Nice box you have. I have a SERFAS BOX, I have used once, from Tabasco Mexico- to Vienna, Austria, going in connection through Houston,USA. With my Specialized ,Tricross Comp. 2010 and leave my bike in Austria (a country friendly for bike ride) now the box is in the attic, of my son’s house, and holds winter clothes for my wife and me. We usually go there from Mexico once , every year, and keep enjoying the ride in Austria. I love your passion and the joy of riding. Lovely Lady. Greetings from Yucatán- Mexico 🇲🇽
Glad to know she is safe inside. This is the reason why I use hard case (bikeboxalan), instead of softcase. And use TSA locks instead of zip ties. Something odd to mention, whenever I fly from Middle East, airlines do not charge extra fee for the bike. However Europe or North America, they (same airlines) always charge extra whether I fly domestic or international.
Multiple trips between San Francisco - London and I'm happy to say BikeBox Alan is also another great choice! The one Katie has looks amazing too! I actually prefer the center rod on hers. TSA locks are pretty common / easy to buy and Bikebox Alan does have lockable holes.
I also have a ShokBox. Don't worry about frame size. I've got a 58cm Cervelo frame and it fits fine, I even leave my rear mech on so I'm pretty sure you'd be able to fit in an even larger frame if needed.
I'm travelling abroad for the first time with my bike next month, I couldn't work out which box to get, but after watching one of you previous video's ... I bought a shokbox !!!! I am so glad this video worked out 🙂
You will love it! I’m super happy with mine! :) and like I say… not sponsored or anything but love sharing great products that help anything with cycling :) enjoy your trip xx
@@KatieKookaburra Thank you, I've been cycling a long time, but suffer from agoraphobia (and T1 diabetic) so this is a big deal for me in several ways, thanks for your video's and inspiration they give 🙂 Foreign gravel here we come !! xx
My bike bag (was from one of the German firms I think) has a tub for the bottom part with a frame, top is soft. It's been great so far, not too heavy. Had a couple of cuts a few years ago but glued and stitched and fine now......
@Bikeboxalan does come with a tsa lock and if you put a bag of zip ties inside the box most tsa inspectors will zip tie the other latches after inspection. I imported mine from England to Texas. I do wish I had a bigger option as I ride a 64cm frame and it barely fits and now my gravel bike has thru axle I have no way of securing the wheels inside. I do like the idea of your box having the permanent brace pole mounded into the box as the bikeboxalan has a removable pole which I'm nervous the tsa Wong get back in the right place.
I have an Orucase B2 that is super compact (the fork has to be removed to pack the bike into the bag) but I have traveled with it and did not pay the extra bicycle fee with the airline. I don't know if it would work all the time but it did the one time I have traveled with it so far. I only had to pay the normal $30 extra bag fee.
My wife and I once saw our bike boxes from the plane not loaded as the pilot was ready to pull away from the ramp. A quick scream to the flight attendants remedied this and the bikes were then loaded.
Thats why you have a box/case. It takes the hit. You should watch to see how many cases can be stacked on top of your case. The best cases have an anti crush post. Staff havent got time to cosset your bike. Its unload asap especially if its a quick turnaround
The tsa locks good idea , my B and W box doesn't have , but it was only 200 quid thought about a cardboard box , for travelling to Aus - for about 20 seconds dont ever be tempted to bulk out your luggage allowance by putting other stuff in your bike box btw
Great info and very helpful indeed ... ta very much! Maybe one day I'll have my first bicycle travel adventure and will definitely keep this product and tips in mind. PS: Those snaps of the ramp worker struggling with the box reminded me of the time I was working (as a field service rep for a well know manufacturer of aero engines based in the UK ;-) on the ramp at Heathrow. We were in a company car on the ramp stopped at an intersection. A baggage train passed in front of us and just at that moment, a piece of luggage fell off a cart in the middle of the intersection. Before we could move, another baggage train came along and the driver of the little tug decided that he was just going to drive right over that poor defenseless piece of luggage. I can still see that in my mind 40 years later! 🚴♀✈🙂
If your bike (or fork) is carbon, it's worth closely inspecting for microfractures. I've heard of a case of guy who's bike was dropped during shipping (it was standard cardboard bike box). It caused a hairline crack in his carbon fork, which then later catastrophically failed while he was riding. He ended up some pretty nasty and expensive dental damage from the crash caused by his fork exploding.
