5 Mistakes To Avoid When Travelling With Your Bike

We've all experienced the frustration of opening our bike box/bag after a flight or a long drive, only to realize that we forgot to pack something important. However, it doesn't have to be this way. Join Anna Cipullo as she shares some useful tips on how to minimize damage to your mountain bike and ensure that you don't forget any crucial parts such as axles. Whether you're heading out for your first MTB trip or you're a seasoned veteran, this video is worth a watch before you get your bike packed up and hit the road!

⏱️ Timestamps ⏱️
0:00 - Intro
0:35 - Disc Brake Pads Closing Up
2:03 - Scratching Your Stanchions
3:02 - Breaking Your Mech Hanger
4:05 - Forgetting Your Axles
5:05 - Hand Luggage Rules

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What's the worst thing you have forgotten on a big mountain bike trip? Let us know down below! 👇

Watch more on GMBN Tech...

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Fight Until We Die - Ruiqi Zhao
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Record Scratch 1 - SFX Producer

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[bad_puppy_]

To protect my stanchions, I remove all the air from the fork, then fully lower it into the fork legs. For my dropper, I place it in the lowest setting and zip tie the lever to prevent it going back up

[ridedirtymtb]

I know that Australia and New Zealand are very careful about about your bike being spotless. They might get weird if you have dirt on your bike from another country

[justinmills]

When I get a new bike I keep the foam protection they use when boxing your bike for freighting and re-use that. But if you need some go to your local bike shop and ask them for some. They’re usually happy to give it away because it means less rubbish for them to pay for to be collected.

[adrianwilkinson]

I stood my ground when challenged by customs officers at Manchester airport for my CO2 canisters. When I explained that they are not combustible, are used in and as fire extinguishers aswell as inflates life vests, they allowed me to take one in my hand luggage. Had no problem on return flight as I left the cartridge on the bike in a bike bag, also stuffed with my shoes, pads, tools, goggles, glasses 🤘❤️🌈🕊️🌎

[davidscott]

I have the same bag you presented. I love it, but twice now I have had bent brake rotors. I now take the extra time to remove them before packing them. Also, I keep my tools in a small bag that attaches to the bike, in the case. No worries on trying to figure out where to pack them.

[jamesmedlow]

A while back while skiing, our group took helmets as hand luggage, thinking the same. We were fine flying out, but on return we were told no, with zero budge from the French officials. Imagine the chaos as 10 people were then trying to squeeze helmets into other bags..
It might be fine departing but you always need to prepare for any 'grey area' items for the return trip.
Just play safe and stick everything that could get questioned, in your checked luggage.

[yannhenriot]

My trick for keeping the space between the brake pads is to use one of those ice cream flat wood stick

[mtbboy]

What scares me are the brutal, careless baggage handlers, seen crazy stuff online, bikes, wheelchair, being rolled down and smashed and flipped and smashed on top of the asphalt, regular luggage being abused, dropped, falling off the transport car to the plain. The social media algorithms likes to show me stuff like that sometimes. Tassing luggage out of the plane.
So if treated like this there might be some damage to the frame. Some workers tread stuff like they are trying to destroy it. But I know hard cases exist.

[eddierivera]

To protect the stanchions and fork it self I use foam pipe insulation. It comes n different diameters you can literally use it all over. I keep it on my bikes even in the garage cause I’m clumsy and have scratched them in garage.

[alhypo]

Remove your brake rotors. Even if your bike bag has protective padding for them, they might still get bent in transit.

[corkErist]

The brake spacers from Magura go in from the top, not the bottom, as it was shown here.

[pabloest]

Good video Anna. I've traveled a lot with my bikes but still have learned things with you...👍

[federaldelii]

Waoww that bike looks insanely good 💯💯🤩🤩

[drmoynihan]

In Thailand you can just wheel your bike onboard a train. But when I did it, I packed all kinds of pool noodles around everything. Watching from afar, I was amazed how carefully the train baggage people handled everything, including my bike. I also hear that you can do the same on some Thai domestic planes.

[tamasszabo]

Very helpful video! I am about to fly to Europe and would like to bring my 2006 Klein MTB along in a hardshell bikebox.

[henrikcsuri]

Pipe insulation is perfect to protect stanchions

[zukzworld]

Great video, and useful points for consideration. Thank you.❤

[colincoulthard]

EasyJet will allow up to 2 CO2 canisters in hold baggage, but you do need to tell them at check-in.

[markc-aus]

Use down pool noodle with a slit over the stanchions and handlebars. Will require a bit more of a cut out for the brakes and shifter. Held in place with some Velcro straps.

[richardlucas]

Do RyanAir and their competitors classify helmets as safety gear that can be carried additionally to the hand luggage? Their site says that spots equipment can be carried onboard as long as it fits in the cabin bag allowance. Getting to the front of the queue and being told to ditch the helmet or the carry on bag would be a poor start to a holiday.