Travelling with your bicycle

Traveling to international triathlons with your bicycle and sports equipment can be an exciting yet challenging experience. Ensuring that your gear arrives safely and is ready for the race is crucial. Here are some tips to help you navigate the process:

1. Check Travel Restrictions and Regulations: Before you embark on your journey, research the travel regulations and restrictions of your destination country. This includes customs regulations, quarantine requirements, and any specific rules regarding sports equipment. Most International Customs procedures require your gear to be cleaned prior to entering the country, so make sure you clean your bike and running shoes well before travel.
2. Pack Your Gear Carefully: When packing your bicycle and equipment, use sturdy and protective packaging. Consider using a dedicated bike travel case, padded bags, or boxes designed for transporting sports equipment. Use bubble wrap, foam, or clothing to provide additional cushioning. Practice packing your bike well in advance before leaving so you can figure out exactly how it’s done. Leaving it all to be done an hour before you need to leave for the airport is not a good idea. Get familiar with reassembling your bike before you travel. Practice at home so you can confidently reassemble it upon arrival. I prefer to use the Evoc Pro case as it’s a pretty sturdy padded bag and is a narrower shape for easier manourvering. You only need to remove the handlebars, seatpost and wheels, so is a quick job. But the best thing about it is it’s very easy to wheel around due to the large wheels at the back and the removable swivel wheel at the front. Also weigh your packed bike bag and make sure it’s in the weight limits of the airline.
3. Protect Fragile Components: Secure delicate parts like the derailleur, hangers, and brake levers with extra padding to prevent damage. Consider using a rear derailleur guard to protect it from impact. Some people even travel with extra parts such as replacement derailleur hangers incase there is some damage. A lot of the places we visit to race don’t necessarily have full access to replacement parts.
4. Deflate Tires and Disconnect Batteries: Deflate your bike tires to prevent them from bursting due to changes in air pressure during the flight. Remember to pack a portable pump to reinflate them upon arrival. If you’re using Tubeless Tyres don’t deflate them fully incase they come away from the rim and leak sealant through your bag. I disconnect my Di2 or SRAM eTap batteries to make sure it doesn’t drain incase a button is pushed inadvertently. Most airlines suggest you carry the battery in your carry-on bags if possible, which is easily done on a bike with an external battery. In the case of an internal battery it is ok to keep the battery on the bike, but I still recommend you disconnect the battery.
5. Pack Essential Tools and chargers: Include a small toolkit with necessary tools for reassembly, such as Allen keys, wrenches, and a mini-pump. Make sure it complies with airline regulations for carry-on or checked baggage. I’ve been caught out a few times with my multitool in my carry on and it’s been taken off me which is frustrating. Pack some bike lights too, it’s good practice to ride with these during the day wherever you go. Make sure you have all the USB, battery chargers, power cords etc that you need to keep your equipment working.
6. Remove Accessories: Take off accessories like water bottles, GPS devices, and saddlebags, and pack them separately to avoid damage or loss during transit. If you use a Power Meter which has a Travel Mode (such as the Favero Assioma) make sure you engage that function to switch it off and avoid battery drain. Most importantly you need to switch them back on again, and recalibrate, to use them when you fit them back to your bike.
7. Check Insurance Coverage: Ensure your travel and sports equipment insurance covers any potential damage or loss during transit. If not, consider purchasing additional coverage. Also take photos of your bike in the box so you can provide evidence of how it was packed at a later stage if there was some travel in transit and there is a claim to be made with the airline or insurance company. Keep copies of important documents, such as your bike's serial number, purchase receipt, and race registration. These may be required for customs or insurance claims.
8. Arrive Early: When checking in for your flight, arrive early to allow ample time for any unforeseen complications. Airlines often have specific procedures for checking in sports equipment, and it always seems to take longer than planned to check in. Kellee and I have a great system where we drive straight to the drop off point and off-load all our gear, and leave one person with it. The other then drives to the carpark facility, and can catch their shuttle bus back to the airport without having to wrestle with bike boxes and luggage on a packed shuttle bus.
9. Travelling from the Airport to your Accommodation: This never goes smoothly! You’re in a foreign airport with multiple bags (one abnormally large), and need to get to a rental car location or your accommodation. If they have a dedicated shuttle that’s helpful, but you have to make sure you’re getting on the right one, which in a country where English isn’t the first language, this can be a challenge. If you need to take a public transport bus or train then this adds a new level of frustration especially if you need to go through gates, stairways or escalators, with all your gear. My advice with this is to plan ahead, and perhaps just book and Uber….but then you need to make sure it’s a large enough vehicle to carry all your luggage.
10. Research Local Bike Shops: Look up local bike shops near your destination. In case your bike needs last-minute adjustments or repairs upon arrival, you'll know where to go. Some cities where the race is well established have a great arrangement with the local bike shops that ensure they are able to help nervous stressed athletes. Some races even have a dedicated Mechanic which is really helpful
11. Arrive Early at the Event: Factor in time for pre-race preparations, such as bike assembly, gear setup, and course familiarization. Arriving early will help you acclimate and handle any unexpected challenges. I’ve never coped well when I’ve got to a race close to the day. I like to know everything is sorted and I have time on my hands to relax and focus on the race itself, not just the logistics of getting to it.

By following these tips, you can ensure a smoother experience when traveling to international triathlons with your bicycle and sports equipment. Good luck, and have a fantastic race!