travel with your mountain bike

How To Fly With Your Bike: The Ultimate Guide

Exploring new terrain on your bike is one of the true joys of cycling. But if you’re unprepared when flying to your destination, your trip can be ruined by expensive fees, damaged equipment, and logistical challenges. Luckily, flying with a bike can be fairly easy and affordable if you plan ahead. What do you need to know before embarking on your next cycling adventure?

Flying With a Bike: An Overview
Baggage/ Case Options
Packing Your bike
Typical Costs/ Airline Policies

Flying With a Mountain Bike

Flying with a bike: an overview .

There are three major variables to consider any time you fly with your bike. First, the safety of your equipment—you want to be confident your bike will arrive intact and undamaged at your destination. The second factor is the cost of getting your bike there, which can vary dramatically depending on the airline and on how you pack it. Finally, the third factor is simplicity— it can be difficult and time-consuming to rebuild a fully-deconstructed bike, especially if you’re in a hotel room or unfamiliar environment with limited tools.

Every method of traveling with a bike balances a mix of these three factors. No option is perfect, but understanding the pros, cons, and logistics of each in advance can help you determine which is best for you and your equipment.

Basic Advice

However you choose to get your bike to your destination, you’ll need some basic technical knowledge and tools to do so. All travel cases and bags require some amount of deconstruction— usually at least the removal of pedals, wheels, and handlebars. It’s notable that for some modern road bikes with fully integrated cockpits, this can be a very laborious and time-consuming job, and these bikes may require special cases that allow handlebars to remain attached.

Many airlines are becoming more bike-friendly, but fees can vary dramatically . In some cases, you may save money overall by choosing a more expensive airline with lower baggage fees. And note that no matter how welcoming an airline is to cyclists, baggage handlers may be very rough with your bike, and airlines are often not responsible for damage that occurs during transit. Consider purchasing luggage insurance for your trip, especially if traveling with an expensive carbon bike. Some homeowners’ and renters’ policies, as well as certain credit cards, may cover your baggage already, so check your specific policies for details.

Don’t save anything for the last minute . Practice packing your bike well in advance, and consider all aspects of your trip’s logistics and how they relate to your bike. Will your box or case fit in your transport upon arrival? Will you be able to comfortably rebuild and later repack your bike in your lodging? How will you get your bike to the airport when it’s time to head home?

Finally, it’s worth considering whether it’s actually necessary to bring your bike on the plane with you in the first place. Bike shipping services can send it in advance, and this option may be economical depending on your destination and itinerary. Alternatively, if having your own bike with you isn’t necessary, consider renting one from a local shop for the duration of your stay.

Note: A few bikes have frames specifically designed to come apart for easy packing. These bikes can be worthy investments for frequent flyers, but this post is primarily intended for athletes traveling with their existing standard bikes.

Flying With a Bike: Packing Options

Three main options exist for packing your bike for flight— cardboard bike boxes, soft-sided bike bags, and hardshell cases. It’s also worth mentioning that a few bikes are made with special frames designed to come apart for easy packing, and these bikes can be excellent options if you are a frequent traveler. But the packing discussion in this post

Cardboard Bike Boxes

A cardboard bike box is the simplest container for your bike during travel. Cardboard boxes do have a few things working in their favor— for one, they’re easy to get (often for free) from almost any bike shop. Most are large enough to fit your bike nearly intact, so they are fairly easy to pack.

But that’s about it when it comes to positives. Cardboard boxes are prone to damage, especially in wet conditions. Cardboard boxes are easily punctured, and their handles often tear out and rip off. Bikes packed in cardboard boxes need significant additional padding and must be very carefully packed to arrive safely. Additionally, cardboard bike boxes are large and ungainly. They might not fit into small vehicles bringing you to and from the airport, and they’ll definitely incur oversize baggage fees. To add insult to injury, most airlines won’t insure or cover any damage to bikes packed in cardboard boxes. Use at your own risk.

Cardboard Box Pros: Cheap, easy to pack. Cons: Large, fragile, difficult to transport, airlines won’t insure, always incur oversize fees.

Bike Bags/ Soft Cases

Soft-sided bike bags vary widely in their design and features. Most have straps and wheels that make them easy to move around, and they’re generally small enough to fit in a rental car without a problem. On the downside, many airlines require a liability release for bikes packed in soft-sided bags. Also, they aren’t cheap— costs typically range from about $400–$600 USD. Some companies allow you to rent one for your trip instead of purchasing the bag outright.

Larger bags allow you to leave your fork on your bike and may include an internal mount for your frame which can make them easy to pack. They usually include some amount of internal padding and protection, but you may want to add additional padding to your frame and components. These bags are usually lighter than hard-sided cases, but they are still quite large, and invariably incur oversize luggage fees.

Smaller bike bags are designed specifically to avoid airline oversize fees and are about the size of a large suitcase. These bags are somewhat challenging to pack and require significant bike deconstruction— fork, handlebars, pedals, both wheels, and rear derailleur usually need to be removed. But if packed with some extra padding on crucial components, they’re quite sturdy and safe, and are by far the easiest option for transport to and from the airport. This blog post’s author has used one of these bags for several years, with no damage or additional fees.

Soft Case Pros: Easy to transport, can avoid airline fees. Cons: Difficult to pack, expensive, often require extra padding.

Hard-Sided Cases

Most protective of your bike but also the most expensive option, hard cases range in size and design. Some are quite compact and challenging to pack. Others are extremely large and heavy, but allow you to travel with your bike almost fully assembled. All offer the promise of robust protection against impact, though some travelers believe baggage handlers are more likely to be rough with hard cases than soft-sided bags. On the plus side, if you use a hard-sided case, airlines are usually willing to insure your bike and compensate you if damage occurs during a flight.

Hard cases are generally less convenient to transport and get around than soft bags, but some have multiple handles and wheels to make things easier. Unfortunately, most hard cases are big enough to incur an oversize luggage fee. It’s also quite obvious what’s in one of these cases, so if your airline charges a bike-specific fee there’s no avoiding it when using one.

