Originally Posted by
jpescatore
I'm a renter - never actually shipped a bike when flying somewhere. The cost of the actual shipping part usually isn't the issue - more the hassle of disassembly/reassembly and my feeling that airline shipping is much more likely to muck something up than a bike rental place.
It's definitely a factor. Before I shipped my bike I practiced disassembling the bike, packing it into the case, then removing it from the case and reassembling and test riding. Disassembly and reassembly can be done essentially using only simple hex wrenches. Having said that, if you're not comfortable with the process or don't want to take the time, renting is probably a better option.