Panniers as luggage on planes

uad782
Posts: 363
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2015 5:51 pm
Location: Somewhere near Malabugilmah

Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby uad782 » Wed Jan 25, 2017 5:17 pm

Hi,

I am wondering how people put their panniers in luggage for air travel. I need something cheap and light and was considering something like this,which I think I did many years ago:
Image

Maybe not as big,nor with the girl though. This way I can carry the panniers and handlebar roll bag.

I also thought that airlines won't carry these crappy bags anymore.

Any comments appreciated.

User avatar
RonK
Posts: 11508
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:08 pm
Location: If you need to know, ask me
Contact:

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby RonK » Wed Jan 25, 2017 5:33 pm

Yes, the stripey bags are widely available, cheap and disposable. I've often seen them on the baggage carousel.
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

User avatar
A_P
Posts: 435
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2010 12:07 pm
Location: Gold Coast

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby A_P » Wed Jan 25, 2017 5:35 pm

i have a big arse duffel bag like this to put my back pack in .
About 100-120l , in bright red so its easy to see on the carousel.

Image

uad782
Posts: 363
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2015 5:51 pm
Location: Somewhere near Malabugilmah

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby uad782 » Wed Jan 25, 2017 6:48 pm

I like the Blackwolf bag however I am looking for something light - not strong as I have to carry it on the bike for two weeks.

User avatar
RonK
Posts: 11508
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:08 pm
Location: If you need to know, ask me
Contact:

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby RonK » Wed Jan 25, 2017 7:28 pm

So what are you going to go with your Tardis? Surely you are not going to carry that around with you?
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

User avatar
Leaf T
Posts: 957
Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2008 12:22 pm

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby Leaf T » Wed Jan 25, 2017 8:08 pm

I've used the same Black Wolf bag as above but slightly smaller. Empty weight was nothing to worry about and you could use it as a rack bag of sorts. Unfortunately a couple of years later it came apart at the top seem parallel to the zip.

On a more recent trip I used the striped laundry bags (aka Just got out of jail bag) doubled up. It worked okay although some people at the airport check in queue kept their distance :D

Trevtassie
Posts: 825
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2015 10:57 am

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby Trevtassie » Wed Jan 25, 2017 8:36 pm

Chinese shopping bags are the go, but go to a good stationery shop and buy a roll of 50mm fibreglass reinforced tape. It's clear with either straight fibres visible, or a crossed weave. It's amazingly strong, has a breaking strain of at least 70kg. Use that to reinforce the bag, go underneath, up the sides, along the handles (fold the excess flaps carefully around the handles) and back under. Do a couple of wraps around horizontally. I leave a couple of loops near the handle so I can put velcro straps across the zipper opening.
Interestingly we couldn't find any of the CSB near San Francisco Airport. Cost us a motza to buy a couple of big bags at the airport itself!

uad782
Posts: 363
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2015 5:51 pm
Location: Somewhere near Malabugilmah

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby uad782 » Wed Jan 25, 2017 9:17 pm

I'm going to have to take the tardis as I need it to transport the bike on the intercity bus. I will build the bike at Lyell.

Thanks Trevtassie and Leaf T. Both good ideas. I like how people kept their distance!

User avatar
Leaf T
Posts: 957
Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2008 12:22 pm

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby Leaf T » Wed Jan 25, 2017 9:43 pm

I used regular packing tape to reinforce them but that reinforced tape would be much better. Quality of the bags vary. Some of the chain stores like reject shop or Kmart? might have better quality ones. Having said all that the next trip that requires a plane ride I'll be investigating large lightweight duffel bags again.

Bon Voyage!

User avatar
RonK
Posts: 11508
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:08 pm
Location: If you need to know, ask me
Contact:

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby RonK » Wed Jan 25, 2017 9:49 pm

Well Intercity do have a reputation for not being bike friendly.

I would contact Atomic Shuttles. I think they have racks in the back of their buses. I have seen this mentioned in CGOAB journals.

I would be trying find somewhere to leave the bags in Wellington, or send them to yourself Post Restante.

There's no need to be too fussy about the carry bag for your panniers. You're only going to Wellington and there will be minimal handling.
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...

battler2
Posts: 358
Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 10:04 pm

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby battler2 » Mon Jan 30, 2017 11:07 am

great thread! i had this dilemma once and i did what the op posted a picture of, the cheap disposable (or foldable and keepable) bag. the airline even managed to lose it (but i got it back the next day).

this was only because i didn't travel with bike once but had my panniers and top bag with me (carryon). otherwise i squeeze the contents of the panniers into the box (usually clothes and stuff) and fold up the pannier and squeeze it into the box. bulges a bit but nothing duct tape won't fix ;)

remember though, no padding, but ortlieb panniers are fairly sturdy and i had no issues. just be prepared for the worst just in case (ie. somewhere to buy new panniers at your destination)

think i got mine for about $5-6 from cheap as chips.