Sulky expression in the thumbnail got me worried and I scrambled to the video! 😁🤞 Most excellent performance by the bike box in retaining its content; Hopefully we supporters are going to continue proving ourselves worthy of protecting you as devotedly and tenaciously as that case did with your bike! 🤲 🌼🌝
They should have two suitably strong handlers at the airport its not on really. The collapsible frames like some dedicated touring bikes makes for a smaller case . If i was touring on a long haul trip id consider another bike with s&s couplers
120% cowboy company two friends flying with them out of Birmingham had 3 hen party’s and a end of season football team on the flight all going crazy on. The flight
Just flew Miami to Barcelona on Iberia. Bike was in a cardboard bike box which my lbs gave me. Weight under 23kg. No charge as it counted as my checked in bag. No damage at all.
I flew from Palm Beach to Manchester via Atlanta on Delta/Virgin the other year, again bike in a cardboard box, no charge as it counted as my checked in bag, no damage. I've flown US to UK a couple of times on Norwegian, they charge $35 one way for the bike. Again cardboard box - no damage. Easyjet charge £35.
Whatever the box, I put pool noodles around every tube and at all endpoints. For the front, a dropout spacer, and pool noodle taped in place. And then pray, cuz they can destroy anything. I’ve seen tire tracks across bike boxes.
...I found this video just the ticket..as I've been checking out Bike Box reviews for years in Cycle Magazines & obviously more recently on line & there's always another that comes along & stops me in my trax to purchase one! After seeing Your Vid Katie..my dilemma appears to be finally over!! Especially as Like You I ride a 54cm/Medium Frame! Thanks as ever for Your informative & straight talking advice & well done You for Calling Out all that Sucks about Ryan Air.. YOU'RE A⭐ Unlike You I would never use 'em ever... I'd sooner not go to wherever they have the sole flight route to.. Just out of principle! Their whole Ethos as a Company is nauseating... (😮🤭🤫.. Yep I'll stop there!)
Baggage handlers are not affiliated with the airline. They are subcontractors. After loading your aircraft, this person will load the luggage of the British Airways airplane next to you. Therefore, it is not right to blame the airline. The only way to avoid such situations is to travel with an aluminium bicycle or rent a bicycle at your destination. Checking the bike at the airport at the end of the flight is not a solution because you cannot see the defect of the carbon if it is not on the surface. and lastly, I'd like to add this: You've seen it happen. Who knows where they threw the bicycle when you could not see it.
LOL When I saw the title my brain immediately supplied the mental image of your bike box being dropped from the plane in the air for some goofy reason.
Last time I flew with my bike, the airline lost my bike and when it showed up 3 days later TSA had popped my tubeless tires off the rim so my bike finally arrived with the interior of the bike bag and bike covered in sealant 🤬
Isn't the weight limit 30kg for a bike box? Not saying 30kg is light but that lady moves heavy luggage all day as part of her job. She should be use to it by now.
@@glennoc8585 My bike (~10kg), soft case, shoes, and a few bits together weighs ~23kg/51lbs. That's the max for it to be normal baggage on some of the US carriers. Nice part is I flew with it this week and it was only US$30 each way to check it. Any heavier and it becomes much more expensive. Even then with all the handles my case has, it's not trivial for me as a relatively big person to pick up.
Micro adventure for people never Too sure if they want to or not. DFDS Rotterdam or Amsterdam ( no fly ) Head to Lisse and stay in Hotel De Duif. Why ? Your at the flower fields of Holland. And the Keukenhof. 36 hours later head back to where the ferry dropped you off. Simples and cycle paths traffic Free everywhere. Give a micro adventure a go.
I did EXACTLY that!!! :) they are worth every penny. My bike got lost on the way to US. Well not lost but didn’t come on the same flight as me! So knew where it was all along :)
I don't think baggage handlers like bikes which I sort of get. I always get stressed when flying with a bike in case it gets damaged or even lost on the way out. These days with the cost of taking your bike, I look at bike hire at the destination if it's just a holiday and not a major event.
Why are you surprised the case works ? That drop was only a few feet .If it's the same design as my bass cases they can take a force of 500kg ,I watched one fall 20 plus feet ,I just assumed & expected it to do its job .
