I have a feeling I may be moving around over the next year, and this time I want to make sure I can take my bike safely back and forth between places.
So the question is, is a cardboard bike box sufficient for international travel, or should I be looking at a fancy soft/hard bike case?
I don’t have much experience with this so bear with me.
And no Blakey, I don’t have an S&S coupled frame! 
adding to this, does anyone have any experience with different airlines with regards to transporting bikes (cost/service)?
I dont have experience but in my opinion you’d be mad not to put it in something a bit stronger than a box.
Maybe a bit of bubble wrapping the frame, take the wheels off and have a little box for your loose bits and pieces…
when i took my skateboard through an airline it came out with a massive split in the tail… so i wouldn’t trust a bike either.
I took a bike from Melbourne to Adelaide in a cardboard ‘bike box’ bought from virgin. All up I think it was $80, the box was beaten up when I saw it back in Adelaide, but the bike was fine on account of the $30 extra dollars i spent on bubble wrap and tape cocooning the frame, wheels and components. I’ll take a photo of the box to show you how beaten up it got in less than an hour.
Based on that experience I’d never take a bike internationally in anything less than a hard case.
Always wanted to retrofit a bike with ss couplers but I’ve never had the money or justification. The latter not really an issue for me.
I’d love to get a hard case, but we’re talking close to $500.00 aren’t we?
I transported a steel frame from Colombia in a ‘home made’ frame cardboard box. It worked well, except it was pretty much falling apart by the time I arrived back to Melbourne.
i have a torpedo bag that i want to get rid off if your interested, let me know!
looks something like this
TORPEDO7 Padded Bike Bag - Torpedo7
i don’t use it and its in pretty good nick, comes with 2 wheel bags inside and lots of storage!
I guess it shows that for one trip, cardboard might just get you there. If you’re moving around however, you’re going to need something with alot more longevity.
From when I’ve done some research $500 will get you something basic or a good second hand case. Most I’ve seen, the ones that look indestructible anyway, are closer to $1000.
Although i just saw this bike case the bike box company wheel bag hardcase - eBay Bags, Racks Panniers, Cycling Accessories, Cycling, Sporting Goods. (end time 08-Aug-10 07:12:00 AEST)
Thanks for the thought.
The question is, does a ‘soft’ case cut it?
well i’m guessing if u bubble wrap the frame it will be fine!
but thats really time consuming.
its still up if you decide u want it. i’m not in a rush to get rid of it, but if someone needs it, i’m more then happy to palm it off
i was also looking for hardcases at one stage and they are so friggen expensive!! 
i know scicon make real good bike bags, just depends if u want to sell a lung for it!! hehehe
Hardcases weigh a lot (the Scion is 11.5kg!) and eat into your already small baggage allowance. Cardboard is fine, just use some pipe insulating foam on the tubes, brace the dropouts etc. You can buy a new airline box for AUD$15 each time if you like, they’re usually good for a flight or two.
If you want light but a little more durable, how about a DIY flat pack corflute box
The Ground Effect Tardis packs down to an A4 package, as used by Mckenny, Nikcee, Erle.
Mine had a fair bit of domestic north american travel done with it - Andy and Hiz have both gone international with theirs a few times. A little extra cardboard and some bubble wrap and you are sorted for almost anything. its also easier to bend the truth around its content than a bike box 
[thus saving you $$$]
True.
Do you have to worry about crushing because it’s not rigid?
I recommend a full hard case. I’ve traveled from Europe to the States to Oz with my prized bike … not a scratch. I had to pay a little excess baggage on occasion but didn’t mind. The monkey’s that’s hurl bags around don’t care for your stuff and there is no such thing as liability on behalf of the airlines for damages. Travel insurance might cover you but whats the point of having a bent frame when you’re travelling far away and can’t ride as planned.