Hard Case Pros: Highly protective. Moderate packing difficulty. Cons: Heavy, awkward, expensive, usually incur extra fees.

Packing Your Bike

When it comes time to pack your bike for travel, there are two main tasks— protecting your equipment and preparing it for potential opening and inspection. The more systematic and organized your packing job, the more likely it will be safely repacked after inspection by transportation safety agents.

Packing Your Bike Step-By-Step

Remove any components needed to fit the bike in your chosen container. This almost always means removing the handlebars, pedals, and front wheel. Depending on your luggage it may also require removing your rear wheel, fork, and seat post. Put shipping spacers or thru axles into your dropouts, and put spacers into your disc brake calipers.
Wrap your bike and components in padding. Some cases include this, but many riders use bubble wrap, pipe insulation, or pool noodles sliced in half and cut to size. Securely tape or zip-tie the padding in place.
Attach handlebars/ fork/ seat post to your frame and zip-tie in place. Where you put them depends on your case and your bike, but by attaching everything together it will be easier for TSA agents to put your bike back into your case after inspection, and less likely anything will get lost.
Remove rear derailleur and any other protruding component (computer mount, derailleur hanger, eTap batteries, etc) that could potentially be impacted if your bag or case is mistreated. Wrap these parts in padding/ attach to your frame. Wrap your chain in padding and attach it to your chainstay. Remove disc rotors from your wheels and wrap in bubble wrap or clothing.
Photograph your gear before you put it into your bag. It will come in handy if you need to file a claim with the airline, and will help you repack your bag on the way home.
Write your name and contact information on a sheet of paper and tape it to your bike. Insert the bike into your bag or case. Insert wheels into the case, slightly deflating tires if needed to fit.
Fill extra space in your bag or case with kit and shoes. Wrap your pump in padding and insert it. Wrap other components you removed in padding (such as pedals, rotors, and saddlebag) and place them together in a small bag, which can also go into the extra space or pockets in your travel bag/ case. Put every tool you used to deconstruct the bike into a small bag, wrap in padding, and place them in the luggage, too.
Close the bag/case and carefully feel around the outside. If any part of your bike (such as your chainring) can be felt protruding, reopen and reposition/ attach extra padding to this area.
Verify all old barcodes/ destination stickers are removed from the exterior of your luggage. Mark the exterior prominently with your name and contact information.

Other Important Packing Tips

Bikes are often damaged by contact with objects inside the case. Add padding anywhere two parts touch each other in the luggage. Wrap every loose component in padding and secure inside.
Bent disc rotors are the most common damage during travel. Even if your case doesn’t require it, remove your rotors, wrap them in padding, and secure them somewhere safe.
Zip-tie everything together inside the case, so if a security agent removes your bike during an inspection they won’t lose anything or have trouble putting it back in. Make it foolproof!
Don’t forget your tools. Many bike tools are prohibited from carry-on luggage, so wrap all the tools you’ll need together and secure them in your case. Don’t forget an air pump, and always bring a torque wrench!
Your tires won’t explode on an airplane. Some airlines require you to deflate your tires, but always leave enough air in tubeless setups to keep the tires seated.
Most airlines prohibit CO2 containers in carry-on and checked luggage. Remove them from your flat kit and grab new ones at your destination’s local bike shop.
Electronic groupsets bring some additional considerations. Remove batteries from SRAM derailleurs, so they don’t get lost if your case is opened. Shift levers can be inadvertently pushed inside of bags and cases, so remove the coin cell battery from SRAM shifters and unplug shifter cables under Shimano hoods.
If your power meter has a removable battery, remove it during packing to prevent battery drain.
Remember to bring chargers for any electronic components, including head units, lights, and derailleurs.

The Typical Cost of Flying With Your Bike

So you’ve got your bike packed and ready to fly. How much will it cost?

The answer depends on the airline and your specific equipment. Some airlines charge no special fees, while some charge an all-inclusive fee for bikes, and some layer multiple fees for bike, luggage weight, and luggage size. Check your airline’s policies, but you can usually use this formula to find your expenses:

Cost to Bring Bike = Bike Fee + Standard Checked Bag Fee + Oversize Fee (if Applicable) + Overweight Fee (if applicable)

For most airlines, oversize fees kick in if the combined length, width, and depth measurement of your luggage add up to more than 62”. While many popular bags and cases do exceed this limit, these fees are inconsistently enforced by gate agents. Overweight penalties usually start at 50 lbs, and for even larger and heavier bags most airlines have more severe fees.

All told, costs can vary dramatically. If you have a lightweight road bike in a small, soft bag and you’re flying on an airline with no bike fee, you’ll only be charged for a standard piece of checked luggage. On the other hand, with a large mountain bike, in a hard case, on an airline with a bike fee, you may need to pay $300 or more each direction in bike, weight, and oversize charges. Discount carriers usually charge more in additional fees, so do your homework and research potential costs before you buy your ticket. In the end, it’s often worth paying a little more upfront for a premium carrier without bike penalties.

Best Airlines for Flying With a Bike

Here is a comparison of major airlines’ policies on bikes, to help you find the best option for your next trip. Note: If an airline layers multiple fees, all are listed. Some fees marked N/A may still be incurred if your case is very large/ heavy. Policies are accurate as of 10/5/21. Prices USD unless noted.

Adaptive Training

Get the right workout, every time with training that adapts to you.

In most ways, bringing a mountain bike on an airline is the same as bringing a road or gravel bike. However, mountain bikes are generally bulkier, with thicker tubes and wider axles. This means mountain bikes may not fit in all travel cases, and you may need a case or bag specifically designed for large bikes. Pay close attention to weight, as adding extra kit and equipment to a bag containing a mountain bike may incur an expensive overweight penalty.

When preparing your mountain bike for travel, it’s often easier to remove the handlebars from the stem, than it is to remove the stem from the steerer tube. If possible, flip your fork backward to shorten your wheelbase and make your bike more compact for packing. As with road bikes, always remove your brake rotors, and only deflate your tires enough to fit your luggage. Don’t allow your tires to come off the bead, and bring a small container of sealant in your checked bag just in case you need it upon arrival.

