Avoiding crushed Forks

[Plax]

Is there anything you can buy to stop front forks / rear stays from getting crushed when travelling on an airplane? failing that any tips to minimise the possibility?

ta

 

[rich p]

I use a piece of threaded rod and 4 nuts but there is a proprietary one made I think.

 

[gavintc]

Spacers are used when shipping bikes and forks from factory to shop. They are typically thrown away with the cardboard packaging when the bike is built in the shop. Talk to your LBS and ask them for a few, I have always found the LBS helpful and they will give you a few. It might demand a return trip as few shops actually keep them unless asked.

 

[andym]

What Gavin said. Or failing that you could use same small diameter plastic pipe with your QRs. Or you can buy the frame spacers from Ceeway (framebuilding supplies).

 

[rualexander]

Go to B&Q and buy a length of aluminium tube, they have all sorts of sizes, and also have plastic and steel, but the Aluminium is best for this purpose. Its about 12mm outside diameter, 9mm inside diameter, and about a metre long. Costs about £6 I think. Cut it into appropriate lengths for your forks (100mm) and rear dropouts, stick your quick release through it and then tighten in place. Works great.
The same tubing can be used for tent pole repair sections if the size suits your poles.

 

[TheDoctor]

^^ What they've said. Frame spacers from LBS, or pipes with your QRs through.

I used bamboo to make spacers, but that's because I had some knocking about...

 

[Brains]

I have also used bamboo. From a plant stake, even a biro tube will do at a pinch

 

[yenrod]

Is there anything you can buy to stop front forks / rear stays from getting crushed when travelling on an airplane? failing that any tips to minimise the possibility?

ta

Take them off - ie if you have an A-headset as they are quite easy to dis-assemble !

 

[Plax]

I have bamboo sticks. Pray tell me more about this option.
Thanks for other replies btw, if I fail miserably with my sticks I'll revisit them.

 

[Brains]

I have bamboo sticks. Pray tell me more about this option.
Thanks for other replies btw, if I fail miserably with my sticks I'll revisit them.

Bamboo plant sticks:

Remove scewer from wheel
measure length
cut bamboo with hacksaw or jig saw (or bread knife) to correct length
cut between two bamboo segments
fit bamboo tube to scewer
put back on bike

 

[TheDoctor]

^^ Wot Brains said.

The bamboo option gives one a nice Ray Mears kind of feeling.
Till you slice your hand open with the machete, anyway.

 

[rich p]

I started using a piece of threaded rod after one of my skewers got bent in transit. Fortunately it was on the way home.

 

[andy_wrx]

I cut a couple of lengths out of a wood offcut in the garage and just taped in place.

 

[Plax]

Thanks all, I shall give it a go at the weekend. Hopefully I will have more luck cutting bamboo sticks than mudguard stays!

 

[andym]

I hate to keep a man away from doing manly things in his garden shed, but it's got to be a lot less time and trouble to go to your LBS and ask if they've got any of the plastic jobbies you can buy (they'll probably give you them for nowt). [*whispers*] The plastic gizmos are better than anything you'll rig up for yourself.