I had one similar to below … BIKE TRAVEL CASE ELITE RACING FIXIE TRACK BIKE HARDCASE - eBay Other Accessories, Accessories, Cycling, Sport. (end time 27-Jul-10 22:23:51 AEST)
and there’s others …
keep an eye out and share it with friends (or rent it out as needed). They pay for themselves.
Big tip: try not to buy one that’s moulded to a bike or wheel shape. Some airline carriers charge extra for bikes/sporting goods. If the chicks at check in asked what’s in the case (thus angling to charge me more) I’d keep a straight face and tell them “it’s a sex doll”. Never got charged extra for “personal effects” and none of them asked to view the contents to verify.
I have had three hard cases when I use to travel to europe and around europe a lot and I would not use anything less but this was before they became full on about your Kg’s. I use to buy them based on how easy there were to pack the bikes as they vary heaps. Don’t worry too much about the price they tend to sell for about 2/3 of their rrp 2nd hand as they don’t get too worn out.
i have a softshell case. an overseas trip and maybe 10 interstate trips and i’ve never had a problem. i just put some of the more heavy duty bubble-wrap around the wheels and a small amount around the frame. i also put some castors on the bottom as it is a bit of a pain in the arse if you need to schlep it any more than 50 metres or so. you’re welcome to borrow it sometime.
i’ve never paid excess. but thanks to a bit of work travel i’m a silver frequent flyer which affords me an extra 15 kg or something. but i’m generally under the normal kg limit anyway.
i own and use this all the time
tifosi Bike Bag - Padded | Buy Online | ChainReactionCycles.com
but to be brutal honest its a piece of shit, it ripped the first time i used it and falls apart a little more every time i do
here’s my perspective if you going to be traveling with a heap of stuff and will be in each spot for a little while each time you move and have access to a car it makes total sence to get a hard case,
but as for me i dont drive and i travel light, so a soft shell bag is more hassel than a bike box i can get for free from my lbs, witha box just make sure you wrap and pad the frame, brace the drop outs and throw all your tools in the box so they dont get taken off you when you try to carry them one, get to your destination put your bike together throw on your back pack and ride off into the sunset, as i will be doing tomorrow when i arrive in melbourne town, hey actually if you want my bag be at the airport at 12 and you can have it for free, but if your gonna come all the way out can you bring 2 threaded co2 canisters so i dont have to pump up my tires with my mini?
actually any one who’s free tomorrow and wants to ride to the airport and back into melbourn town meet me at the air port just past 12 im flyin with virgin from perth and should be in at 11.50 pm me and i’ll send you my mobile yeah…
so yea long story short, +1 vote for the BOX
I’ve just had a couple of the ‘Tardis’ bags arrive for an overseas trip.
We went the bags over a cardboard box because we will be doing a number of transfers, so the design features won out over stuffing around with a cardboard box again and again.
We are touring so an 11kg hard case was out of the question.
One of the things with the soft case is that although the bikes are nice, they are replaceable and insured if they happen get crushed in transit.
Not really. The wheels do a good job of creating a rigid structure, the cardboard protects the frame from your spokes. I have a system for using the seat and bars to protect the frame.
Cardboard Bike boxes are often a fail.
A) its pretty hard to convince a check-in attendant its not a bike when it says ‘Specialized’ or ‘TREK’ bicycles in big letters on it. this can cost you real $$ in the US.
B) you want to tape them up pretty good before you drop them off, if they decide to want to check the contents (or make you deflate your tyres) you have to undo the tape and re-seal it. this sucks.
C) If your box gets rained on you can say good bye to any structural protection and run a good chance of losing contents thanks to soggy cardboard ripping. plus you can imagine how much baggage handlers love grabbing wet cardboard
I dont travel with a ‘prized’ bike, (you have to assume your bag will get lost and/or bounced around a bit) and often want to build my bike immediately so a hard case isnt warranted. if i was travelling with a very important bike i’d use a hardcase and arrange for pickups/dropoffs.
These guys are in Port Melbourne and sell corflute for a decent price.
I’m using this as a guide for my box setup.