If your bike still won’t fit, let some air out of your suspension to reduce height (but make sure you bring your shock pump with you). Resist the temptation to fly with your dropper post down— a long flight with the cartridge under pressure can stress the hydraulics, so remove the post from your frame instead. And on that note, service any hydraulic components in need of maintenance before you travel. Extended periods in your bag in an unusual position can push worn seals beyond their limits, and you don’t want to arrive at your destination to find a crucial part no longer works.

Finally, bring a large rag or towel along with you for your trip. You might not have the ability to wash your bike at your destination before repacking it for your return, but at least you’ll be prepared to give your equipment a good wipe-down.

Sean Hurley is a bike racer, baker of sourdough bread, and former art professor. He is a connoisseur of cycling socks and a certified USAC level 3 coach. Rumor has it he also runs a famous cycling instagram account, but don't tell anyone about that.

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A mountain bike ready to load into a cardboard bike box for transportation.

How to travel with your bike like a pro

1. how do i book my bike on a train or plane, 2. double check the weight limit, 3. what do i pack my bike in.

Bike bags are smart and easy to use

Bike boxes save weight and money

4. How do I pack my bike in a bag?

Pedals: Take them off and put them in a bag or a case.
Wheels: Remove both wheels and slot them into their allocated slots. Put a piece of cardboard or brake blocks between the brake pads front and rear in case your brake levers accidentally get pushed in during transit. If you feel like being extra careful, remove your brake discs from the wheels as well.
Derailleur : Take it off and zip-tie it to the rear triangle of the frame to protect it.
Handlebars : Remove and turn them to one side. You can do this either by taking off the whole stem and handlebar combination or simply unscrewing the stem's front plate, which holds the handlebars in place.
Bike in the bag : Put the bike into the bag and strap it in securely using the straps so that the bike stays in place. There's normally a protector for the frame that also holds the handlebars in place as well.
Extra help: Get more bike travel tips here .

5. How do I pack my bike in a box?

Remove components: Take off your pedals, derailleur and handlebars, as described above.
Protection : Your bike is less protected in a box so you need to protect the frame and parts yourself. Use bubble wrap or a similar protective material on your forks, handlebars, frame and derailleur.
Fasten loose parts : Zip-tie your handlebars to one side of the fork and your derailleur to the rear triangle, making sure where you're placing them is protected to prevent rubbing.
Wheels : If your box is big enough, keep the back wheel on your bike and only remove your front wheel. It's better for stability and protection. Place the front wheel to one side of the frame, with the brake disc towards the frame. Place protective cardboard and bubble wrap between the wheel and the frame, and make sure it stays on tight. Zip-tie the wheel to the frame. (Tip: If your box is too small for the bike's height, try letting the air out of the shock to lower it.)
Tape your bike box: A bike box is less hardy than a bag so you'll have to strengthen its weak spots. Tape the entire bottom, as well as the corners. Also reinforce the area around the handles with extra tape, as they easily rip, as well as on the inside of the box where the front wheel will be placed.
Put the bike in: By now your bike should be a one-piece package and your bike box strongso all you have to do is lift the bike into the box and tape it shut.
Personal details: Write your name and email address on the box, just in case.

6. What should I think about when packing the bike?

Multitool with Allen and Torx keys
Pedal spanner
Zip-ties and cable cutters
Chain lube and bike grease
Spare mech hanger
Tyre pump and a shock pump

Pack smart and make sure it's properly fastened

7. What to think about when going to the airport or station.

8. what to think about at the airport, how to pack your mountain bike for travel, take your bike on a 1-week road trip to california, want more of this.

How to travel with your bike

Packing your mountain bike for flights can seem a daunting prospect, but we’ve put together our top tips on how to travel with your bike to make it as stress-free as possible.

We researched and now want to share our thoughts on how to travel with your bike around the world

By Euan Wilson, H+I Adventures owner

Our passion for mountain biking and adventure travel has taken us – and our bikes – to all four corners of the globe . Whilst traveling with our bikes has got easier over the years, transporting our precious mountain bikes safely on planes, trains, and automobiles is always a worry. So we thought we would share with you some valuable hints and tips on how to travel with your bike.

Flying with your mountain bike is probably the most stressful of all public transport options because you have to hand your beloved bike over to airport staff before you board and just pray that it gets to the other end at the same time as you, and in one piece. There are various different bike packing options, which we’ll come on to later, but first, here are a few key tips on how to pack your mountain bike for flying and reduce the chances of your bike being damaged in transit.

Remove your front wheel (and insert your axel to prevent your forks being damaged)
Remove your pedals
Remove your rear derailleur
Remove your stem, not your handlebars. It is easier to replace your stem with handlebars attached, then align your handlebar position/ angle on arrival
For hydraulic brakes, be sure to put something in between your brake pads to prevent them being forced together
Make sure most of the air has been expelled from your tyres (this is a requirement of the airlines)
Make sure your mountain bike is marked clearly with your name, and your home and destination addresses

Above: Preparing the bike for travelling needn’t be a chore if done right!

How to pack your mountain bike in a bag for travel

Over the years we’ve been exploring the world – from Europe , to South America , to Africa , and beyond – with our mountain bikes and we’ve tried almost every bike packing option available: from the cheap and cheerful cardboard bike box from the local bike shop, to more expensive, hard-shell boxes. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, for example, the cardboard option is inexpensive and easy to access, but also requires a lot of extra protective packaging to secure your bike and is very time-consuming to pack/ unpack. The hard shell, on the other hand, offers a good deal of protection for your mountain bike, but is extremely cumbersome to transport around train stations and airports.

Having tried and tested most products on the market, we were blown away when we discovered the Evoc Bike Travel Bag , which we’ve actually enjoyed travelling with for many years now. The cunning German design means that you’ll have your bike safely packed away in under ten minutes , but more importantly, it will be built up and ready to ride within ten minutes of you arriving in our destinations around the world ! While all your riding buddies are struggling with rear mechs and bubble wrap, you’ll be relaxing with a drink!