Am I missing something. Did the bike box get drop from the plane or from a luggage cart/ramp? One is about 20 ft off the ground while the other is about 1 ft?! Is this a headline click bait/ commercial or a legit issue?
Sign of the times unfortunately, companies getting by with skeleton staff, or staff are on strike ! Lucky it wasn't in a cardboard box ! Obviously a certain air group need to complete refresher courses in Health & Safety, accessing carrying loads safely etc. Bet you were suffering a dose of 'air rage' ! Recover well from Kansas Katie :) 🌞 🛩
Bikes resist far heavier shocks on the road. There had been rumors that carbon frames might suffer from decompression on planes, but it was a hoax. A good box is just what you need.
Did you have a lot of other stuff loaded along with bike? She was really struggling to lift it. Glad it's okay. Fortunately it wasn't that much of a drop and wasn't actually "dropped from a plane".
Weight limit is something like 23kg isn't it, I know that's what it is here in the US and my box pushes that limit. I would have thought any baggage handler should be able to lift at least that before getting that job.
Your video title gave a wrong message/misleading info. The box was not dropped from a PLANE except it was not carefully handled by TSA employee due to its size or design. To be clear and fair, you should correct your video title.
Ryanair contract out their ground handling like many airlines. And they have ZERO customer service. Worth flagging up directly to the ground handling company as she should’ve either sought or got help. Usual story though, staff thin on ground etc. (Uk airline pilot)
I have travelled with various bikes for over 30 years to four continents and have used cardboard boxes without any problems at all. All of these "specialty" boxes are too large for baggage handlers to deal with and they will treat them much more harshly than cardboard.
Oh please. This is literally nothing. Stop making mountains out of mole hills. It wasn’t dropped from any height. It’s a hard case….and why is that that. To protect against dropping, tipping and getting other stuff piled on top, all to protect the bike inside.It’s not there to look cool. So, thank your lucky stars that it didn’t fall off the trolley and get run over by a truck….it’s happen. Seriously, if your that worried , stop transporting your bike on aircraft.
Nice box you have. I have a SERFAS BOX, I have used once, from Tabasco Mexico- to Vienna, Austria, going in connection through Houston,USA. With my Specialized ,Tricross Comp. 2010 and leave my bike in Austria (a country friendly for bike ride) now the box is in the attic, of my son’s house, and holds winter clothes for my wife and me. We usually go there from Mexico once , every year, and keep enjoying the ride in Austria. I love your passion and the joy of riding. Lovely Lady.
Greetings from Yucatán- Mexico 🇲🇽
Glad to know she is safe inside. This is the reason why I use hard case (bikeboxalan), instead of softcase. And use TSA locks instead of zip ties.
Something odd to mention, whenever I fly from Middle East, airlines do not charge extra fee for the bike. However Europe or North America, they (same airlines) always charge extra whether I fly domestic or international.
Multiple trips between San Francisco - London and I'm happy to say BikeBox Alan is also another great choice! The one Katie has looks amazing too! I actually prefer the center rod on hers.
TSA locks are pretty common / easy to buy and Bikebox Alan does have lockable holes.
I find bike box Alan to be awful, Katie’s one looks much much better
@@andy_ppp Any details, or just trolling?
I also have a ShokBox. Don't worry about frame size. I've got a 58cm Cervelo frame and it fits fine, I even leave my rear mech on so I'm pretty sure you'd be able to fit in an even larger frame if needed.
I'm travelling abroad for the first time with my bike next month, I couldn't work out which box to get, but after watching one of you previous video's ... I bought a shokbox !!!! I am so glad this video worked out 🙂
You will love it! I’m super happy with mine! :) and like I say… not sponsored or anything but love sharing great products that help anything with cycling :) enjoy your trip xx
@@KatieKookaburra Thank you, I've been cycling a long time, but suffer from agoraphobia (and T1 diabetic) so this is a big deal for me in several ways, thanks for your video's and inspiration they give 🙂 Foreign gravel here we come !! xx
Katie, this is why you should have an aero bike. It would just glide to a safe landing when dropped off a plane.
My bike bag (was from one of the German firms I think) has a tub for the bottom part with a frame, top is soft. It's been great so far, not too heavy. Had a couple of cuts a few years ago but glued and stitched and fine now......
