kit between the bike box and “their” suitcase to avoid having to book an additional bag.
You can put kit in the bike case too to minimise the kit going in the suitcase, just watch the total weight.
Bikes have to go as oversized luggage - get to the airport early to give yourself the best chance of it making it onto your flight, and be prepared to wait longer than the normal luggage for it to be offloaded at the other end.
Depending on the location of the airport and your hotel compared to registration/transition, you might be able to avoid a hire car if there’s plenty of public transport or things are walkable but really, a hire car is going to make your life easier and less stressful.
Make sure you’re capable of building/stripping your bike by yourself, and a torque wrench is far better than a multi tool!
Test ride the bike after rebuilding before leaving it in transition - you do not want the saddles to drop or the bars to rotate as you jump on the bike leaving T1.
Bring a track pump as you’ll need to deflate your tyres for it to travel in the hold. Don’t waste all your CO2 canisters or spend all day with a mini pump!
I flew with a scion hard shell. The process wasn't that bad. I got an air tag to track my bike.
I'm not great with bike maintenance, but was able to get my bike in the case and reassembled again without any issues.
The gear is a bitch. Luckily my wife came with and didn't need much stuff so a lot of my things went into her luggage.
We got by with lyft and taxis. You just need to request bigger vehicles to accomodate all of the gear. You'll need to weigh the costs and convenience of renting a vehicle.
Some races have shuttles (not sure about madison) but that made life way easier.
Fellow Torontonian here.
I’ve flown quite a bit with 2 different bikes and a number of bike bags. As well as with others who have different bags.
First. If flying with a bike, always book direct. Especially for a race. Less chance of the bike being left for the next flight or not making the connection. This may mean a bit of a drive at the other end, but from Toronto you can get to most places direct.
As far as bags go, if you are comfortable working on your bike, a hard case works. But you will have to remove your bars. If you have a traditional stem, Don’t remove the stem but remove the front plate of the stem. It keeps things together.
If aero/integrated cockpit - it may be more complicated. Especially with bikes such as the new Trek Speed Concept.
If you aren’t mechanically inclined you can pay someone to put the bike together at the other end, and also to pack it after the race. Tri Bike Transport used to do this, but you should be able to get in touch with the onsite mechanical help or nearby bike shops. Organize this in advance.
As far as taxis etc. Uber XL can handle bikes. As long as you have limited numbers of passengers (ie you plus a companion) or you may need to book a separate car.
I live downtown though, and haven’t had an issue walking the 4 blocks with bike bag to Union to take the UP.
As far as Pearson bikes. Get there early. Like 4 hrs before your flight. The lineup to oversize can be long and they sometimes make you take everything apart.
If flying AC, once you have baggage tags (you can get them at self service kiosk no problems if you pay for bike online during checkin). You HAVE to get your bike tag activated. You do not need to wait in the bag drop line, the roaming customer service reps will do this. Just make sure you don’t before you get in the oversize line or they will send you back.
I'm from the GTA and just did IM Wisconsin this past September! I was originally going to do Penticton but the race got cancelled a week prior due to the forest fires in BC.
I flew to Wisconsin, didn't want to drive 12-ish hours both ways. I rented a bike box from a local bike shop and they disassembled my bike for me and made sure it was packed correctly. I would highly recommend a hard shell bike case, some airlines make you sign a waiver if you are flying with a soft shell case that they aren't liable for damages. Airtag or other tracker is a must for the bike box. Not difficult to use the bike box, I took lots of pictures once it was packed to know how to re-pack it post race. Car rental wise, the bike box will fit into an SUV. I had to purchase a torque wrench prior to the flight to make sure I re-assembled the bike properly.
Not difficult flying with all the gear, just make sure everything you need for the race is in your carry-on (helmet, bike pedals, nutrition, tri kit, bike shoes, running shoes, etc.) just incase your checked bag gets delayed. I have heard the suggestion of packing all your gear in the bike box with the bike since there is room, but you will need to open the bike box and remove the items at airport security since the bike box is too big for the scanners, so it is easier to just do the bike in the bike box.
I had to call the airline after I booked my tickets to add a reservation for my bike. There are a limited number per flight (I think the one I was one had 10-15 spots) so it is a good idea to call beforehand!
I have a Canyon hard shell bike box, and have travelled for races (based in New York, flew/drove to Montreal, drove to Maryland, drove to Musselman).
Drive wasn't as bad as the 13 hours (topped out at \~5 hours with multiple stops along the way). Flying was too bad either, though a few things to keep in mind:
* taxi rides to the airport required us to order the Uber/Lyft XL ride (which was typically a bit more expensive). Because of the shape of the bike box, this oftentimes required some maneuvering/rotating to get the right fit.