A couple of final points: check how much the airlines will charge to transport your bike before you book your flights; and make sure you check the fine print of your luggage insurance to see if it covers you for sports equipment. It’s likely that your bike won’t be insured and you may need to take special insurance to cover you for loss or theft of your bike in transit.

If you have any inspired tips on how to pack a mountain bike for flying leave a comment and share them with other mountain bike adventurers.

Found this useful? Why not read up on these posts too! “ Why a 20 litre backpack? ” and “ What to pack for your mountain bike adventure “.

Enjoyed this?

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52 thoughts on “ Tips on how to travel with your bike ”

What do you do with the bag while you’re biking around?

We have support vehicles on our tours that transport your luggage and bike bags from one location to the next. Or if it’s a centre-based tour, like our Cairngorms Adventure in Scotland, you can leave the bike bag at the accommodation.

thanks for your post

nice post, thanks for sharing

great infomation. thanks so much

Thanks for nice blog! I want to add an advice to your readers. When you are going to travel to another city by bike, try to plan all your trip in advance. You should book your hotel and create travel map. I am using well-way.com for this, it’s simple and useful tool. It helps you to optimize your routes and you will not miss any interesting thing.

Travelling with bike what every rider loves to do… but I got a few points here that would gift you a safe ride.

as Niki mentioned, the bag in which the bike traveled is often a problem when arriving at your destination. I find that a good old cardboard box that you can discard works well… you just have to find another one when it’s time to go back home.

I just received a mountain bike for my birthday, but I want some more gear when I ride it. Your tip to remove the front wheel and pedals off the bike when moving it is great. I think I’ll try to find a rental place where I can rent gear for my mountain bike. Thanks!

Here in this article I found some greatest post about the biking. This is really helpful article to me hopefully as well as the other viewer of the site. I am waiting for next article.

Some great tips there. It’s amazing how much airlines do try and charge sometimes, so always worth checking it out before booking. I wouldn’t mind but they don’t even take good care of the bikes either, so always remove as much as you can off them before handing them over!

Hi James! Thanks for your comment. We’ve found that airlines are getting better and better at handling bikes and, touch wood, we’ve had no problems travelling with ours over the years. The EVOC bike travel bag does a great job of protecting the bike from damage, which makes travelling with your bike a much less stressful experience.

Why do you want to expel most of the air from the inner tubes? I want to make sure I am doing all I can to keep my bike in its best condition. Since I travel with it a lot, it can be hard to take care of it unless I know what I am doing! So, it would be nice to know why the air needs to be released!

Hi, thanks for your comment! It’s actually the airlines that demand that you expel all the air from your tyres. You shouldn’t expel all the air from your tyres, especially if you’re running tubeless tyres, just take some of the air out to allow for smoother travelling.

Airlines are worried about tires bursting at the thinner air at altitude but since holds are pressurized the same as cabins, which based on my altimeter watch is around 5000′, it’s not much of a problem. If there was complete loss in cabin pressure at 30,000′ that would be like adding another 10psi to the pressure in the tire.

Thanks for your comment, Alistair. You’re absolutely right, on both counts. However, I have been spot-checked at Vancouver airport and they made us deflate our tyres there and then. It’s worth taking a little air out so that you can say that they’ve been ‘deflated’, especially if you have tubeless tyres.

Great tips. Just enjoyed reading this blog post. These tips are indeed very valuable indeed. I’m looking forward to follow up these biking tips.

great article !!!

I love this blog! It’s fantastic! Thanks for this – some useful tips.

Great tips! Traveling with your bike can be a hassle, but these suggestions definitely will make it easier.

I came here looking for tips because I’ll be traveling with my bike for the first time. I agree with the others, great stuff – I’ll certainly give the Evoc a go.

I like you articles. I enjoy traveling with my bike. It’s one of the few things I do in my free time!

If you have to take different airlines on your trip, make sure you check each airlines policy on bikes. It’s also much easier if you book all the way through on partner airlines so it’s checked all the way to your destination. Delta charges $150 USD each way but their partner Korean Air has no bike fees, so you can use your Skymiles for Korean Air and virtually pay nothing. I flew to Nepal with my bike round trip for $140 (airline fees). If you ever wonder why golfers don’t pay the same outrageous fees for their bags, it’s because the golf associations banded together and lobbied airline associations like IATA to waive the fees so the airlines would get more golf travelers.

Hi John, Thanks for the advice, that’s really helpful. It is important to check all airline bike handling policies so that you don’t get a nasty shock on check-in. Booking with the same airline (and its partners) is often a good way to avoid confusion with charges. Thanks again!

First, yes, double check all airlines – one option for me last August was FlyBe from Dublin to Inverness but they don’t accept reservations for bikes so if there’s no room on the spot you could be SOL, which led me to “just” enjoy my extra 5 days in Inverness! Secondly, and ironically, Delta did Not charge me for the return from Inverness – I transferred in Amsterdam and again in the US and I kept expecting someone to ask to charge me. Also, I flew with a hard case and was extremely pleased with the ease of hauling it (I’m only 5′ and had a backpack and day pack)and that TSA opened the box and pretty much left the straps and foam intact both directions. A great experience overall for my first international bike trip!

Hope you’re well! Thanks so much for your input on your bike travel experiences, that’s really helpful. We hope to have you travelling with your bike again soon! Best wishes, Catherine

yes, me too… slovenia or croatia?!??

Both fab trips, Helen, but maybe Croatia… we can chat about and see which one would be best for you 😉

I like to deflate the front suspension which helps in better fitting the bike into evoc bags. Also brought some old rags to wrap the chainring and rear mech(and anywhere that may rub the frame).

I’ll try the removing stem method next time. Thanks. Have you guys had any experience of rotors bent during transport if you do not remove them?

