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Di2 battery in or out during flight

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View Poll Results: Is Di2 battery ok to leave installed on US flight?
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53.85%
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Di2 battery in or out during flight

Old 03-13-23, 07:55 PM
  #1  
mattswabb
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Di2 battery in or out during flight

Domestic US flight. Does TSA require it to be removed? Seat post wedge is a pain, so I'd rather leave it in and just push the seat down and unplug the derailleurs or junction box.

Leave in
Or remove
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Old 03-13-23, 08:06 PM
  #2  
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I'm not sure you are allowed to take on a plane, its a lithium battery of some kind.
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Old 03-13-23, 08:18 PM
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laptops contain lithium batteries and they are allowed on a plane. you may need to carry the battery with you. call ariline to be sure;.
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Old 03-13-23, 08:18 PM
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You can remove it from the seat-post (or whatever) and put it a carry-on. You can't check batteries, backpacking stoves, fuel, fuel air exposives or gain-of-function virus mutants.
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Old 03-13-23, 08:28 PM
  #5  
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I think they are ok to leave them in the bike and I think you just have to declare it, but yes, check with the airlines.
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Old 03-13-23, 08:43 PM
  #6  
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less than 100wH, installed in a device, OK to check.

less than 100wH, NOT installed in a device, must carry on.

more than 100wH, must carry on, restrictions apply.




the latest di2 battery is a whopping 4 watt hours….. less than half of an iPhone.
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Old 03-13-23, 09:08 PM
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Originally Posted by spelger
laptops contain lithium batteries and they are allowed on a plane. you may need to carry the battery with you. call ariline to be sure;.
Good points. I know airlines are not happy with lithium in the cargo holds, there have been fires from overheating batteries,
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Old 03-13-23, 09:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Polaris OBark
You can remove it from the seat-post (or whatever) and put it a carry-on. You can't check batteries, backpacking stoves, fuel, fuel air exposives or gain-of-function virus mutants.
I think the basic stove is OK, just not any kind of fuel. Not really sure though.
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Old 03-13-23, 09:17 PM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by mattswabb
Domestic US flight. Does TSA require it to be removed? Seat post wedge is a pain, so I'd rather leave it in and just push the seat down and unplug the derailleurs or junction box.

Leave in
Or remove
Lithium batteries are allowed in checked baggage if they're installed in the device they're intended for. Extra batteries or loose batteries must be in carry on. There are other size, etc. stipulations, but that's what I've done with tools and my ETap bikes. It's easy enough to just go to your airline's website and find this info, or the TSA website.

Check their regs for CO2 cartridges also.

Last edited by Camilo; 03-13-23 at 09:39 PM.
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Old 03-13-23, 10:13 PM
  #10  
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A lot of different opinions here

Here are the TSA requirements, on the TSA webpage.

and as has already been stated the Shimano Di2 battery is 3.7 Wh, far below the TSA 100 Wh maximum limit for checked baggage.

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Old 03-13-23, 11:27 PM
  #11  
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I think the stumbling block is whether the bike is a device.

It is so easy to take out a seat post battery and carry it with you that I would advise doing that. OTOH, if you box up your bike, it is extremely unlikely they will open it and go looking for a battery.
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Old 03-14-23, 05:06 AM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by Steve B.
I think the basic stove is OK, just not any kind of fuel. Not really sure though.
I was told by a TSA agent that a stove with burn residue will be confiscated. My stoves are $$$, I ship them in my bike box.
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Old 03-14-23, 09:02 PM
  #13  
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Barry2 hit the nail on the head. Check with the Security Theater experts at the TSA. They can tell you which ridiculous thing they allow or don't allow in their plays. Last time I had to fly I made sure to double check everything I was carrying and all the various silly rules so I could pass through quickly, though my dumbass put my ticket somewhere else (a spot when I put it there thought would be easy access) and forgot where I put it but eventually found it. I think it is just good practice to double check their rules before you fly.
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Old 03-15-23, 08:24 AM
  #14  
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Will it be a bigger hassle if TSA pages you to come answer some questions about what the battery is to satisfy them that it's an allowed type and you miss your flight?
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Old 03-15-23, 08:57 AM
  #15  
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Originally Posted by Iride01
Will it be a bigger hassle if TSA pages you to come answer some questions about what the battery is to satisfy them that it's an allowed type and you miss your flight?
This.
I'd take the battery out just to avoid the chance of some idiot unpacking the bike to find it because it got picked up by the scanner and they weren't sure what it is.
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Old 03-15-23, 06:04 PM
  #16  
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My son checked his Di2 bike on an airline flight, no questions asked. I don't think the battery issue ever occurred to him. Also, I don't think it would occur to TSA that a bike might have a small battery inside.
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Old 03-15-23, 06:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Random11
My son checked his Di2 bike on an airline flight, no questions asked. I don't think the battery issue ever occurred to him. Also, I don't think it would occur to TSA that a bike might have a small battery inside.
... or a gun, but it doesn't make it legal.

The best course is to either simply take it out, or for those who can't turn an Allen wrench, to ask the airline or TSA. Establishing truth by social consensus has its limitations:


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Old 03-15-23, 06:34 PM
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The problem with TSA is they can be thugs (or thieves) with badges. You can be technically correct, but they can still make your life miserable, or do damage. The best self defense is to avoid the problem entirely.
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Old 03-15-23, 08:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Polaris OBark
The problem with TSA is they can be thugs (or thieves) with badges. You can be technically correct, but they can still make your life miserable, or do damage. The best self defense is to avoid the problem entirely.
The funniest thing ever was when I was at Sea-Tac International. Upon questioning/inspection of some luggage, the passenger told the TSA agent that he "Had a 2nd Amendment right to privacy." The TSA agent looked him right in the eye, paused, then clicked the push to talk button on his lapel mounted walkie-talkie microphone & responded: "We're gonna to need *a random* at Security Checkpoint (blah-de-blah.)"

Funniest thing I ever saw. To this day I can't imagine that guy ever made his flight...Or any other since for that matter!
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