My friend and intrepid cycle tourer Ian Wallis is a lateral thinker. Especially when he packs his Thorn Nomad for flights.
Following is his description from what he did a few days ago to fly from Darwin (Northern Australia) to Dili in East Timor.
I copied his instructions from comments in his current journal, ‘Unfinished Business’. He stylishly rode to the airport with a cardboard bike box on his back rack, and packed his bike very quickly at the terminal.
His description of this quick pack:
Graham many people spend a lot of time packing a bike. Not having mudguards helps. Rather than testing whether a dismantled bike fits, measure it, eg with a piece of rope. I use panniers as padding.
I removed my forks rather than the front rack. The question to ask is what can get damaged - probably derailleur and front forks. I don't have a derailleur; I have a custom driiled dowel that I fit in place of the front wheel using the quick release.
I use a pseudo trucker's hitch on the ropes. These make the ropes very tight. I don't need tape. The cable ties at the bottom are just supporting the box until I get the bike in. Yes, should do a video. If you can't get a box get big bits of cardboard and cable tie them together - much better than tape.
The only useful tape is cloth duct tape - motorcyclist's tool kit on a roll. I've fixed shirts with it; OK with a washing machine but hates the hot drier.
My friend and intrepid cycle tourer Ian Wallis is a lateral thinker. Especially when he packs his Thorn Nomad for flights.
Following is his description from what he did a few days ago to fly from Darwin (Northern Australia) to Dili in East Timor.
I copied his instructions from comments in his current journal, ‘Unfinished Business’. He stylishly rode to the airport with a cardboard bike box on his back rack, and packed his bike very quickly at the terminal.
His description of this quick pack:
Graham many people spend a lot of time packing a bike. Not having mudguards helps. Rather than testing whether a dismantled bike fits, measure it, eg with a piece of rope. I use panniers as padding.
I removed my forks rather than the front rack. The question to ask is what can get damaged - probably derailleur and front forks. I don't have a derailleur; I have a custom driiled dowel that I fit in place of the front wheel using the quick release.
I use a pseudo trucker's hitch on the ropes. These make the ropes very tight. I don't need tape. The cable ties at the bottom are just supporting the box until I get the bike in. Yes, should do a video. If you can't get a box get big bits of cardboard and cable tie them together - much better than tape.
The only useful tape is cloth duct tape - motorcyclist's tool kit on a roll. I've fixed shirts with it; OK with a washing machine but hates the hot drier.
https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/australasia2023/day-44-onwards-to-dili/#47155_rzhacx9mtxnk6t11xfg8lcdxvia
1 year ago