Thanks very much for your input on the matter, that’s great! In all our years of travelling we’ve only had one bent rotor and we never remove them. I know some people prefer to remove them, and that’s fine, however in our experience it’s not necessary. Happy trails!

Thanks for share your thoughts, love it.

Thanks for sharing important tips to travel with bike. Really nice post!!!!

My husband loves to travel, but he also loves to ride his bike. I thought I would surprise him with a way to do both this year. It is good to know that traveling with a bike is possible. Thanks for informing me that the first step is to remove the front wheel and insert the axel to prevent forks from being damaged. I am also glad to know that pedals are the next thing to be removed. My husband will be happy to have his bike while on vacation, thanks.

Normally i don’t comment on blogs that i read over the internet but i think it worth’s leaving comment on this one. This fantastic post is very well written and is so easy to understand. I’m a mountain biker too. Not a travel rider like you guys but just a local rider in my own country Nepal . Thanks.

Excellent post to select a right size travel backpack. I agree with you that it is very stressful to choose the correct carry on size bag. when I buy my first travel bag it was a great experience, I saw many backpacks in the market, I didn’t hesitate to decide which one will be perfect for me.

Really this is very helpful tips, we should know how travel with our bikes and how to carry in the different ways like airline or by road. Travel backpack is very important bicycling equipment for keep easily our bicycle. Thank you very much for sharing this post.

Wow, It’s one of the best articles about how to travel on my bike. Just a lot of helpful information and so helpful. This year I am again joining mountain bike tours, so your article helps me a lot. Many many thanks.

Thank you for sharing and I love to travel by bike, I’m looking forward to following up on these biking tips.

This is a great beneficial content for bike lovers and riders because it surely help them to take proper preparation before going aboard for taking part of a competition or just riding for self inspiration.

As good as this article is, I’d like to know more on different ways to actually transport your bike. All I got out of it was A) how to disassemble it, and B) how to now purchase a bag to put it in. In my opinion, I may simply consider leaving my DeVinci at home and spending the money I would have spent on a bag towards a rental at my destination. And as for special carriers and insurance? I’ll put that towards a new Sram Eagle or something like that.

What I’m getting at is that this: either buy a bag, find a good airline company, and pay for insurance, thus spending between $400 to $700. But is there a way out there to not spend a third of my bike’s worth on getting it somewhere or is my only option to rent one?

Hi Brahm, You have highlighted the eternal dilemma, that this blog wasn’t written to deal with. Do you, or don’t you take your own bike with you on vacation. Yes if you purchase a bag to protect your trusty steed, it will initially cost you $400-700, but subsequent trips don’t and you have your own bike to ride when you arrive in country. You could rent a bike bag from your local bike shop, use a cardboard box, use a soft case carry bag and a number of other options. All of which we have tried and none are as effective as the bike case we talk about. But as you say, there is always an option to rent when you get there and with us, the option to rent is always as high quality as we can possibly offer in each region. Hope this helps a little.

Great Information! Thanks for sharing this..

This is really fantastic information. Every mountain biker and traveler need this kind of tips. I really can follow these tips for my own travel. Thanks for share.

You have shared very important topics for all of the cyclist. When you want to go on a trip in different places you should pack some essential mountain bike gear or your necessary clothes before your tour on a mountain bike.

Suberp blog, with such nice information and pictures.I was looking to take a trip with my mountain bike this will really help me. Thank you for sharing such information appreciate your efforts and work.

This was really helpful, thanks for sharing.

That’s an amazing way to traveling with your bike and its cool. Wow great article thanks it was great reading.

I love to travel together with my bike actually! It’s really cool and amazing to enjoy biking while traveling.

This information is very awesome. Thanks for blogging your ideas on how to pack my mountain bike for travel. It’s very cool!

So happy to read this article. I can now travel with my bike, we can now ride the plane together! Thank you so much for your ideas.

It’s great to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed material. Fantastic read. This is what I am looking for. I will share with my riding team about this. Thanks for your suggestion and explanation

Comments are closed.

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How to Travel Internationally With Your Mountain Bike

By Christine Dern

So your brave adventurous soul has decided to venture outside the USA to mountain bike. Exciting!! Whether this is your first time or you are a seasoned traveler, here are some simple things to consider to make your traveling experience flow as smoothly as your mountain bike will flow over that international dirt.

I have found the secret to easy traveling is a little pre-planning. This seems like a lot of work initially but I assure you it isn’t as bad as it seems and doing it all prior to departing is much easier than once you arrive at your destination… or are stuck at the airport rearranging. Prior proper planning can make a huge difference in how the trip unfolds so check them off as you go and let my anxiety induced last minute packing moments reduce yours.

First things first… your passport! Think of it like your passport to adventure and far off lands… either find yours, get one, make sure it is still valid and never let it expire again.

Some countries require a visa for visiting or for extended stays and working. This can easily be found via a quick google search or by visiting your destination country’s immigration site. Most of these are either not required or can be done online with a quick form and fee.

If you are traveling to multiple countries during your trip, or exiting the airport, look up all of your destinations. Otherwise you could be standing at the check in counter with your friend, attempting to check your bags while the ticket agent says, “your passport doesn’t seem to be working…”

This can end up being a pretty big deal if traveling to a country where you don’t speak the language. If this is the case I would recommend looking into guides, drivers, or pre-planned trips. Many places have great options for guided excursions, fully planned trips which in some cases is almost mandatory for getting around, covers your transportation, accommodations and keeps you and your friends and bikes safer along the way. While traveling in Peru and Mexico we had a driver who was able to ensure our bags and bikes were safe along the way while we enjoyed the trails without extra concerns and played tourist.

**Pro tip – When attempting to order coffee when you don’t speak the language, americano seems to be universally understood and gets ya something close enough to what you are looking for.

Cash vs. credit cards. Consider prepaid travel cards, especially if you are concerned with theft. For cash, look up the conversion rate and decide if you want to bring cash and convert it upon arrival or withdraw from an ATM. Converting money is easily done in the airport upon arrival with a reasonable conversion rate. I also found running around to find a bank can be one more hassle. The airport is very convenient for getting everything you need when you arrive.

