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Flying with a Wheel

pgiesinpgiesin
in Community Forum 🏠

I posted this over in the ToC 2011 thread, but haven't gotten any response. II have a delimma. In order to get my bike to Coach R's house in time for ToC I need to drop it off sometime between May 3-6. I had planned on brining my standard wheelset which contains the PowerTap. Sounds good, right?

Due to ToC I need to push my first RR up one weekend, May 7-8, where I will need my PT. Can't be in both places at once. So, is it possible to fly with a bicycle wheel? I am pretty sure that I don't want to check it unless I have a hardcase for it. I can't envision how I would treat it as a carry on.

Perplexed!! 

Comments

  • Nemo BrauchNemo Brauch
    Not sure I'd want it stuffed up in the overhead compartment without a hardcase either, and depending on your flights is highly possible they will look at the size of that thing and decide it is not "carry on"- thus making you drop it at the end of the jetway and into the luggage hold it goes. You could ship the wheel by itself via FedEx overnight and get it to Rich's place on time. Sure, it will cost you a bit more, but it's gotta be cheaper than buying a hardcase for the wheel and risking it in checked luggage.
  • pgiesinpgiesin
    @Nemo: Thanks, I didn't think of shipping it independently. Brain is in bit of a fog. The other thing I thought of was seeing if I could rent a wheel w/ PT for ToC. I think I like the shipping option better.
  • Nemo BrauchNemo Brauch
    Renting might be a great idea too. Always nicer to have your own PT for the accuracy, but it's not like you are racing at TOC so a rental would be a good option.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    Peter,

    Your bike doesn't need to be to me until the 12th. Does this help?

    Yes to shipping the wheel separately. And Wheelbuilder "might" have a PT wheel you could rent. His shop is only 3 miles from my place.

  • pgiesinpgiesin
    @Rich: I planned on using shipbikes.com. Their delivery estimate it 1-5 days. About as bad as the cable companies! If I wait until May 9 to ship the entire bike I run the risk of it not showing up until the end-of-the-day on the May 13, or even the 14th. So I plan on shipping the bike on May 5-6. I will just ship the wheel separately. I just checked and it is about $40. Renting a wheel for 7 days will most like be more than that.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    What about shipping it via FedEx ground or 3-day select? If you are on good terms with a bike shop or other business you could use their account and save. This is what I do, shipping from/to Wheelbuilder. None of that 1-5 days crap, you know what day it's going to get there. While I'd like it to be here on Thursday, Friday is also doable. It's just me building up all the bikes, picking up vans at LAX, etc so Friday is gonna be way busy, but I understand you wanting your stuff for an RR.

  • pgiesinpgiesin
    I guess I am just going to ship them separately. Trying to ship the bike on May 9th directly to Rich's house by the 12th is an astounding $1500! I don't know if it is so expensive because it is a residence or because of the large size of the AirCaddy (58"x22"x31"), but that is insane. A more standard bike box might of helped, but I already made that purchase, plus I would have to break it down even more. Boy is this a pain in the a***.

  • Coach RichCoach Rich
    Posted By Peter Giesin on 26 Apr 2011 03:22 PM

    I guess I am just going to ship them separately. Trying to ship the bike on May 9th directly to Rich's house by the 12th is an astounding $1500! I don't know if it is so expensive because it is a residence or because of the large size of the AirCaddy (58"x22"x31"), but that is insane. A more standard bike box might of helped, but I already made that purchase, plus I would have to break it down even more. Boy is this a pain in the a***.





    WHATTT!!! No friggin' way.

    Calc the shipping to Wheelbuilder, to my attention, get the addy off the website. They'll sign and hold it for me.

  • pgiesinpgiesin
    Coach R: Thanks for all the advice and help. I really am not trying to be special :-)

    I am checking with my LBS store to see if they can do anything to help out. Otherwise I am just going to ship everything at once. I will either need to do the RR this coming weekend, one week after the Big Day, or do it without the Powertap. This is just becoming a logistical and financial nightmare :-(

    Looking forward to the week though!!
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