I've got a bike bag too. They're good as long as you pack bubble wrap or cardboard around the frame and wheels.
@Bikeboxalan does come with a tsa lock and if you put a bag of zip ties inside the box most tsa inspectors will zip tie the other latches after inspection. I imported mine from England to Texas. I do wish I had a bigger option as I ride a 64cm frame and it barely fits and now my gravel bike has thru axle I have no way of securing the wheels inside. I do like the idea of your box having the permanent brace pole mounded into the box as the bikeboxalan has a removable pole which I'm nervous the tsa Wong get back in the right place.
I have an Orucase B2 that is super compact (the fork has to be removed to pack the bike into the bag) but I have traveled with it and did not pay the extra bicycle fee with the airline. I don't know if it would work all the time but it did the one time I have traveled with it so far. I only had to pay the normal $30 extra bag fee.
My wife and I once saw our bike boxes from the plane not loaded as the pilot was ready to pull away from the ramp. A quick scream to the flight attendants remedied this and the bikes were then loaded.
Thats why you have a box/case. It takes the hit. You should watch to see how many cases can be stacked on top of your case. The best cases have an anti crush post. Staff havent got time to cosset your bike. Its unload asap especially if its a quick turnaround
I have a shok box, not used it yet but it seems really good and I have no doubts about it protecting my bikes👍🏼
The tsa locks good idea , my B and W box doesn't have , but it was only 200 quid
thought about a cardboard box , for travelling to Aus - for about 20 seconds
dont ever be tempted to bulk out your luggage allowance by putting other stuff in your bike box btw
Nice 1, Katie, good to know it ended well! 💪🏻 Ciao for now!
I’m going to check it out. Thanks for the video!👍
Great info and very helpful indeed ... ta very much! Maybe one day I'll have my first bicycle travel adventure and will definitely keep this product and tips in mind. PS: Those snaps of the ramp worker struggling with the box reminded me of the time I was working (as a field service rep for a well know manufacturer of aero engines based in the UK ;-) on the ramp at Heathrow. We were in a company car on the ramp stopped at an intersection. A baggage train passed in front of us and just at that moment, a piece of luggage fell off a cart in the middle of the intersection. Before we could move, another baggage train came along and the driver of the little tug decided that he was just going to drive right over that poor defenseless piece of luggage. I can still see that in my mind 40 years later! 🚴♀✈🙂
If your bike (or fork) is carbon, it's worth closely inspecting for microfractures. I've heard of a case of guy who's bike was dropped during shipping (it was standard cardboard bike box). It caused a hairline crack in his carbon fork, which then later catastrophically failed while he was riding. He ended up some pretty nasty and expensive dental damage from the crash caused by his fork exploding.
Does it fit a MTB and 29" wheels?
Thanks for sharing your insight!
Airtags! The best thing ever!😊
Even though I’m a mountain biker 🚵♂️, I love your videos.
Sulky expression in the thumbnail got me worried and I scrambled to the video! 😁🤞
Most excellent performance by the bike box in retaining its content;
Hopefully we supporters are going to continue proving ourselves worthy of protecting you as devotedly and tenaciously as that case did with your bike!
🤲 🌼🌝
It is 2nd time that my bike case is destroyed in only Spain. Do it this way on purpose?
Like the derailleur sock 🧦
They should have two suitably strong handlers at the airport its not on really. The collapsible frames like some dedicated touring bikes makes for a smaller case . If i was touring on a long haul trip id consider another bike with s&s couplers
120% cowboy company two friends flying with them out of Birmingham had 3 hen party’s and a end of season football team on the flight all going crazy on. The flight
When you pack your shokbox, do you take the handlebars off the stem or do you take the stem off the fork?
I show out in the video how it’s set up :)
Bars off
Another ace video Katie xx
How much do the airlines typically charge to check your bike?
BA UK to the States allows a bike box as your checked bag, so £0.
Just flew Miami to Barcelona on Iberia. Bike was in a cardboard bike box which my lbs gave me. Weight under 23kg. No charge as it counted as my checked in bag. No damage at all.