**Side note: if there is a language barrier, the bank teller doesn’t necessarily know English and won’t know what you are asking for.

WiFi/Internet/Phone

Does the thought of being detached from social media send you into a full blown panic attack? Well even if it doesn’t, not having a phone and simple means of communication can make things complicated upon arrival. When I first arrived in Mexico, I hadn’t really done too much planning. I had a hotel booked for a few days until my friends arrived and jumped on the plane and left, dreaming of warm sunny beaches. Upon arrival I realized I hadn’t planned how to get money out with my ATM card and how to contact the US and a ride to my hotel. I had assumed I could just use a credit card, which wasn’t the case. But I have found luck is on my side everywhere I go, so prior to leaving the airport I was able to find an ATM that would accept my card and set up an international plan for North America on my phone. Then to top it off I was able to get a free taxi, a bottle of tequila, some cash for my return taxi and a lot of perspective on time shares.

Some amazing apps to help while roaming around the world. Google Hangouts allows for free phone calls anywhere in the world. WhatsApp is a great option to replace texting and calling with friends both old and new and imo is a better option for sending photos and having group chats.

Outside of an international North America phone plan, I found picking up a SIM card in the airport is a fantastic way to get a prepaid plan for your stay and get a local number and have more access to internet. Save your SIM for when you get back to the States.

Travel/Trip Insurance

What do you do if something goes wrong?

Mountain biking has the potential to be a dangerous sport. We all know this and assume this risk whenever we get on our bikes. Being on foreign ground brings up even more unknown issues. Consider getting travel and trip insurance to cover you medically in the unlikely event of a crash and injuries. The level of coverage is up to you and depending on how much you have invested in booking for your trip, many fees are non refundable so trip insurance can cover you if you are not able to make your trip at all or if your bags and/or bike get lost. It happens. Usually bikes turn up but I have been on trips where people didn’t see their bags and bikes until about 4 days in.

Solo vs Guided Trips

Depending on your location and length of time of your trip there is the option to wing it and go solo vs hire a guide or jump on a pre planned trip. After doing both, I think they both have their pros and cons and I lean towards a mix of the two. I like running mostly solo and planning my own transport and accommodations and schedule, however hiring a guide and arranging for shuttles can maximize the limited time you may have and the experience of following a local down a series of trails with less stopping and more flowing is worth the price of the guide.

I think this is one of the number one things to make traveling with a bike easier. I would suggest looking into investing in a nice protective bag if you plan to travel frequently. There are many great options though depending on what you are doing so I will give a rundown of a few of them.

Cardboard bike boxes can be great and easily found at most bike shops for free or for very little. They don’t require storage and can be made a little tougher by using gorilla tape around the bottom edges and handles. Your bike can also be zip tied to an inside cardboard so it slides in and out easily and doesn’t slide around in the box. Then the wheels slide in and you are good to go. This tends to also be a lighter option so you can probably pack some gear and clothing in with your bike too. Getting around the airport or other areas without a cart with wheels can be tough though.

Golf, hockey, or cricket bags can be a great light option as well and may be the least expensive for traveling since most airlines don’t charge a bike fee when using one of these bags. I would recommend planning out your padding though because the bags are not always as padded. I also found I had to disassemble my bike a lot more to get it to fit. If you are concerned about your bike or have carbon I don’t recommend this option as much. I used a cricket bag for my dirt jumper and loved it however would not be as inclined to put my carbon trail bike in the same bag.

Bike specific bags are everywhere now so lucky for us we have a lot of options. I have used the hard shell versions which can be very protective but awkward to get around and a little tough to store. The key things I look for are lots of handles for lifting and loading, well padded wheel areas, and being able to wheel it upright behind or to the side of me. My favorite bag to date is EVOC’s Pro Travel Bike Bag. I took advantage of their add-on aluminum stand so I can attach my bike to it via the thru axles and the bike stays upright and is easy to assemble once I arrive and easy to pack up for departure. I can fit gear in and around the bike as well to free up some space in my other bags. The downside with adding this aluminum stand is it does add some extra weight. The main difference in the pro option is the aluminum handle which allows for an extra wheel to attach so instead of the need to lift the bike bag, I can roll it next to me.

But look around and find what works for you. Bike bags have come a long way.

Bike Baggage Fees

Airline bicycle fees can vary greatly. I have been charged nothing, just an extra bag and I have also been charged upwards of $150 per flight. That is definitely the highest where normally it floats around $75 each direction. Consider charges arising for any domestic flights taken as well. Bike boxes and bags will generally be charged a flat rate. Golf or hockey bags are usually charged as oversized unless you tell them a bike is inside.

Bring what you need to pack and build your bike and do any minor repairs on the trail. I have brought enough tools to rebuild my entire bike and do any repairs or bleeds necessary, along with extra parts in the event something breaks. This can really end up weighing a lot and airlines have max weights they allow. Also consider that you may swap from a higher amount on the international flight to a smaller allowed amount on domestic flights.

Consider the accessibility to local shops in the area you are traveling. Some locations are remote but most biking destinations have a lot available for mechanics and spare parts.

Customs – Entering and Exiting

The number one thing I have found to make traveling easy is to be clean and organized. Keep your bike clean. Super clean. They will check it. They will search it, mostly for bugs, spiders or dirt that could contaminate or become invasive in the area. Departing the US they also search it for bombs or other various items. Bike bags have the potential to get opened numerous times and if you want to pack clothes and other gear with your bike, the cleaner it looks the happier the airline agents will be. Make their job easier. You are entering their country as a guest, they don’t have to let you in but you also don’t want to repack all your gear or clean your bike at the airport. Just remember – prior proper planning prevents problems later.

Once off the plane you will travel through customs once with just yourself and carry ons. This can sometimes take a while but is becoming automated in many countries so things are flowing a little faster. Then on to baggage and baggage security. Look for SIM cards and money conversion at this point but there are also options once you are through security. Baggage security is fairly easy but this is where having a clean bike and being organized comes in handy.

