Packing bike with Hydraulic disc brakes (urgent) advice please? (Update)

[midliferider]

I am just about to pack a bike with Hydraulic Disc brakes for transport in a plane. I just realised that I may need to put a plastic bit to prevent brake tighten and lead fluid.
Can I put any plastic there?
Will it just do the job?

 

[13 rider]

Folded cardboard or anything to fill the gap between pads incase the levers are pressed during transit

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Normally you’d use a bleed block designed for the job.

 

[midliferider]

Normally you’d use a bleed block designed for the job.

Well I don't have such a thing. It needs to be packed before dawn !

 

[Adam4868]

As said above bit of folded cardboard or similar and you can stick a elastic band round caliper to stop it coming out.

 

[midliferider]

As said above bit of folded cardboard or similar and you can stick a elastic band round caliper to stop it coming out.

Done it. Will report back what happened in couple of days.

 

[Adam4868]

Have a good holiday 😁

 

[Cycleops]

You'll be more at risk from baggage handlers than from a bit of leaking oil.
Good luck.

 

[Sixmile]

Indeed, I ended up buying fork spacers with an attached bleed block for our trips on the plane as I was worried about the forks being bent/crushed after seeing how the baggage handlers handled my well packed box 1st time around. They had chucked it on the luggage trailer then piled the suitcases about 6 high on top of my box. Now bearing in mind most cases are 20-25kg, that's alot of weight.

I have actually come to the conclusion that it may be better to not pack your bike well at all. Our boxes were neat, tidy, compact and easily liftable and stackable. The dutch folk who were also on our flight did diddly squat to their bikes before they took them to outsized baggage which meant they had to be individually moved carefully onto the luggage cart and lifted gently on to the plane with nothing being able to be set on them with handlebars about and cranks spinning around.

 

[macmanpapi]

i hope all worked well for you

 

[midliferider]

It was a disaster!
I had to pack two bikes with hydraulic disc brakes, one with flat handle bar (for a friend ) and one road bike.
I just put a piece of cardboard and taped it.
When reassembled, brakes were not working well. In one fluids have leaked. The other mechanic said something has happened to the cables. It was an unexpected expense and trouble.
Never to do it again.
I am not an experienced at repairing bikes. But I consider myself very experienced in packing and unpacking bikes, I have done it at airports, train stations, on kerbside etc.
My simple bike with rim brakes and external cables has never caused me issues.
I have decided never to take these sophisticated bikes on tours.