Taking a Bike to Europe

Lots of talk lately about bicycles on airplanes and excess baggage charges, etc. Its real, and it really adds up! Our cycling team recently got tagged with about $600 in round trip charges just for 3 guys to fly a short 2 hour domestic flight! Well, what are the airlines doing exactly?

Here is Delta's policy on bicycles from their website:

"Non-motorized touring or racing bicycles with single seats are accepted as checked baggage, with certain limits.
Any bicycle in a box with overall dimensions not exceeding 62" or 157.5cm (length + height + width) and checked in lieu of one bag is accepted. Bicycles exceeding 62" are subject to standard oversize baggage charges.
Your bike must be packaged in a cardboard or canvas container in one of the following ways:
Handlebars fixed sideways and pedals removed
Handlebars and pedals encased in plastic, Styrofoam, or other similar material
Some connection carriers and aircraft may not accept bicycles as checked baggage, and may have different limits. "

What is not mentioned here is a weight limit. Delta also says that you can check 2 bags FREE for travel outside the USA; but then they say that each bag has a weight limit of 50 lbs/22.5 kg. There are some higher limits for Business and First Class ticket holders.

Excess fees: Delta says it will charge a fee EACH time an allowance is exceeded. Possible fees therefore include:

If your bike box is a 3rd piece of checked luggage for international: $150
Overweight limit of 50 lbs/22.5 kg up to 70 lbs: $80
Over 70 lbs up to 100 lbs: $150
Over size fee: $150

Avoiding any fees seems pretty hard, but being assessed multiple fees seems very possible. Don't think you can pack extra gear in your bike box either - see weight limits!

Does this apply only to Americans? No. For example, Air France's Australia website had more or less the same restrictions as Delta above with very similar fees and limits. Nobody is immune, even if foreign carriers are more solvent than the American companies, the chance to make money on this is too tempting. Expect to pay.

What else should you expect in traveling with your bike box?

Train troubles: in France and most of Western Europe, high speed trains have very limited luggage space. Most trains only offer space at the end of the car or overhead racks. Bike boxes don't really fit, and you could be subject to the whims of the conductor of the moment. Smaller regional trains usually do take bikes even in built up condition. Travel in July and August when trains are packed is very likely to be difficult. Regardless, you schlep your box on and off the train by yourself, among the people who will not make room for you.

Lost luggage? Every year when we have groups that go to watch the Tour de France, at least 1 in 10 persons will have their bike box mishandled enroute. On these kinds of tours where the lodging is remote and the traffic is difficult, getting a bike redelivered and caught up is a problem!

Storage? Where will you store your bike box when you visit Paris or some other big city? Will it fit in the hotel elevator? How much will the taxi add on for an oversize bag - if the taxi will even take it!

Build that bike up - you better know how to do it and bring the tools to get it done! On our trips we do help with that of course, but if you are winging it on your own; be totally self contained wiht tools and parts and a mechanical inclination!

What's a vacation worth? A lot - advice - don't muck it up with unnecessary troubles. PLAN AHEAD!!

Women's Only Cycling in Alsace

A Guided Cycling Tour for Women Only!

Come discover Alsace and its famous flowered villages and half timbered architecture while pedaling among the vineyards of this picturesque region! Sept 21-27 are the dates for this unforgettable adventure!

We are breaking tradition somewhat and have teamed up with a local guide we have known for many years to organize a guided trip. Different because we usually only offer self guided tours, but this trip certainly fits our "quality:value" emphasis. Priced at 1475 euros and offer superior quality 3 star charm hotels, it would hard to find a better deal in the guided cycling tour universe!

Your guide - expat Brit who has lived in Alsace for more than 15 years now and who has been involved in cyclo-touring for as long. We have worked with Glenn for years as he provided local logistics support for our self guided travelers. Now, he's center stage with a group of his own!