Travel by Car

Driving by car is actually pretty easy so I am just going to provide a brief rundown but since most mountain bikers seem to have bike racks and have gone on a variety of weekend bike trips, the general idea is the same. So here’s how it goes….

Decide how many bikes you can fit in your car.
Consider bringing all of them and some good locks.
FIND YOUR PASSPORT
Pack up your clothes and gear.
Pack up camping gear and food or plan to stay at a hotel/Airb&b/friend’s home/etc.
Load up the bikes.
DO YOU HAVE YOUR PASSPORT?
Start driving
Arrive at customs – make sure everything looks nice, you look nice, take off sunglasses, make eye contact, be respectful, answer their questions but keep your answers simple, know how much alcohol and food you can bring over. Fruit with seeds is generally not welcome but prepared food is usually fine.
Have so much fun you never want to leave
Leave anyway because “work”, “reality”, “family”, “obligations”, or whatever else in your life is calling you back.
Get home, talk about it nonstop and plan to go again.

And so the cycle goes. It’s actually very easy to lead a life of international travel. Hopefully you now feel more confident to never leave your bike behind again. Happy Trails and Traveling and I hope I run into you on the trails in some far away land sometimes soon.

Christine Dern is currently teaching mountain bike lessons to women with Women in the Mountains. She was a pro downhill racer and loves sharing her love of biking with others. She splits her time between working as a mechanic at Competitive Cyclist, teaching skills clinics with women in the mountains, and exploring the world on her mountain bike.

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EDITOR PICKS

2016 tour of utah stage 6 photo gallery by cottonsox, reijnen takes sprint win in stage 5 of the 2016 tour of utah in bountiful; morton stays in yellow; eisenhart in 7th, 2016 tour of utah stage 6 photo gallery by dave richards, more stories, mountain biking may eventually gain access to grand canyon, we are big fans – a trip to watch cyclocross in belgium, how to find new mountain bike trails to ride, popular category.

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Guide to Shipping and Flying with Your Bike

Touring Basics

If you plan to begin your tour somewhere other than at home, you’ll have to think about how to get your bike and gear to the starting point and then back home again.

If you’re driving to the beginning of a loop tour, then getting your stuff to the trailhead is no problem. But a lot of tours are point-to-point or begin a long way from home.

Fly with Your Bike

If you’re flying to your point of departure, you might want to fly your bike there, too.

For flying with full-size bikes, the rules and fees differ from airline to airline but expect to be required to use a bike box or case. Some airlines consider a boxed bike to be regular luggage and charge the same as a checked bag; others classify it as oversized luggage and charge quite a lot. Check each airline's rules carefully.

U.S. Domestic

Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Southwest Airlines

International

British Airways
Lufthansa

Folding bicycles like Bike Friday and Brompton fold up small enough to avoid the airline fees that are charged on oversize boxes.

Another option is a standard frame with S&S couplers, which permit the bike to be broken down and shipped in a specialized case. (Certain manufacturers, like Co-Motion Cycles, offer S&S couplers as an option, while some framebuilders can retrofit them into an existing frame.)

Train Travel

The accessibility of train travel in the U.S. is quite limited compared to Europe and certain other parts of the world, but it’s still an option for some tours.

Carry-on bike service is available on select Amtrak routes. On others, your bike box may be checked as luggage for $10, if it weighs less than 50 pounds and adheres to Amtrak’s size requirements.

Many locations sell bike boxes for $15. Incidentally, Adventure Cycling is a co-leader of the Amtrak Bicycle Task Force, which is working to expand carry-on bicycle service.

How to Plan Your Bike Trip Using Amtrak

The rules for bringing bikes on trains in Europe vary from place to place. In general, local, low-speed trains may accept fully assembled bikes; for high-speed trains, be prepared to box your bike and make reservations with your ticket.

Shipping a Bike

If you don’t want to fool around with a giant box in an airport or a train station, but you still want to ride your own bike on your trip rather than a rental bike, you can ship it ahead of time. It’s not cheap, but at least you’ll know your bike will be safe and sound.

Both UPS and FedEx will ship your bike for you (in a bike box, naturally). FedEx will insure your bike case, but UPS will not.

Bikeflights ships domestically and internationally via UPS and FedEx, will pick up your packed bike and ship it for you, and will even sell you a box. Their website is full of helpful tips, and Adventure Cycling members can get a 10 percent discount on bike boxes and cases through the company.

Shipbikes operates similarly to Bikeflights in that you can buy a box from them and schedule a pickup, or you can drop it off yourself at a FedEx location.

Bike Travel Cases

Rather expensive bike travel cases (roughly $300 and up), both hard shell and soft shell, are widely available for sale. They’re great if you’re beginning and ending your tour in the same location; otherwise, getting the case to the ride’s end can be problematic.

For maximum protection, a hard-shell case is tough to beat. However, with durability comes pounds; the weight of your box added to that of your bike may result in excess fees.

A soft-shell case will provide adequate protection without much of the weight. These often include molded plastic padding where your bike needs protection the most, and durable, tear-resistant fabric elsewhere. They are also easy to store when not in use.

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Bike Shop Shipping

Looking for the least amount of hassle? Wheel your bike into your local bike shop, and they’ll disassemble and pack it into a box for you and get it on its way (call ahead of time to double-check that they offer this service).

Even better, have them ship your bike to a shop at your destination so you can have a professional mechanic build it back up for you. On a point-to-point tour, you can take your bike to yet another shop and repeat the process in reverse.

Box It Yourself

If you’d prefer to box your bicycle yourself, regardless of how it will be getting from here to there, check out this excellent resource with detailed instructions and a video on how to pack your bike for safe and secure travel.

Boxing Your Bicycle

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How To Travel With Your Bike

It’s getting to be about that time where the winter blues are going to set in if they haven’t already. Perhaps you’re just not sure if you can handle one more trainer session in the basement. Maybe you can’t get your hands on a fat bike. Whatever the case, maybe it’s time for a trip, eh? ::Searches flights to Chile::

Many of the epic stories posted on this site involve a destination that’s not right outside your back door. For the average bikepacker, flying somewhere to ride may seem daunting. Taking your bike along is complicated, and bike rentals are expensive, right?