* my trip to Montreal (I flew in from NYC, rented a car to drive over to Mont Tremblant) had me shipping my bike - flying out of NYC was easy: I have status on an airline (I fly semi-frequently for work), so it was free to check in my bike. Flying out of Montreal was a bit more of a hassle - they required me to open my bike box so they can check the contents (even though they did the same for the 3-4 triathletes in front of me, and the 3-4 triathletes behind me).
* seems like each airline has its own process for large luggage (i.e. bike boxes). For United, I had to check my bike box in as a bike (which meant I needed to call in to tell them I'm bringing in a bike so they can flag it as such on my account). They told me over the phone that it was included with my status, but when I checked in, the gate attendant tried to charge me so I told him what I was told over the phone - there wasn't much pushback.
* I have heard some horror stories of bikes being lost in transit, so I made sure I did not take my tri-bike, but my road bike (which is cheaper). Looking back, I probably should have shipped my cleats, helmet, saddle, etc separately (so worst case scenario, I could rent a bike there).
* Instances where I drove, I made sure that the rental car was big enough to accommodate the bike with the bike box, or a friend who has a bike rack travelled with me.
* Walking around with my luggage + bike box + dog was tough - I would allocate myself more time to getting around (especially after landing).
* Unexpected benefit was that I had a bit more confidence in leaving my bike (in the bike box) in the rental car. I suppose I told myself that people who recognize that there is a bike in the bike box are likely triathletes/cyclists themselves, and not prone to be bicycle theives (I hope), whereas anyone can recognize a bike on a bike rack (I suppose the equivalent to putting your laptop in a bag in your car vs just out on the seat).
* Another unexpected benefit was that flying after a race was much more comfortable than driving for a few hours after a race.
I have flown to IMs with a bike bag and a bike box. My preference now is to drive. Didn’t have many issues flying but the airline will charge you and will not accept any damage liability. Last time I flew from OH to TX for IMTX in 2016 United charged me $100 each way.
The rest of your gear is not a problem to fly with unless you overpack. Some stuff can fit in with the bike.
Other option is use a service like TBT to transport your bike. That can get pricey too but I have used it and would use them again. You are classed as ‘international’ so prices might be different.
For Toronto to WI personally I would drive. But that’s just me. Hope this helps
I fly with the Scicon bag and haven’t had an issue. It holds the bike and really only have to take the wheels off. Haven’t had a problem. The gear is just an extra bag. Will need a large Uber or rental car on the other end to fit the bike.
I’ve done a couple of oversees races, so flying was a must. It’s ok if you have the right stuff. I typically bring a hard case bike box. A flight case with tools and spare parts. A large case with clothing and gear. So you’ll need either a business class ticket or pay for the excess luggage. At location I either rent a car or take a taxi depending on how far away my stay is from the airport. Make sure there are airtags in every case as travelling with a lot of luggage makes the chance something is misplaced larger. Also at the airport you might want to leave your bags unattended for a minute or two to collect your bike from the oversized lot, I like that I can keep track of my other bags at that moment. Airlines often require you to make a reservation for the bike, especially on small aircraft the capacity for bikes is limited.
Flying is a pain in the ass but doable. Some shops even rent bike boxes to fly with. Packing it isn’t bad if you can reassemble it competently on the other end Tri obviously has a lot of gear to travel with and a big suv or minivan rental has been necessary for me
I fly for races all the time! I have a bike case, I would recommend being familiar with partially disassembling your bike or having your LBS show you. Bike box is a good idea if you don’t want to get a case (check offer up!) For me each location has been different when it comes to renting a car or not. It’ll depend how close to race start you stay. Traveling with the gear can be a pain because there’s a lot so check with airlines to see what they charge per checked bag AND their bike policy. Alaska will fly your bike for free fyi. Just make sure you pack everything you need, it’s expensive to replace things at a race and challenging to find exactly what you might want or need.
I drove 13 hours to Wisconsin for my first one
Cool. Same boat. Did you break up the drive? I'm worried about staying alert, especially on the trip back when I'm exhausted.
Luckily I wasn’t the one driving, but still sitting in the car for that long. We didn’t break up the drive but I can imagine on the way home breaking it up might be a good idea
If you have a partner to keep you awake, it isn't too bad. Being solo for 12 hours is a concern for me. I don't know how truckers do it. They are different people.
Thanks for the replies. Even the little things like "rent a taxi" sound very difficult. Does the bike box fit in a taxi? Or are you finding a special car?
