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tandems on planes/car roofs

Paul Obrey2007-01-12 13:37:13

Hello

I'm a regular commuting and leisure cyclist who is looking for some tandem-specific advice.

I am doing a charity cycle ride, for the Motor Neurone Disease Association in June, from London to Amsterdam. I will be doing the ride on a tandem with a blind friend of mine behind me.

We have had the very kind loan of a tandem from now until the ride is finished.
I have two questions-

1)I have roof carriers for my normal bikes. Can you get tandem-specific carriers? If so, is there anyone out there who has one for sale, or has one they would be willing to loan to us for a few months?

2) We are hoping to stay on in Amsterdam for an extra day or two after the rest of the party return on the coach, and were looking into flying back to Birmingham. Have many people had experience of getting tandems onto planes? I think we would be using Flybe, who say that they accept bikes, but do not mention tandems specifically.

Also, if we manage to go down the flying route, obviously we will need some kind of bag to get the bike into. I figured that the easiest option here (considering that we will have to carry the bag around with us) is to use a heavy gauge clear plastic bag, and tape it up. I am aware that you can get normal bike-size bags like this, but does anyone know where we could get one that will fit a tandem? Or do we just have to wait until someone we know buys a new mattress?

Any advice or assistance at all would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks very much.

Paul Obrey

clive2007-01-12 13:41:26

: We have had the very kind loan of a tandem from now until the ride is
: finished.
: I have two questions-

: 1)I have roof carriers for my normal bikes. Can you get tandem-specific
: carriers? If so, is there anyone out there who has one for sale, or has
: one they would be willing to loan to us for a few months?

You don't actually need a bike carrier to carry a tandem. Take the pedals off one side, turn handlebars as required, and lay it down directly (ok, maybe with a bit of padding) onto transverse roof bars.

Ok, it's not as flash as a 'proper' carrier, but it's worked for us for years, and it means you don't get problems with height restrictions.

cheers,
clive

Roy Bradshaw2007-01-14 11:38:47

: I have two questions-

: 1)I have roof carriers for my normal bikes. Can you get tandem-specific
: carriers? If so, is there anyone out there who has one for sale, or has
: one they would be willing to loan to us for a few months?

: 2) We are hoping to stay on in Amsterdam for an extra day or two after the
: rest of the party return on the coach, and were looking into flying back
: to Birmingham. Have many people had experience of getting tandems onto
: planes? I think we would be using Flybe, who say that they accept bikes,
: but do not mention tandems specifically.

: Also, if we manage to go down the flying route, obviously we will need some
: kind of bag to get the bike into. I figured that the easiest option here
: (considering that we will have to carry the bag around with us) is to use
: a heavy gauge clear plastic bag, and tape it up. I am aware that you can
: get normal bike-size bags like this, but does anyone know where we could
: get one that will fit a tandem? Or do we just have to wait until someone
: we know buys a new mattress?

With two roof bars you can simply turn the tandem upside down and fasten the two sets of handlebars down with your toe straps - I used two per side for safety, that's 8 in all. The only problem is that headsets aren't designed to be weather proof upside down so it is advisable to give the underside a coating of grease to help keep the rain out.

The problem with the plastic bag or cardboard container option is that the tandem is extremely unwieldy. Dragging it along in a plastic bag is probably the best of the two, but in the past we have never had any problem with just taking the pedals off, having protected the paintwork with pipe lagging. The airport official's request to deflate the tyres and turn the handlebars round also makes the tandem unwieldy, so we used to ignore it - but things have changed recently - it is probably best to check direct with the airline, not the travel agent as these rarely know the procedures.

Roy

Simon2007-01-16 19:42:37

: Hello

: I'm a regular commuting and leisure cyclist who is looking for some
: tandem-specific advice.

: I am doing a charity cycle ride, for the Motor Neurone Disease Association in
: June, from London to Amsterdam. I will be doing the ride on a tandem with
: a blind friend of mine behind me.

: We have had the very kind loan of a tandem from now until the ride is
: finished.
: I have two questions-

: 1)I have roof carriers for my normal bikes. Can you get tandem-specific
: carriers? If so, is there anyone out there who has one for sale, or has
: one they would be willing to loan to us for a few months?

: 2) We are hoping to stay on in Amsterdam for an extra day or two after the
: rest of the party return on the coach, and were looking into flying back
: to Birmingham. Have many people had experience of getting tandems onto
: planes? I think we would be using Flybe, who say that they accept bikes,
: but do not mention tandems specifically.

Getting a tandem on a plane is not easy
it is always at your own risk - so get insurance
and often has to be in a bag - or even a box.(and I've never heard of a tandem box)

You say 'the others' are going back by coach - I recon by far the easiest solution would be to bribe one of those going back (or the driver) to take the Tandem back with them.

Or possibly get a ferry back from Holland to the UK - Dutch ferries travel to Newcastle, Hull + Harwich (nearish to London)

: Also, if we manage to go down the flying route, obviously we will need some
: kind of bag to get the bike into. I figured that the easiest option here
: (considering that we will have to carry the bag around with us) is to use
: a heavy gauge clear plastic bag, and tape it up. I am aware that you can
: get normal bike-size bags like this, but does anyone know where we could
: get one that will fit a tandem? Or do we just have to wait until someone
: we know buys a new mattress?

: Any advice or assistance at all would be greatly appreciated.

: Thanks very much.

: Paul Obrey