This is perfect for women who want to travel with other women and discover a bit of France that is a little less traveled. See full details at :

http://www.discoverfrance.com/regions/alsace_biking_guided.html

Luggage Storage in Europe Rail Stations

This is a common question, and usually the answer is that there is almost nothing in many train stations. Well, a lot of stations have been installing x-ray machines for long term storage and upgrading their passenger services. Rail Europe finally has a useful tool on their site in this matter:

Here is a link to Rail Europe showing where the train stations are throughout Europe, with information about services at the stations. It’s a great link if you want to see if you can store your luggage.
https://agent.raileurope.com/us/train_stations/index.htm

Euro Ends Down

Though it made a few gains to the $US today, the Euro has lost some important ground in the last week. Anyone wanting to pay for European travel services may want to consider locking in now if you will travel in the next 60 days. For those going in the fall, it still may be ok to wait a little longer.

Spain Cycling Tour Incentive

Here it is, a nice fall savings offer for those who plan ahead! Save 50 euros per person and get a free bottle of wine upon arrival! Any of our Catalonia Spain tours booked for travel in September and October.

As mentioned previously in another post; these tours remain one of the best values we have even in high Euro times. This is a little perk that helps even more!

See www.pure-adventures.com/tours/cycling-spain.php

L

Bargain Hunting Cycling or Hiking Tours

I'm a bargain shopper, love a deal! So, in addition to all the tips I've posted in this blog, I'm going to pick over the tours we offer to help any bargain hunters who stumble across this posting.

The other day, someone said to me; "So, when are you going to Europe again this summer?" I said, "I'm not!" Bad, bad, bad....not because of prices though, just because we spent the whole summer last year and my young kids don't need to do that again. BUT, if I were going, and I was looking for self guided trip to save a few Euros this summer I might look pretty hard at the following:

Ireland: still pretty good prices here. We have a 7 night trip in the Connemara region for 839 euros per person! That's a good deal!
http://www.pure-adventures.com/tours/cycling-connemara-special.php

Spain: Catalonia and farmhouses. Also, still a really good value. From 737 euros for 4 nights or add 3 more nights and only 220 euros more for 957 euros per person for a week!

http://www.pure-adventures.com/tours/cycling-catalonia.php

"Bargain" doesn't only have to mean not expensive. You can get a bargain on a deluxe package too. Loire Valley - deluxe 4 star chateaux hotels: 1645 euros/person for a week! There are some other deluxe tours out there in the same that start at $5,000/person for a week. Bargains are in the eye of the beholder! Then again, there are those who don't care about bargains - as if the word cheapens an experience. For me personally, I like a little independence, but I'm willing to pay a little extra for quality and no hassles; but hate overpaying for anything! To me, its a good combination right in the middle!

L

New Bikes Coming In

Boxes are arriving daily in Lunel, at our shop and admin offices in the south of France. The new Scott P3 looks awesome! The guys are busy building up the bikes, adding on our gear including our personalized panniers, handlebar bags, bottle cages and bottles, computers, etc. Simple stuff, but when you have 175 bikes to build up, it adds up!

Note this 'female' frame only fits one bottle cage and bottle!

These new bikes are lighter, have superior components, and will require less maintenance over time. We are going to offer them on a bike rental only basis as well in the same spirit as our Merckx CHM bikes shown at www.cyclingclassics.com/rentalbikes.php This will be totally updated shortly with rental rates, and details.

Tour de France Route Change

I pass this along for TDF followers...

The risk of falling rocks on a climb of the race's 15th stage has prompted Tour de France organisers into a late change.

PARIS, April 10, 2008 - The risk of falling rocks on a climb of the race's 15th stage has prompted Tour de France organisers into a late change of the 2008 race route, a statement said Thursday. It means the 15th stage, initially set to start in Digne-Les-Bains and finish at Prato Nevoso, Italy, will now start in Embrun because of the "fairlyimportant risk of falling rocks on the climb up the Col de Larche". The Col de Larche, whose altitude is 1948 metres, has now been replaced onstage 15 with the Col d'Agnel, whose altitude is 2744. The route change has also forced the reduction in length of the stage from 216km to 185. Tour organisers made the decision after speaking to local authorities, and after speaking to the relevant departmental authorities have now modified the race route. The statement added: "The risk of falling rocks on about four kilometres of the course was known for several months and all the parties concerned were trying to find a solution. "Unfortunately, three months before the start of the Tour, the work considered could not guarantee the necessary security for the passage of the race, and based on the time necessary for the study of a new course, it was decided to change the itinerary." Embrun will also play host to the start of the race's fifth and final day of racing in the high mountains, the 17th stage to the legendary Alpe d'Huez.