Germann
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2018 1:29 pm

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby Germann » Sun Feb 18, 2018 2:03 pm

These are some great ideas!
I sometimes had two panniers together double-wrapped in a thick black plastic garbage bag.
It surely gave me some weird looks at the check-in but worked out alright. The bag came out unscathed on the other side.

twowheels
Posts: 1437
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2007 6:14 pm
Location: Perth

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby twowheels » Sun Feb 18, 2018 3:00 pm

Trevtassie wrote:Chinese shopping bags are the go, but go to a good stationery shop and buy a roll of 50mm fibreglass reinforced tape. It's clear with either straight fibres visible, or a crossed weave. It's amazingly strong, has a breaking strain of at least 70kg. Use that to reinforce the bag, go underneath, up the sides, along the handles (fold the excess flaps carefully around the handles) and back under. Do a couple of wraps around horizontally. I leave a couple of loops near the handle so I can put velcro straps across the zipper opening.
Interestingly we couldn't find any of the CSB near San Francisco Airport. Cost us a motza to buy a couple of big bags at the airport itself!
Another who refers to them as Chinese bags!
Airlines are fine with them, also with cardboard boxes, allowance is 2 items. We dump heavy, old suitcases overseas (legally) and return instead with 2 cardboard boxes/2 chinese bags/1 box + 1 chinbag. This way your weight allowance is goodies, not packaging. Caveat - possibly not for fragiles, valuables, etc

LG
Posts: 1876
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 10:46 am
Location: Southeast Tasmania

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby LG » Sun Feb 18, 2018 7:22 pm

Have used the same stripey bag as per first pic in the thread. As an extra bit of security, we made sure the panniers were tied together within the bag in case it ripped, with a label to identify us. Worked a treat, gave away the bag at our first B&B.
LG = Low Gear

tmac100
Posts: 212
Joined: Fri May 28, 2010 12:09 am
Location: Qatar

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby tmac100 » Mon Feb 19, 2018 4:24 am

You could wrap items with Kitchen wrap (Glad Wrap or Cling Wrap) and use plastic tape to bind.

Works for some of us. Negligible weight too :shock:

twowheels
Posts: 1437
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2007 6:14 pm
Location: Perth

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby twowheels » Mon Feb 19, 2018 9:22 am

Next time I'm going to plan in advance and buy corflute boxes. Strong, light, water proof (material, not contents)

User avatar
Leaf T
Posts: 957
Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2008 12:22 pm

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby Leaf T » Sat Aug 11, 2018 3:29 pm

Next time I'm going to investigate IKEA carrier bags. They're very sturdy and quite large I think.

https://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/cate ... ces/16214/

Scintilla
Posts: 325
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2018 5:36 pm

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby Scintilla » Sat Aug 11, 2018 4:34 pm

In July, coming back from the Gold Coast, where we could not find the cheap shopping bags in the local supermarket or discount store, I used the occy-straps to loop two panniers and the rack-top sausage bag together, and these were wrapped by one of the suitcase wrapping services at the airport. Did the same for my wife's as well. $24 total cost. They came home very well, with no damage at all.

For other kit - one pannier and handlebar bag were carried on, one was empty and went in the bike box.

Scintilla
Posts: 325
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2018 5:36 pm

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby Scintilla » Sat Aug 11, 2018 4:50 pm

Does anyone have experience using the Pacsafe security mesh for panniers? This would also be able to double as kit security while travelling, and quite securely hold several panniers together on transport services. I really like the versatility and it is available in 55L, 85L, 120L and 140L sizes. 85L would probably do for our usual three panniers, with one pannier as carry-on. Very compact little kit when packed up as well.

The only unknown is whether the airlines would accept them for luggage, or whether they would claim it would snag on their luggage-handling conveyors.


tmac100
Posts: 212
Joined: Fri May 28, 2010 12:09 am
Location: Qatar

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby tmac100 » Sun Aug 26, 2018 8:53 pm

I just returned from Australia (to Qatar) with my panniers and a Brompton (folded and in a Chinese carry bag). All were wrapped by me in plastic used for wrapping items for shipping and also with grey duct tape several times. I made sure the carry bag handles were enclosed in plastic because on past trips the handles of an Ikea bag used to wrap the Brompton were ripped off in baggage handling - even when taped to the bag.

I flew 2 sectors MEL-BKK-KUL with Thai and at KUL all bags arrived with no plastic torn. Then 2 sectors KUL-CMB-DOH with Sri Lankan and all packages arrived without tears at Doha.

All packing was done my myself and I used a liberal amount of duct tape around the plastic wrapping.

BugsBunny
Posts: 418
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2014 9:06 pm

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby BugsBunny » Fri Aug 31, 2018 12:56 pm

tmac100 wrote:I just returned from Australia (to Qatar) with my panniers and a Brompton (folded and in a Chinese carry bag).
I own a Brompton too and whilst I've seen online numerous folks putting it into soft carry bags such as the "Chinese carry bags", I've always wondered how many get away without damage. Good to know yours arrived in top shape! It sounds to me the secret to success is the strategic placement of padding.

tmac100
Posts: 212
Joined: Fri May 28, 2010 12:09 am
Location: Qatar

Re: Panniers as luggage on planes

Postby tmac100 » Fri Oct 19, 2018 5:46 am

BugsBunny wrote:
tmac100 wrote:I just returned from Australia (to Qatar) with my panniers and a Brompton (folded and in a Chinese carry bag).
I own a Brompton too and whilst I've seen online numerous folks putting it into soft carry bags such as the "Chinese carry bags", I've always wondered how many get away without damage. Good to know yours arrived in top shape! It sounds to me the secret to success is the strategic placement of padding.
Yes, I had some "bubble wrap" around the Brommie. Sometimes I also put in a sleeping bag or jackets if there is room in the bag... For this particular bag (no-name from China) I only used the bubble wrap as the bag was tighter than the Ikea bag.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users