I flew from Palm Beach to Manchester via Atlanta on Delta/Virgin the other year, again bike in a cardboard box, no charge as it counted as my checked in bag, no damage. I've flown US to UK a couple of times on Norwegian, they charge $35 one way for the bike. Again cardboard box - no damage. Easyjet charge £35.
Whatever the box, I put pool noodles around every tube and at all endpoints. For the front, a dropout spacer, and pool noodle taped in place. And then pray, cuz they can destroy anything. I’ve seen tire tracks across bike boxes.
@@ericpmoss me too.
I have gone to France / Spain with my bike not in a box or bag, steel frame though with real wheels🤪
...I found this video just the ticket..as I've been checking out Bike Box reviews for years in Cycle Magazines & obviously more recently on line & there's always another that comes along & stops me in my trax to purchase one!
After seeing Your Vid Katie..my dilemma appears to be finally over!!
Especially as Like You I ride a 54cm/Medium Frame!
Thanks as ever for Your informative & straight talking advice & well done You for Calling Out all that Sucks about Ryan Air.. YOU'RE A⭐
Unlike You I would never use 'em ever... I'd sooner not go to wherever they have the sole flight route to.. Just out of principle!
Their whole Ethos as a Company is nauseating... (😮🤭🤫.. Yep I'll stop there!)
Baggage handlers are not affiliated with the airline. They are subcontractors. After loading your aircraft, this person will load the luggage of the British Airways airplane next to you. Therefore, it is not right to blame the airline.
The only way to avoid such situations is to travel with an aluminium bicycle or rent a bicycle at your destination. Checking the bike at the airport at the end of the flight is not a solution because you cannot see the defect of the carbon if it is not on the surface.
and lastly, I'd like to add this:
You've seen it happen. Who knows where they threw the bicycle when you could not see it.
US has worker safety standards that require lifting over 50 lbs (23Kg) to be two person lifts. What is the UK requirement?😊
Glad to hear your bike wasn't damaged. I've never been a fan of Ryan Air and especially not the companies CEO.
Ryan air is the airline equivalent of the shabby used car lot with all the beaten up rusty clunkers.
Yeah but when I flew from Stansted to Hahn Frankfurt for £10 first in the late 90s I never complained. Had many cheap flight from Ryanair
LOL When I saw the title my brain immediately supplied the mental image of your bike box being dropped from the plane in the air for some goofy reason.
Last time I flew with my bike, the airline lost my bike and when it showed up 3 days later TSA had popped my tubeless tires off the rim so my bike finally arrived with the interior of the bike bag and bike covered in sealant 🤬
jeez , yet another reason to not go tubeless
Isn't the weight limit 30kg for a bike box? Not saying 30kg is light but that lady moves heavy luggage all day as part of her job. She should be use to it by now.
It's not about the weight, it's a super bulky item
I'd be surprised if the bike and the would be much over 20kgs.
@@glennoc8585 My bike (~10kg), soft case, shoes, and a few bits together weighs ~23kg/51lbs. That's the max for it to be normal baggage on some of the US carriers. Nice part is I flew with it this week and it was only US$30 each way to check it. Any heavier and it becomes much more expensive. Even then with all the handles my case has, it's not trivial for me as a relatively big person to pick up.
Had it been a cardboard box might not of fared so well. Good it survived intact.
Micro adventure for people never Too sure if they want to or not.
DFDS Rotterdam or Amsterdam ( no fly )
Head to Lisse and stay in Hotel De Duif.
Why ? Your at the flower fields of Holland. And the Keukenhof.
36 hours later head back to where the ferry dropped you off.
Simples and cycle paths traffic
Free everywhere.
Give a micro adventure a go.
Throw an Apple AirTag in with your bike box to track where it is. Also throw one in your other checked luggage bag.
I did EXACTLY that!!! :) they are worth every penny. My bike got lost on the way to US. Well not lost but didn’t come on the same flight as me! So knew where it was all along :)
The prices they charge for a box which is just a big bit of hard plastic really takes the piss
I don't think baggage handlers like bikes which I sort of get. I always get stressed when flying with a bike in case it gets damaged or even lost on the way out. These days with the cost of taking your bike, I look at bike hire at the destination if it's just a holiday and not a major event.
Yeah I think hiring is a good option now unless your bike touring a long distance away from point A.
looking good katie gretings from e scotish highlands alastair ross miller
What do you do with the box once you get to your destination? It should be very difficult do commute or travel with that big box.
