How do i get my bike to Victoria?
Hello, okay your all about to say it.." ride to victoria". Correct, that would be obviously what id prefer, but unfortunately i am expected to be in the NE towns around Victoria by this very coming Sunday(so i dont think id have enough time, to ride that is). Does anyone know if i could mail or post my bike in bits, or courier it up to a storage shelter, that i pre-payed for, or is there other ways? I want to ride some of Victoria and obviosuly want to take my bike, what about hiring options? Ive never ever been to Victoria and have no clue of anything to do with the state of Victoria, and so i havent ridden it either which is why im bursting to give it a go. Was thinking if i got my own bike up there, or had a bike up there i could use to my disposal, then id also love to ride back from Melbourne all the way to home- Adelaide(i know its not holidays, but youve got a job...and i dont, so whats a man to do?).
Im going to be driving up in a hired Van with some family, dont think the hired van will have Roof racks though, any ideas on this? But there is another possibility we all might just go up in a plane, to make it quicker. Not sure yet, but its all coming together a bit too fast...i mean its only this Sunday, aaagh!!!
So who knows Victoria? Whos been there/done that? Help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Don (Who's lost?) Nairn on -
I would be shocked if the van had roof racks for a bike.
There are bike bags that can go on the plane.
Buses and trains also take bikes.
An alternative thought may be will you have time to ride your bike with all the "expected" activities?
NE Victoria can be very pretty but you may understand why some people run a triple chain ring on the front.
Really you need to contact the companies that you intend to travel with.
Do you need insurance if the bike gets damaged?
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Permalink Reply by Mike Brisco on -
Don's correct.
Planes - can take bikes, need to let the airline know, and ask them to provide a bike box.
Other route, road-freight it over. Bike is too big for Australia Post. Road freight corporations like Toll, BusFreight, IPEC, should handle it. . Again need to get a bike box , and pack your bike for transport, they are unlikely to take it fully assembled. Is merely wheels off - pedals off - handlebars turned sideways.
You can either do door to door ie they pick up from your home, and drop off at the house you are going to. Or depot to depot.
Road freight gets charged by weight or volume - whichever results in the highest fee. Bike weight you know and can tell them. Packed bike box is about 1.2 meters, by 15 cm by 80 cm, they can work out the volume from that.
[Most of the companies business, is large volume repeat trips for firms .. they will ask you up front if you have an account with them.... which you obviously don't. Just tell them you are a member of the public, you need to send a bike in a bike box, it is a one off trip, and you will pay them for it at the time...
Getting bike box - phone a bike shop. That is how bikes arrive, and the boxes, they usually flatten then throw out - often willing to give old ones for free.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Brisco on
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PS - can't you just take the wheels off, take the pedals off, turn the handlebars sideways and pack the bike in your van?
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Permalink Reply by Ol' Dr. Cadence (Mathew) on
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Yeah, plans are changing, kind of, hiring a Sedan now, not a van. As for some of my family are going up by bus and plane, i could get a bike box and ask them to take it up prehaps? Wow, Thanks for all the advice Mike, hows everything going with the "bikes for refugees"? Not sure if you still do that or not. And, thanks Don for the tips about the NE VIC terrain, its good to know beforehand. Thanks guys.
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Permalink Reply by Jilden on -
Oh, and remember, unless your hand remains glued to your bike box for the entire trip, someone will mislay it and send it to a totally different location. Then some weeks after you have given up in disgust it will arrive at your erstwhile destination!
I suggest you google bicycle hire for your destination area and take only the necessary bits like helmet, nix, shoes etc. Make a LBS happy and save the hassle of packing your bike.
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Permalink Reply by Dario Gautama on -
If you are (or some of your family member) taking a plane.
Qantas let one passenger to carry a bicycle into baggage without any extra charge and does not count into your total baggage weight.
Just check your airplane website or call them to make sure.
(Most of them require the bicycle to be packed into a cardboard box or any hardcase.
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