A bike is easiest to transport when you're on it. However this is not always practical.
- I've always put my bike in a box, as a requirement and for its protection. There's debate in the touring community about whether this is necessary or a good idea. In some countries, plastic wrap is acceptable, with vendors offering this service at the airport.
- Bike boxes are sometimes available from the airport, but this is not a sure thing. The more reliable source is bike shops, who receive new bikes in them. Boxes are often free, I think Burkes in Kilbirnie charges a token $5.
- The act of boxing and unboxing a bike is a major hassle. While you may become quite adept at dis/assembling your steed, the fact remains that you have a giant cardboard box to wrangle, as well as your bike.
- The box is pretty rigid so it's not like you can fold it down and ride it to the airport. So instead you need to box it up at a bike shop or transport it to your hostel and do the boxing there.
- Next you need to transport the now heavier and more unwieldy box to the airport.
- Then you have to stress out while they weigh the box (which includes the weight of your bike, but also the weight of the box, which can be several kilos).
- Then at the other end you have to play find-the-box.
- Then you have to wheel the tall/wide load through customs.
- Then you have to find a place to reassemble your bike.
- And then you need to find a way to ditch the box.
- And hopefully you put the bike back together properly and don't immediately crash because you forget to do up some important bolt.
- Some companies sell bike bags or collapsible boxes, but in this case you need to have a plan for carrying this on your tour, or sending it on to your point of departure (if you know where that is)
- As well as the weight of the boxed bike, you also need to be concerned about the weight of your panniers, and how many bags you have in total. All airlines have limits on weight and/or pieces of luggage, and things become exponentially more fun when your flight involves several airlines.
- Finally, you need to be aware of airline baggage restrictions - e.g. batteries need to be carried on the plane rather than in your checked in luggage, you can't take fuel, etc
Some bike tourists get around the whole transport issue by buying bikes when they land, and selling then before they leave. This may mean downgrading from what you're used to, to what's available locally. On the plus side, a local bike may be easier to repair locally. Personally I like using my own bike as I'm quite sentimental.
Trains are a good way to cover a long distance in a relatively short amount of time. You usually have good views, a chance to sleep and some interesting people to talk to.
- Commuter trains have designated bike spaces in carriages. Your bike is secured to the wall with straps. If all the bike spaces are filled up, you will need to wait for the next train.
- Tourist trains have dedicated baggage carriages. You may be asked to remove your pedals or bags in order to pack the carriage more efficiently.
- YMMV. It can be hard to know in advance what's expected, as booking systems often don't allow you to specify a bicycle. In Australia I wheeled my bike on to a commuter train. In China my bike had to travel ahead of me on a special baggage train. In Russia I had to disassemble my bike into the smallest package possible and store it in an overhead luggage rack.
- You can ride your bike onto the car deck of the Cook Strait ferry. There, you will be shown where to secure it.
- There's a 10% discount when taking a bike onto Bluebridge ferries, if you join the Bluebridge Bike Club
- You can also roll your bike onto the East-West Wellington harbour ferry. Useful for cutting out the sketchy parts of the ride between Wellington and Days Bay.
- I've also put my bike on a private yacht to cross a section of water near Raglan. Some locals highlighted me to a nearby jetty and the skipper was happy to oblige.
- I put my bike on a ferry between the mainland and Olkhon Island in Lake Baikal. The ferry doesn't run all year round due to rough waters as winter approaches, therefore it's best to check these things in advance.
- Suburban buses sometimes have a bike rack on the front of the bus. I assume that you'd have to remove your panniers to use this, and there will be a maximum number of bikes that they can carry.
- Intercity buses store bikes in the luggage compartment underneath the bus. You will need to remove your panniers, wheels and pedals, and drop your seat. Historically the Intercity app doesn't give you an option to notify the driver about your bicycle luggage. This means that the driver will complain when you come to board, claiming that they have 'no room'. In my experience they always manage to find room. However to save yourself some stress, it's best to book with a human and tell them your situation and/or to turn up early to the bus depot, so the driver can figure out how to fit all the baggage into the hold.
- In Nepal, my bike was hoisted up onto the roof, bags and all. They strapped it down pretty well, but it's always a relief to see it in one piece at the other end. I have sustained damage from the bike being dragged on and off the roof, and it can be stressful being dropped off on the side of the road (or in the middle of the traffic) with a bike which is not immediately rideable.
- In Russia, the driver insisted that my bike go on the back seat of the bus, and that I pay an extra fee for the privilege.
- I think I've put my boxed bike into the boot of a taxi, to get the disassembled bike to the airport.
- In Hong Kong and India and I've put my boxed bike into the boot or back seat of a taxi, to get the disassembled bike to the airport. It's important to note that boxes come in different sizes/lengths. A bigger box is easier to pack, but some taxis can only take smaller boxes. Unfortunately it's hard to know what's accepted in advance.
- A bus or shuttle is also usually a necessary evil to get your bike across the border between country A and country B.
- It pays to do some research around whether it's ok to ride to and from the airport. The locals would love to charge you for the privilege.