Bike transport for your holiday: Car, train or plane? Or hire locally?
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Text: Christian Bonk
Marvellous! Exploring unknown regions, landscapes and cities at your holiday destination, hundreds, maybe even thousands of kilometres away from home, on your favourite mode of transport, the bicycle! Or to start from such a place and go on a long cycle tour to discover new territory at the medium speed that the bike allows us to enjoy. You will always find opportunities and tips in MYBIKE. The only thing is that it may require some organisation and logistics. And several basic decisions need to be made in advance: Do I want to have my bike with me at all costs? Or can it also be a hire bike?
Bike transport for your holiday: take it with you or hire it?
There are many arguments in favour of the former, because my own bike is the one that is tailored to my body, that I have had good experiences with and that I feel comfortable on. At least that's how it should be. So if I decide in favour of my own bike, I have to make the next basic decision: How do I get my favourite bike to my holiday destination? This is the question of the means of transport: car, train or plane? If you are still in the process of deciding on your next cycling holiday, we want to help you on the following pages.
What carrier systems are available for transporting bikes by car? How does it work to take the bike on the train, in this country and abroad? How can the bike be transported by plane if necessary? And are there any special regulations for e-bikes? We will go through these questions in detail on the following pages. We also don't want to ignore the topic of bike hire, because bike holidays are in, and providers are springing up in many regions who are trying to cater to the needs of touring cyclists and are developing a corresponding range of services. We also have a number of tips for you on this subject.
Another option: transport by freight forwarder or rail
You can also have your bike sent to your holiday destination and back home again by specialised service providers. Deutsche Bahn offers domestic bike shipping within Germany from 55.90 euros per bike and route. However, the bikes must be packed in a free cardboard box so that they remain rollable. For this service, they are handed in at the nearest Hermes shop, where the free cardboard packaging is also available.
The online portal "Posttip" constantly updates logistical offers for the dispatch of parcels, consignments and bicycles as an alternative to traditional postal dispatch. If you select "Citybike" as the bike category, for example, the software lists offers from providers such as Tomba, pamyra (comparison portal), UPS, XLpaket, iloxx, paket.ag, DHL and Cargo International. With the exception of UPS, all service providers also offer collection. If you opt for UPS, you have to hand in your bike at one of the US company's parcel shops.
Transporting bikes by car: the logistical challenge
If you are travelling by car, there are various options for taking your bike with you. We check out the three most common ones and reveal what you need to consider in each case.
Rare solution: In the interior
If you don't drive a spacious van, you will naturally find it difficult to transport bikes in the car interior. One problem: space for any fellow travellers and luggage is quite limited in such a case. It is advisable to at least remove the front wheels and stow them separately. If several bikes are to be taken on board, there is probably no way around removing the rear wheels.
In any case, it is advisable to wrap the sensitive wheels and protect them against impact. Free-standing brake discs should also be wrapped, as they have very sharp edges and are therefore dangerous for other loads. If there is sufficient storage space, for example in a van, the most elegant, cleanest and safest solution is to use a so-called "bike garage", i.e. a transport bag in which the entire bike is protected by padding. This means that transporting a used bike before or after a holiday leaves no traces of dirt in the car.
Two best solutions: On the roof
Those who opt for the roof version usually already have roof rails, as the manufacturers' systems are usually based on a "base carrier" that fits universally on typical roof rail systems. This in turn is then used to attach the actual carrier system. Balancing the bike up to roof height is particularly problematic with very heavy bikes. It usually takes two people to securely fix the bikes in the rails on the roof.
It is very important to know the maximum roof load of the vehicle. This is usually stated in the owner's manual. The vehicle documents only contain maximum values for the axle load. The carrier systems themselves also have load limits, which are specified in their instructions under "Technical data". The high air resistance and the associated higher fuel consumption as well as the increased danger when driving through subways or bridges are clear weaknesses of this concept. Incidentally, the following applies to vans and motorhomes: the vehicle height, including bikes transported on the roof, must not exceed four metres.
Best solution: At the rear
The most popular and widespread variant of the carrier system is the rear carrierwhich is attached to a trailer coupling on most vehicles. The rear wheels hardly increase the air resistance and most systems have tilting components that make access to the rear load compartment or boot much easier. Here too, a value check is mandatory before buying or hiring a suitable system.
Decisive for the number of bicycles to be transported are the permissible drawbar load of the trailer coupling and the maximum load specified by the manufacturer of the carrier system. In addition to the question of the maximum weight, there are also regulations for the maximum extension. It is stipulated that the wheels on the sides may protrude a maximum of 40 centimetres beyond the rear light, so that the vehicle is no wider than 2.55 metres due to the load. The bike carrier also requires the installation of an additional licence plate and independent licence plate lighting. Suppliers of rear carriers include Übler, Atera and Thule. We present two products here as examples.
Bicycle transport: examples of rear carrier systems
Atera Strada e-bike
Particularly suitable for transporting heavy e-bikes thanks to the wide wheel rails and robust design. There is plenty of space between the rails so that even large batteries or electric motors do not rub against each other. Three e-bikes are usually too heavy for the carrier system.
- Own weight: 14.9 kilos
- Maximum payload: 60 kilos
- Zul load per wheel track: 30 kilos
- Dimensions width/height/depth: 1000/200/590 mm
- Price: 695 Euro >> available here at a reduced price
Thule Epic
Suitable for all types of bike, quick and easy to use, minimal effort thanks to an innovative extendable fastening system.