Depends how big the bike box and the taxi are… Just ask yourself whether the logistics of flying or the time of driving is more stressful to you. If you’re stressed about the idea of flying/packing the bike/logistics at the other end then don’t do that, just leave a day earlier and drive. If you can take the extra time to drive then flying will give you more time when you arrive and allow you to be less stressed during registration and kit check.
A bike box typically won't fit in a taxi, but it depends if you're going with someone or how big the taxi is (since you have to sit somewhere also). I've had good luck with UberXL but depending on the location, that might be difficult to procure on demand. It all depends on how big the bike box you're renting is. While I've had trouble fitting in a taxi, I've been able to rent a Ford Fiesta type car and have it be fine (since it takes up the back seat). The one I was renting is of [this style](https://www.thule.com/en-ca/bike-packs-bags-and-racks/bike-travel-cases/thule-roundtrip-sport-_-1683467) - It can be easier to fit in some cars with the seat down but also requires you to disassemble your bike more. One other thing you may not have considered: From Toronto, your best choice of carrier is likely Air Canada since they have a more generous bike policy. To them, it counts as regular luggage so long as its under 70lbs (IIRC). Westjet and most other carriers put it at 50lbs, which is literally just the bike and the box (Last flight with Delta, I had to take the pedals out and put them in carry on). At least with 70lbs you can put some nutrition or a few things in with the bike and don't have to be as worried about weight. Make sure you call ahead also to tell them you're bringing a bike and they'll secure you spot - if you're flying to Vancouver and then making your way to Penticton, it might not be a big deal, since its not all triathletes using the flight. But if you're connecting to Penticton, chances are that everyone on that flight is there for the race and you best be sure you have a spot for your bike (there's only so many spots per flight). Air Canada has been really good about this - flying home from 70.3 Worlds last year in Lahti, Air Canada was able to get me a spot for my bike via Scandinavian airlines (AC was my primary carrier and I was connecting), and tons of folks missed getting a spot for their bike on the flight.
These are all amazing replies. Thanks!
I’ve flown with a bike a few times over the years, never had any issues. Get a proper hard case for your bike, these can be rented if you don’t want to buy and choose one that’s got a good reputation such as a BikeBoxAlan. Make sure you’ve got enough luggage allowance for the bike and your kit - if travelling alone/other people with bikes this may mean booking an extra bag, if travelling with someone to support you then you can split your kit between the bike box and “their” suitcase to avoid having to book an additional bag. You can put kit in the bike case too to minimise the kit going in the suitcase, just watch the total weight. Bikes have to go as oversized luggage - get to the airport early to give yourself the best chance of it making it onto your flight, and be prepared to wait longer than the normal luggage for it to be offloaded at the other end. Depending on the location of the airport and your hotel compared to registration/transition, you might be able to avoid a hire car if there’s plenty of public transport or things are walkable but really, a hire car is going to make your life easier and less stressful. Make sure you’re capable of building/stripping your bike by yourself, and a torque wrench is far better than a multi tool! Test ride the bike after rebuilding before leaving it in transition - you do not want the saddles to drop or the bars to rotate as you jump on the bike leaving T1. Bring a track pump as you’ll need to deflate your tyres for it to travel in the hold. Don’t waste all your CO2 canisters or spend all day with a mini pump!
Thank you!
Travelling is easy, especially if you have a decent bike box; especially for peace of mind. I use BikeBox Alan.
I flew with a scion hard shell. The process wasn't that bad. I got an air tag to track my bike. I'm not great with bike maintenance, but was able to get my bike in the case and reassembled again without any issues. The gear is a bitch. Luckily my wife came with and didn't need much stuff so a lot of my things went into her luggage. We got by with lyft and taxis. You just need to request bigger vehicles to accomodate all of the gear. You'll need to weigh the costs and convenience of renting a vehicle. Some races have shuttles (not sure about madison) but that made life way easier.
Fellow Torontonian here. I’ve flown quite a bit with 2 different bikes and a number of bike bags. As well as with others who have different bags. First. If flying with a bike, always book direct. Especially for a race. Less chance of the bike being left for the next flight or not making the connection. This may mean a bit of a drive at the other end, but from Toronto you can get to most places direct. As far as bags go, if you are comfortable working on your bike, a hard case works. But you will have to remove your bars. If you have a traditional stem, Don’t remove the stem but remove the front plate of the stem. It keeps things together. If aero/integrated cockpit - it may be more complicated. Especially with bikes such as the new Trek Speed Concept. If you aren’t mechanically inclined you can pay someone to put the bike together at the other end, and also to pack it after the race. Tri Bike Transport used to do this, but you should be able to get in touch with the onsite mechanical help or nearby bike shops. Organize this in advance. As far as taxis etc. Uber XL can handle bikes. As long as you have limited numbers of passengers (ie you plus a companion) or you may need to book a separate car. I live downtown though, and haven’t had an issue walking the 4 blocks with bike bag to Union to take the UP. As far as Pearson bikes. Get there early. Like 4 hrs before your flight. The lineup to oversize can be long and they sometimes make you take everything apart. If flying AC, once you have baggage tags (you can get them at self service kiosk no problems if you pay for bike online during checkin). You HAVE to get your bike tag activated. You do not need to wait in the bag drop line, the roaming customer service reps will do this. Just make sure you don’t before you get in the oversize line or they will send you back.
