Atyrio

I suspect the answer to this question is in the forum somewhere, but I can't find it.

Let's assume that I flew to City X with my Priority 600 bike in a travel case and that I planned to do a loop tour, ending up back at City X after a couple of weeks. Where could I store my case for those couple of weeks? Some airports (like Glasgow) have long-term luggage storage options (always expensive). Some don't.

What have been people's experiences?

I've only done open-loop tours before with less expensive bikes, and got used to begging local bike shops for old boxes when the time came to fly home. I'd rather go all fancy next time. ;-)

~ Will

mev

What I have done most often with bike boxes - is book the same hotel for both first and last night. I then ask where I might be able to store luggage. I've often tried to ask before my trip but sometimes that isn't easy and I've thus also asked on my arrival.

Tourist in MSN

I was going to suggest what Mev just said, he beat me to it.

Option 2 - On one trip, the hostel I planned to stay at both at the start and finish told me ahead of time they could not, the luggage room was small. My internet search of bike shops in that community had one that sold panniers and touring gear. I sent an e-mail to that local bike shop, explained I was planning a bike tour, asked if they could suggest a hotel that could store my bike case because the hostel said no. The bike shop responded that they had a lot of room in the basement, would be happy to store it for free.

In the end the hostel allowed me to store it there, but I went to the bike shop to thank them for their offer, and I bought a new helmet and jersey from them.

indyfabz

When I’ve shipped my bike to starts of loop tours I’ve shipped to an REI and a LBS. They held my box for me.

When I flew to Spain for a 7 week loop tour the campground where I started and ended the tour held my box.

staehpj1

I seldom fly to and from the same city, but in the rare event that I have I did once use another option. Wamshowers hosts can sometimes be helpful with that sort of logistics and indeed one did hold my soft case for me.

Already mentioned, but...
It probably makes more sense to ship your bike to the hotel and have them hold the case if you will be staying at one at both ends. A bike shop would be my other likely choice.

I am usually inclined to do point to point tours so I typically have flown with my bike in a cardboard box and most often had a bike shop box it up and ship it home for me at the end of the tour. It is nice to not have to deal with that myself at the end of the tour in a strange city. Sometimes I used a soft case to get to the tour and mailed it home or ahead.

raybo

I have both an S&S coupled bike and a folding Bike Friday. They both have hard-sided travel cases. I've done both loop and A to B tours with both of these bikes. For loop tours, my first option is to find a warmshower's or couchsurfing host in the ending city. If it is an A to B tour, I ship the bike case to the ending city using DHL or some such. I am usually able to find someone to do this. If I can't, I find a hotel that will allow me to do it. This must be done before hand, as not all have the space or desire to do this for a guest.

The last time a hotel allowed me to do it was in Vienna. When I arrived there after 3 weeks of riding, the front desk staff were so relieved to be rid of my case!

I've never had to go to a third option, though, a bike shop seems like a good first idea.

Atyrio

So many great answers. Thanks, y'all! It's been probably 30 years since I did the couch surfing / warm shower thing, so I'll probably resort to hotel storage or shipping when the time comes. ~ Will