Need to stay in one place or arrange for it to be moved
Why are you surprised the case works ? That drop was only a few feet .If it's the same design as my bass cases they can take a force of 500kg ,I watched one fall 20 plus feet ,I just assumed & expected it to do its job .
Box does job it's designed for 😂
Am I missing something. Did the bike box get drop from the plane or from a luggage cart/ramp? One is about 20 ft off the ground while the other is about 1 ft?! Is this a headline click bait/ commercial or a legit issue?
I’d buy the most armored bike carrier I could afford.
Sign of the times unfortunately, companies getting by with skeleton staff, or staff are on strike !
Lucky it wasn't in a cardboard box !
Obviously a certain air group need to complete refresher courses in Health & Safety, accessing carrying loads safely etc.
Bet you were suffering a dose of 'air rage' !
Recover well from Kansas Katie :) 🌞
🛩
That baggage handler needs to carb up.
Bikes resist far heavier shocks on the road. There had been rumors that carbon frames might suffer from decompression on planes, but it was a hoax. A good box is just what you need.
Did you have a lot of other stuff loaded along with bike? She was really struggling to lift it. Glad it's okay. Fortunately it wasn't that much of a drop and wasn't actually "dropped from a plane".
It was a long drop. Doesn’t look it in the pics but it was around 3ft ish. And it bounced :( Ergh haha
Weight limit is something like 23kg isn't it, I know that's what it is here in the US and my box pushes that limit. I would have thought any baggage handler should be able to lift at least that before getting that job.
@@KatieKookaburra No doubt it looked bad from where you were sitting.
Ergh lol
Don’t pick a window seat next time so you don’t have to see them abuse your bike box. LOL
Your video title gave a wrong message/misleading info. The box was not dropped from a PLANE except it was not carefully handled by TSA employee due to its size or design. To be clear and fair, you should correct your video title.
Very well :)
Consider bike insurance if you travel or race a lot. You can get coverage for crashes too.
Defo have that too!!
Dropped from a plane was just a little bit of an exaggeration it fell 2 inches at most
It’s either click bait picture or title e
Ryanair contract out their ground handling like many airlines. And they have ZERO customer service.
Worth flagging up directly to the ground handling company as she should’ve either sought or got help.
Usual story though, staff thin on ground etc.
(Uk airline pilot)
Ryanair would charge for using the plane toilets if they could get away with it, the swines.
Agreed! Even if RyanAir were cheaper I'd rather give my money elsewhere.
An apple air tag will help knowing if the bike gets loaded
I have one in there too :)
Top Tip - don't travel Ryanair
Ryan air don’t employ the ground staff …that’s down to the airport
Hi baby!
Ryanair :-D :-D😀
Where there is no money, there is no quality.
That box is great.
Yeahhhhh RyanAir… 🤨😞☹️😡😠
Ryanair don’t employ ground staff - they are airport employees
It is probably being drop somehow every single time you travel
I bet it is too - but you just don’t see it. Ahhh well…
If the bike box couldn’t sustain a fall from that height then it isn’t a bike box it’s a paper bag! Not what you want to see on your travels.
Obviously someone who should'nt be a baggage handler - and that was 18'' not 3 feet - the problem was the woman was 3 feet
😭😭😭😭😭😭.
I have travelled with various bikes for over 30 years to four continents and have used cardboard boxes without any problems at all. All of these "specialty" boxes are too large for baggage handlers to deal with and they will treat them much more harshly than cardboard.
I wouldn’t buy a box where you have to disassemble basically half the bike just to fit it in…
Let's found an airline that doesn't hire women. All people who care about their luggage will be flying with us.
The bloke seemed to manage it ok!🤔🙄🤣🦾
Guess something like that must have happened to mine as well when it arrived broken after travels 🫣
Oh please. This is literally nothing. Stop making mountains out of mole hills. It wasn’t dropped from any height. It’s a hard case….and why is that that. To protect against dropping, tipping and getting other stuff piled on top, all to protect the bike inside.It’s not there to look cool. So, thank your lucky stars that it didn’t fall off the trolley and get run over by a truck….it’s happen. Seriously, if your that worried , stop transporting your bike on aircraft.