b dub 

I’m so jealous of one of my friends who is attending the Tuscan L’Eroica in the fall.

He’s planning on renting a bike from the organization and I’m wondering how I can convince my friend to take one of his nice Italian bikes with him.

I have no clue about the cost comparison. I take it it must be a hassle since they offer this option.

fabiofarelli

I never was impressed by the quality of the bikes offered for rent. A lot of cheap s**t.

b dub 

ah so from this comment I take it that you brought your own. How did you do this?

merziac

If you take a nice bike, you most likely want a dedicated well made, permanent shipping container.

Still also needs to be properly, well packed and insured, no gaurantees and going to be spendy all the way around.

And like you, I would never go to this without my bike, half or more of the experience is having a bike that you select and prepare for it.

merziac

Paging @tmnguuyen

fabiofarelli

For me it's easy, I live in Europe.



But on a plane I hear good reviews of hard scale bicycle boxes. Here, in the Netherlands, they are for rent too.

Mr. Spadoni 

I can think of a number of reasons why your friend wants to rent. I have traveled internationally with a bike a number of times. It’s a a hassle. You have to plan your trip to the airport to ensure that your packed bike will fit in what ever transport you are using. You’ll need a car when you get there. Post event, the bike will follow you around, meaning that if you have any other travel planned, you’re still stuck with the car, making visiting big cities difficult.
I’m curious, why do you want your friend to take a one of their good bikes?

b dub 

It’s the battle between practical and emotional. If you make the effort to travel to Italy to experience riding among vintage looking dudes & girls on classic steel rides, seems to make sense to me to experience this on your own unique bicycle.

I can imagine that while attending you size up your ride with your fellow riders.

But perhaps I’m too much of a purist.

To be clear I’m not judging my friend for his choice to rent a bike. He obviously can do what ever he wants. But if you attend a once in a lifetime event you might as well go all in.

non-fixie 

I've met several BF members in Gaiole over the years, and they all brought their own bikes along, including the ones from the US and Canada. Paging davester , bibliobob , Stevensb , ...

Lattz

So far it's just first in a lifetime

bikemig 

I've flown bikes to and from Europe a few times in doing touring trips. It's a pain. I'm not saying I wouldn't do it again. I picked up a Bike Friday just to travel with on a plane but that is such the wrong bike for an event like this even if it is (a) steel and (b) orange,

Oldairhead 

Well, transporting a bike is not all that difficult but you do need a proper bike box. This is the case that I flew with to Eroica many years ago. There is an extra charge for oversized luggage but it was not unreasonable.



Another layer of foam goes on and then you put in the wheels. It's really not that hard and the bike travels safely!

nlerner

A local friend and his wife do a bike tour in Europe pretty much every summer (except for a couple of pandemic years), and I've heard many horror stories from him on shifting rules and complications on flying with bikes. Sometimes it comes down to the views of the airline gate agent, despite any official policies. I would find that very stressful (and I've flown domestically in the US with a bike many times).

b dub 

oh for me it will be never in a lifetime I'm afraid...

Kilroy1988 

If I were going all the way to Europe just to do a bicycle ride, I'd buy a nice bicycle in Europe and have it waiting for me. Then I'd box it up and ship it home or sell it cheap to someone else in attendance if I didn't end up getting attached to it during the event.

The price of even a cool old bike is only going to be a fraction of the expenses that an American traveler will have, and none of the rest of that can be recouped anyway. It's an experience!

-Gregory

tmnguuyen 

I went to a local bike shop (Specilalized dealer) and picked up a bike box for free. Other shops want $10 for a discarded box. The specialized boxes are very sturdy and meet the American Airlines dimensions for checked luggage, so no cost for me​​​​​. I did this twice and both times TSA opened the box. Needless to say they didn’t take care putting things back together carefully. On the L’Eroica trip, they bent my derailleur hanger and lost my rear skewer. Transport the bike on the ground requires cargo space in your vehicle or bike rack. We had a rack so it wasn’t a problem. My bike wasn’t fancy but was reliable and not common so it served it purpose. I had a good time and completed the medium route without walking or any mechanical breakdowns. The problem with rentals are reliability I don’t think they maintain those very well particularly in Italy they may claim it is part of the ‘experience ‘. Good luck.

tmnguuyen 

I didn’t buy a bike there but My plan was not to take the bike home. Thats why I used a cardboard box and not a transit case

Mr. Spadoni 

I’ve ridden L’Eroica in Giaole and I did it on my own bike. But the things that stand out were not about what bike I was on. It was seeing the sunrise over the towers, of Sienna, the riders I talked to along the way, the lifesaving bowl of ribbolitta I was served late in the day, and the two riders who stopped by the last turn off in the dark, gathered a bunch of us together and made sure that we all got on the right route to the finish, which I for one would have missed.

If you want your friend to have the best experience possible, don’t push him to do something he doesn’t want to do. Tell him to have a good time and listen to his stories when he gets home. He’s bound to have some good ones.

Atlas Shrugged

I travel with my bike a minimum of 4 times a year and it really is no big deal but I understand the desire to rent. But since my whole reason for the trip is to ride I want my bike. It takes me approximately 30 minutes to pack or unpack my bike and after at least 35 trips have yet to have a issue, when you include my wife or friends who have traveled with that would make at least 125 flights without a problem.

When going point to point I pack in a used cardboard bike box and return just using the bike bag the airline provides. My theory the handler’s see it’s a bike and treat it accordingly.

I also have a soft sided Biknd beige case use that for round trips.

Presently in Laos/Vietnam with wife using our Diverge gravel bikes never gave it a second thought to bring bikes.

Thalia949

I rented the first time I did the event - I got lucky and got a decent bike. Why I say luck is that you don't get a choice. When you rent, you give them your size and they have a bike waiting for you. It could be anything, and because of how they assign the bikes, it would be difficult to switch.

The other 4 that I have done, I brought my bike. I have a shipping case, packed it up and checked it as a checked bag. I usually spend a couple of weeks in Italy, so I have it to ride.

Granted, it is a PITA. You have to rent a car big enough for the case, baggage and travel companions, and lug the bike around. But it is worth it for me, as I try to ride everyday on the trip.

Good luck!

iab

I know a guy or two. If you are interested.

Kilroy1988 

Not this year or probably for the next five! I've got to make a very expensive trip to Italy in July for a graduate seminar... Will be a love/hate thing.

Thalia949

TSA always opens the case. I have taken over 150 flights in the last 10 years with my bikes and the case is always searched. I usually travel with a Ritchey break away and the damage through their repack has been bad at times - 2 wheelsets, rear mech , shifters - you name it.

I try to accompany the bike to my home airport large size scan and watch them examine it possible - they don't like that, but I have found it helpful in explaining how to repack it.

Thalia949

Rental Paddock photo

rentals

Kilroy1988 

I see chromed lugs. That's a guarantee for reliability and speed.