Taking bike abroad or Hire

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Hi Everyone,
Looking for help on travelling abroad with a bike. I work abroad so fly a lot and would really like to cycle when possible. Is it better, easier to hire a bike if the area is suitable or to take my own ? I am in Sardinia at the moment and bike hire is between €500 and €700 for two weeks 😱 granted thats with helmet, shoes and insurance (I flew late notice so no cycle gear with me)
I have read the horror stories of damage to bikes and the hassle of transporting but I cannot justify or afford to pay expensive bike hire costs. I did consider a brompton as another option.
Would welcome any ideas or advice to help me keep spinning the legs when away

cheers ☺️
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Then invest in a bike box and take your bike on trips. It's not hard, I've taken bikes to Europe and South Africa without problems.
 

Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
I have done a mixture of both, in fact on top of that I bought a bike when I was in South Africa for 3 weeks as it worked out cheapest of all. I don't think I have paid more that €35 a day when hiring.
 

bigjim

Legendary Member
Location
Manchester. UK
Hire every time if possible. IMO it's just too much hassle flying with a bike. I've struggled with it for years but can't be bothered anymore. I love strolling through the airport with just my hand luggage after handing a hire bike back.
 
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Tripster

Guest
Hire every time if possible. IMO it's just too much hassle flying with a bike. I've struggled with it for years but can't be bothered anymore. I love strolling through the airport with just my hand luggage after handing a hire bike back.
I find some places expensive at €50 a day. Adds up to a lot but then the hassle of transporting a bike and storing in hotel etc. makes it worth it
 

bigjim

Legendary Member
Location
Manchester. UK
I find some places expensive at €50 a day. Adds up to a lot but then the hassle of transporting a bike and storing in hotel etc. makes it worth it
Seems a lot. i pay about €100 a week for a carbon job in Mallorca. A lot less for a Hybrid. A couple of years ago I went on a fixed base tour with the club to Limoge. They all took their own Road bikes. I arranged for a rented hybrid hire bike to be delivered to the hotel. Took my own saddle but it wasn't needed. We rode together all week and I had no problems with the bike or staying with the others. I just left the bike in the hotel garage for them to pick up at the end of the holiday. It cost me €90 for 9 days. The other guys had much hassle lugging, packing and unpacking their bikes, arguing with airport staff whilst I sat in the cafe reading my book whilst they dealt with all this. They all swore to hire in the future.
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Tripster

Guest
It seems prices vary, here in Sardinia its between 35 and 50 a day, but the advantage of hiring is if the place I work not particularly good or safe to cycle then I havent lugged a bike around through an airport for nothing.
 

bigjim

Legendary Member
Location
Manchester. UK
There is a Decathlon near the airport in Sardinia. I'd check out buying a Hybrid bike there before I'd pay that sort of hire money. They are good quality and even the cheaper stuff is quite capable. You can always sell it at a local bike shop before you leave.
 
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Tripster

Guest
Invest in a Moulton that fits in one of those large cheap zipped laundry bags. Counts as regular baggage.
Its an idea I looked at along with a brompton but I dont work in cities, mostly power stations and refineries so some of the roads or distances are not folding bike friendly.
 
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Tripster

Guest
Invest in a Moulton that fits in one of those large cheap zipped laundry bags. Counts as regular baggage.

As its my day off today I went through all my jobs for past 5 years. 30 I could have ridden to work.....26 definitely not (Included Kuwait, Algeria, Egypt and the like) and 1 that I could not ride but could have used a bike on days off.
Of those I could, about half would have been a problem storing bike either at site or at accommodation....but A brompton would have been good for almost all the 30 jobs. Maybe I was wrong in above assumption 🧐
I could even add California to the list of yes jobs and put the bike in the ‘trunk’ of car and explored some of the coastal towns

A look on ebay and some lunatics are bidding £3500 for a Chpt3 Brompton 😱
 

Fiona R

Formerly known as Cranky Knee Girl
Location
N Somerset
As its my day off today I went through all my jobs for past 5 years. 30 I could have ridden to work.....26 definitely not (Included Kuwait, Algeria, Egypt and the like) and 1 that I could not ride but could have used a bike on days off.
Of those I could, about half would have been a problem storing bike either at site or at accommodation....but A brompton would have been good for almost all the 30 jobs. Maybe I was wrong in above assumption 🧐
I could even add California to the list of yes jobs and put the bike in the ‘trunk’ of car and explored some of the coastal towns

A look on ebay and some lunatics are bidding £3500 for a Chpt3 Brompton 😱
Have a closer look at Moultons, a lot of people do extensive touring on them as easy on planes and trains but better suited than Bromptons as can carry panniers/more substantial/bigger wheels (I think!) etc There are various models including an mtb styled one. Just sit in their bag at your feet wherever your office is. I have decided it's the bike of my dreams if only 1 bike was allowed, but too expensive for me to justify given I so rarely need a folding bike. I have never ridden a Moulton and have nothing to do with the company, until recently I thought it was a retro brand that had died, had no idea was very much alive and kicking so no worries about sourcing one or spares.
 

HelenD123

Guru
Location
York
Another folding bike to consider is an Airnimal. I've done full camping touring with mine and accidentally took it fully loaded on a red mountain bike route so they can handle rougher stuff. It rides pretty much like a normal bike.
 
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