Flying with Wheels...how to pack them?

[mr4fox]

Hi all,

Has anyone flown with a wheels set as check in luggage? Are cardboard boxes safe enough?
Next weekend ill be flying from Norway to Mallorca with my bike and one wheel set in a hard case and want to take a second set of wheels - my new Zipp 808s.

Im a little paranoid of checking them in just in the original cardboard boxes after watching youtube clips of how suitcases are loaded into planes and stacked on top of each other, but am struggling to find any proper wheel cases, parat from one from bikeboxalan which looks unnecessarily huge and expensive.

[Kumppa]

I would go wheelbag + cardboard box + alot of padding and some extra cardboard inside. I would make the wheelbag like floating inside. Protect well end of hubs.

[Jenmoss]

Just bubble wrap them and put them in a padded wheel bag, loads of bubble wrap a nice smug fit so they can not move around.

[ms6073]

When I was still racing cyclocross, had no issues flying with one or two sets of of spare wheels with brake rotors removed and packed in soft -sided wheel bags. With the cx tubulars deflated, the wheel bag containing front and rear wheels would fit in the over-head on Southwest's 737's with out any issue, but don't even think about it on flights on regional jets.

[Geoff]

I use their Wheelsafe: https://www.triall3sports.com/cases-bike.php

[mattr]

Once or twice. Normal padded wheel bag with a divider. Popped a piece of thick card between the wheels, hub ends had those plastic spacers on them so it wouldn't get poked through. Then made two cones out of corrugated card to put down the sides of the bag to protect spokes (and rims if they'd been deep sections).
Skewers out (this is probably the most likely bit to get damaged if you leave them in, seen it *lots* of times) cassette off and in the bike box somewhere.
Tyres at 2 bar, enough to hold shape and protect slightly.

I probably still have all the bits of cardboard in the wheel bag now, i've not used it for 6 or 7 years and can't recall throwing them away!

[mr4fox]

I already called and asked the airline if I could take them carry on but ofc they said no. Not sure if I can fit a wheel back inside the boxes as I have two boxes which fit one wheel each and I only have double wheel bags...but I’ll try anyway. I’m most worried about them being crushed with suitcases stacked on top of them so don’t know how much bubble wrap or soft padding will do... it I’ll try it anyway.

Does bubble wrap not explode in a cargo hold of a plane? Thought that’s why we always deflate our tyres when flying with bikes. But maybe it’s only the high pressure in tyres that’s an issue?

Thanks for the ideas guys

[Jenmoss]

I already called and asked the airline if I could take them carry on but ofc they said no. Not sure if I can fit a wheel back inside the boxes as I have two boxes which fit one wheel each and I only have double wheel bags...but I’ll try anyway. I’m most worried about them being crushed with suitcases stacked on top of them so don’t know how much bubble wrap or soft padding will do... it I’ll try it anyway.

Does bubble wrap not explode in a cargo hold of a plane? Thought that’s why we always deflate our tyres when flying with bikes. But maybe it’s only the high pressure in tyres that’s an issue?

Thanks for the ideas guys

No it doesn’t. I bubble wrap the funk out of my bike when traveling . It takes 30 mins or so but well worth it. My friend who owns a bike shop has seen many damaged badly or scratched frames even when they had top end bike cases . Impact is a impact . Never had one incident in years of flying the world and I’ve seen my bag on more than the odd occasion get thrown on to the plane quite violently. I also have written, “ very fragile , super light bike please be extra nice “ in a few languages all over the outside of the bag . It’s definitely getting better now transporting your bike .
My wheels go in a padded bag that gos in the side pocket of my bike bag . Bubble wrap is full proof.

[mr4fox]

God to Know!!

I’ve flown with my bike quite a few times now. Both around Europe and from Australia and to the US without dramas. It I was worried wheels would be more suitcase sized and hence higher stacked and crushed. I’ll invest in some bubble wrap and hope my travel insurance will cover any damage

[mattr]

Does bubble wrap not explode in a cargo hold of a plane? Thought that’s why we always deflate our tyres when flying with bikes. But maybe it’s only the high pressure in tyres that’s an issue?

The hold is pressurised, or the plane would explode and implode at the same time.

Deflating tyres is due to a variety of things, but not exploding due to low hold pressure.

[mr4fox]

Only pressurized to about 6000-8000feet. Thought it might burst bubble wrap.

So why do we deflate tyres?

[Jenmoss]

Only pressurized to about 6000-8000feet. Thought it might burst bubble wrap.

So why do we deflate tyres?

Never had it burst, bubble wrap and when I first flew with the bike I never deflated the tyres and they were fine . Flew at least 3 times with inflated tyres . It’s only when one airline checked my tyres on check in that I deflated them. Have done ever since . Anyone on here know of a tyre explode on a flight ?

[dmp]

Some of the issue depends the differential in pressure, that is, where you board the plane- e.g., sea level versus Denver, for example, and how high the pressure in the tire is. The drop in pressure and the rapidity of the drop (going from sea level barometric pressure, =~760mmHg or 100kPa to barometric pressure at cruising altitude =~560mmHg or 75kPa, in 15 minutes) could be enough to burst the tire if your tires are inflated to near the inflation limit of the tire.

[mr4fox]

so I shouldn’t freak out iif one day I suddenly realize I forgot to deflate my tubulars mid flight?

[mattr]

It's about 3 psi difference. It'll not burst tyres. Unless they are well over the maximum (no idea what the safety margin is, but the maximum pressure on the sidewall isn't the absolute limit)

I doubt it'll burst bubble wrap either. I mean, if it would all the electronics i buy from china would have burst bubble wrap.........

TBH, even going to atmospheric pressure at 36000 feet won't make enough difference to burst the tyres. Or going into space (still only 14 psi difference)