- Number of bicycles: 2
- Own weight: 17.3 kilos
- Maximum payload: 60 kilos
- Payload per wheel track: 30 kilos
- Dimensions width/height/depth: 690/270/730 mm
- Price: 1099 Euro >> available here at a reduced price
Bicycle transport by rail: ecological, but complicated
In theory, it is possible to take bikes on regional and long-distance trains. In practice, however, this is often difficult - and if you want to go on holiday by bike in this way, you need to take a few things into account and plan ahead.
In Germany
Bikes can be taken on board most local trains, IC and EC trains - but only if you have booked both a seat and a parking space. This service costs from 7.50 euros. E-bikes are also included regardless of weight.
The following types of bike can generally be taken on the train:
- A standard, single-seater bicycle with two wheels. The bicycle must be placed in the existing bicycle stands. The bike racks usually have a width for tyres of 40 to 60 mm.
- E-bikes up to 250 watts motor power (ask in advance for more powerful drives!)
- A fatbike, if it fits into the bike holder (see above). If necessary, deflate the tyre. Don't forget the equipment for re-inflating the tyres later.
- A folded folding bike or children's bikes with a wheel diameter of up to 16 inches can be stored on the train in the same way as luggage. Luggage racks and multi-purpose areas are available for this purpose, for example.
- A tandem, recumbent bike or tricycle can only be taken on trains with a larger parking space capacity. Find out more at the DB Travel Centre, at the DB agency or by calling the service number 0302970.
Abroad
Taking bikes abroad is also possible, but should be booked in advance. When booking tickets online with the DB app, you can click on the option to take bikes with you and only connections where this service is possible will be displayed. The railway advises: "Simply add a bicycle next to the traveller in the booking request on the website to see connections with bicycle transport. You can see directly from the bicycle symbol (red bicycle symbol = bicycle spaces no longer available) whether there are actually still spaces available on the international long-distance train. You can also extend the transfer time if you would like a little more time to change trains with your bike."
The DB Navigator has now also added bike booking as an option. Here, bikes can be booked relatively easily in addition to the regular ticket for Austria or Italy. For other destinations, we recommend using the railway's special service for bike transport at www.bahn.de/angebot/zusatzticket/fahrrad/fahrradkarte-fernverkehr. The railway generally offers direct connections to Germany's neighbouring countries Italy, Austria, Denmark, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Information is also available on the service number 0302970
Hire a bike at your holiday destination: get well informed beforehand
There are currently no international or European networked rental services in the way of car hire companies. Online research is therefore required before your holiday. In addition to traditional bike hire companies at your holiday destination, it is also worth finding local specialist bike dealers and asking them about rental offers.
Of course, it is advisable to check the potential hire company's offer in detail. At the very least, the type of bike, frame height and componentry should be similar to the bike at home, especially if the focus is on sporty biking. Prices vary greatly, but in general you can expect to pay from 20 euros per day for aluminium bikes with basic equipment; sporty e-bikes are more expensive. Hire for a week or 14 days is significantly cheaper than daily hire. The rental flat rates usually include insurance that covers you if the bike is properly secured when parked - the hire companies usually provide bike locks.
Tips for bike hire
- Clarify the tariff with the landlord in advance and have it confirmed
- Compare bike types from the rental range with your own preferences beforehand
- Compare prices from landlords and dealers
- In the event of extreme deviations, ask the hire company whether it is possible to obtain hire bikes in other categories; or whether it can recommend other hire companies that offer a wider range of bikes
- For e-bikes, enquire about the charging network in the region; ask for a second battery if necessary
- Clarify and strictly adhere to the insurance conditions (Does the cover apply at night? Does the bike have to be parked locked at the accommodation?)
- Check the bike for damage when you pick it up, photograph it and inform the hire company of the damage
- Pack your own helmet, air pump, repair kit and navigation app or map set
- Bring your own bike lights (attachment set)
- When renting online, go through the checklist (insurance, accessories, tour tips, country-specific features) with the hire company beforehand
Transporting bikes by plane: No battery please
Almost all airlines offer a luggage service for bicycles. However, the bike should be professionally packed before check-in. Bike bags or bike boxes from specialist retailers are one option. Alternatively, a cardboard box in the format and design used by online bike dealers for shipping is also suitable. Such a sturdy cardboard box has the approximate dimensions of a mountain bike: 1500 x 270 x 780 mm / 60 x 11 x 31 inches. Important: when packing, turn the handlebars crossways and remove the pedals. It is very difficult with e-bikes. On the one hand, the weight of fully equipped e-bikes quickly reaches the limits set by the airlines. Secondly, the batteries cause difficulties because they are considered to be a fire hazard.
Until a few months ago, batteries up to certain power limits were permitted as hand luggage, but they are now banned from the aircraft if they have more than 100 Wh of power. If you still want to take your e-bike on board, the only option is to hire an identical battery at your holiday destination or have it sent to your holiday address as a package. The airlines' tariffs for bike transport vary enormously. Michael Luplow has researched and summarised an up-to-date overview of the terms, conditions and prices of the airlines in his blog "Bikepacking Adventures". Ideally with a link to each airline mentioned, which leads to the current regulations. bikepacking-adventures.com/take-your-bike-on-the-plane
Here are some examples of the conditions offered by Lufthansa, Ryan Air and Qatar Airways:
- Lufthansa: A fee of around 100 euros is charged for bulky baggage on domestic routes and up to 400 euros on intercontinental routes if the baggage weighs a maximum of 52 kilograms and is up to two metres wide.
- Ryanair: The carriage of a bicycle is not included in the free baggage allowance. The fee is from 60 euros for a maximum of 30 kilograms.
- Qatar Airways: Bicycles are permitted within the baggage allowance. The fee starts at 100 US dollars for a maximum of 30 kilograms.