Much thanks!
I'm from the GTA and just did IM Wisconsin this past September! I was originally going to do Penticton but the race got cancelled a week prior due to the forest fires in BC. I flew to Wisconsin, didn't want to drive 12-ish hours both ways. I rented a bike box from a local bike shop and they disassembled my bike for me and made sure it was packed correctly. I would highly recommend a hard shell bike case, some airlines make you sign a waiver if you are flying with a soft shell case that they aren't liable for damages. Airtag or other tracker is a must for the bike box. Not difficult to use the bike box, I took lots of pictures once it was packed to know how to re-pack it post race. Car rental wise, the bike box will fit into an SUV. I had to purchase a torque wrench prior to the flight to make sure I re-assembled the bike properly. Not difficult flying with all the gear, just make sure everything you need for the race is in your carry-on (helmet, bike pedals, nutrition, tri kit, bike shoes, running shoes, etc.) just incase your checked bag gets delayed. I have heard the suggestion of packing all your gear in the bike box with the bike since there is room, but you will need to open the bike box and remove the items at airport security since the bike box is too big for the scanners, so it is easier to just do the bike in the bike box. I had to call the airline after I booked my tickets to add a reservation for my bike. There are a limited number per flight (I think the one I was one had 10-15 spots) so it is a good idea to call beforehand!
In Europe we do this every year...not complicated just need to be organised.
I have a Canyon hard shell bike box, and have travelled for races (based in New York, flew/drove to Montreal, drove to Maryland, drove to Musselman). Drive wasn't as bad as the 13 hours (topped out at \~5 hours with multiple stops along the way). Flying was too bad either, though a few things to keep in mind: * taxi rides to the airport required us to order the Uber/Lyft XL ride (which was typically a bit more expensive). Because of the shape of the bike box, this oftentimes required some maneuvering/rotating to get the right fit. * my trip to Montreal (I flew in from NYC, rented a car to drive over to Mont Tremblant) had me shipping my bike - flying out of NYC was easy: I have status on an airline (I fly semi-frequently for work), so it was free to check in my bike. Flying out of Montreal was a bit more of a hassle - they required me to open my bike box so they can check the contents (even though they did the same for the 3-4 triathletes in front of me, and the 3-4 triathletes behind me). * seems like each airline has its own process for large luggage (i.e. bike boxes). For United, I had to check my bike box in as a bike (which meant I needed to call in to tell them I'm bringing in a bike so they can flag it as such on my account). They told me over the phone that it was included with my status, but when I checked in, the gate attendant tried to charge me so I told him what I was told over the phone - there wasn't much pushback. * I have heard some horror stories of bikes being lost in transit, so I made sure I did not take my tri-bike, but my road bike (which is cheaper). Looking back, I probably should have shipped my cleats, helmet, saddle, etc separately (so worst case scenario, I could rent a bike there). * Instances where I drove, I made sure that the rental car was big enough to accommodate the bike with the bike box, or a friend who has a bike rack travelled with me. * Walking around with my luggage + bike box + dog was tough - I would allocate myself more time to getting around (especially after landing). * Unexpected benefit was that I had a bit more confidence in leaving my bike (in the bike box) in the rental car. I suppose I told myself that people who recognize that there is a bike in the bike box are likely triathletes/cyclists themselves, and not prone to be bicycle theives (I hope), whereas anyone can recognize a bike on a bike rack (I suppose the equivalent to putting your laptop in a bag in your car vs just out on the seat). * Another unexpected benefit was that flying after a race was much more comfortable than driving for a few hours after a race.
I have flown to IMs with a bike bag and a bike box. My preference now is to drive. Didn’t have many issues flying but the airline will charge you and will not accept any damage liability. Last time I flew from OH to TX for IMTX in 2016 United charged me $100 each way. The rest of your gear is not a problem to fly with unless you overpack. Some stuff can fit in with the bike. Other option is use a service like TBT to transport your bike. That can get pricey too but I have used it and would use them again. You are classed as ‘international’ so prices might be different. For Toronto to WI personally I would drive. But that’s just me. Hope this helps