This article is all about the best ways to take your own bike with you when go on an adventure. I’ll compare and contrast the different methods, and delineate for domestic versus international travel. I won’t go into great detail about bike rentals, except to say that there’s a great website called Spinlister that is like Air BnB for bikes. You select a destination, a person rents his/her bike to you for a specified time, and you pay for it; often, for less than you could rent from a bike shop. You might even make a friend.

Domestic travel is first up, because there are more options. I will talk about international travel next.

BikeFlights

In my humble opinion, the best way to get cross-country with your bike is through bikeflights.com . Basically, this company has a business account with FedEx, and you’re getting access to those prices, which are significantly less than what you would pay if you shipped FedEx as your humble little self. They also guide you through the process which is very helpful.

How it works: You go to their webpage, fill out details about where you’re coming from and going to, enter details about the kind of bike you’re shipping, and they’ll give you a cost estimate as well as a delivery time estimate. You pay for your postage through the site and they e-mail you a shipping label. They give you the option to ship to/from a bike shop, a FedEx store, or have a FedEx pickup arranged. Keep in mind that all pick-ups are through the FedEx business; to my knowledge, there are no BikeFlight dudes running around picking up bikes and packing them up for shipment. You specify the date and time you want to ship the bike and when you want to pick it up.

How it really works: You are in control of how you want your bike packaged. If you are someone who doesn’t trust yourself to pack a bike box, you can bring your bike to a bike shop and have them pack it up for you. Likewise, if you don’t trust yourself to put a bike together once you get to your destination, you can have the bike delivered to a bike shop and they’ll put it together for you. You will want to call ahead. You can usually tell pretty quickly if a bike shop is willing to help you in this endeavor. Most shops will charge a fee to box a bike; somewhere around $40-$60 USD is common. You will want to print out your shipping label from BikeFlights before you show up. Give this to the shop as they’ll affix it to the box once they’re finished. Make sure you give them adequate time to box it up before it gets shipped. You don’t want them to rush your pack job.

On the other hand, you may be totally cool with packing your own bike, or at least willing to give it a try! The benefits of packing your own bike include using your own clothing or bikepacking/camping gear as padding for the bike instead of that disposable paper/styrofoam/plastic crap that comes with new bikes. This means less stuff you have to carry with you on your travels. Plus, the price per pound is a good deal once you’re shipping with BikeFlights. Toward the end of this article, I list some tips for boxing your bike both in the comfort of your own home and in the discomfort of some random FedEx parking lot a few hours before your return flight.

Helpful tips: I’ve found that shipping to and from either a bike shop or a FedEx store works well as both are accustomed to receiving large packages. I haven’t tried to schedule a pickup or ship to my house, but it’s an option. (A bike box would look conspicuous sitting on the stoop, right?)

You can ship freight on Amtrak… this goes for bikes as well. If you’re riding the Amtrak yourself, you can put your bike on the train… in some regions… sometimes in a box… sometimes without a box.

How it works: You purchase a ticket on Amtrak, you look on their website to see if bikes are allowed on your trip, and if it needs to be boxed up or not. On Amtrak’s “ Special Items” page , you can view which lines allow walk-on or walk-up service and the cost. If you’re not riding the Amtrak yourself, you can still ship your bike via Amtrak freight, otherwise known as “Baggage Express”.

How it really works (IF YOU ARE ALSO RIDING THE TRAIN): Not every rail line allows bikes. The general rule of thumb is that if it’s a commuter train (think busy East Coast corridor), you can’t take your bike, but if the route is more for long-distance travel or leisure, you can probably take your bike. To be sure, go to their website and look up your route or check out the “ Bring Your Bicycle Onboard” article ; Amtrak will indicate whether or not bikes are allowed. Walk-on means you walk it on the cargo car yourself, walk-up means you give it to the people at the station before boarding the train and they put it on the cargo car.

I mportant to note – you still need to reserve a spot for your walk-on or walk-up bike: This is best done when you purchase your ticket; the earlier the better. I’ve gotten away with doing this at the ticket counter when I showed up, but it’s not the most reliable method. The reason being that there are a limited number of spots for walk-on bikes on the cargo car. Also, the cargo car is located toward one end of the train, and the conductor wants to know ahead of time if he/she will need to line that car up with the platform for you. Lastly, many of the conductors are not 100% comfortable with this walk-on system yet… it’s just easier if you have all your i’s dotted and t’s crossed.

If a train doesn’t allow walk-on or walk-up service, you may still be able to check your bike as a piece of luggage. When you go to reserve your ticket online, you’ll be able to see if checked luggage is allowed on the train. The general rule of thumb is that busy commuter trains don’t allow checked luggage. Also, if you’re making connections on a long-distance train, you’ll likely need to box your bike.

How it really works (IF YOU ARE NOT RIDING THE TRAIN): You will want to find the counter at the train station that says “Baggage Express” . Why they call it this, I don’t know. Nothing seems express about it. Anyway, make sure your bike is boxed and ready for the people at the counter. You’ll need to fill out some paperwork. You’ll need to write your address on the box. C all Amtrak to find out exact charges as it depends on how far your shipping, but basically it works out to about $0.70/lb. for the first 100 pounds, and about $0.64/lb. for every pound after that. It will be more or less depending on where you’re shipping to and from.

UPS or FedEx ground:

Just don’t do it. As an individual, you will pay WAY more than is appropriate. The only reason to do this is if you have no access to the internet, or did zero preparation before needing to ship your bike.

Shipping to/from bike shops:

This actually isn’t a bad option if you’re not tech or bike savvy.

How it works: Most bike shops will charge about $50-60 to box up your bike. They usually have business accounts with FedEx or UPS, and they are able to ship your bike for the same cost that BikeFlights would. On the receiving end, a bike shop may charge $30-50 to build up your bike. If you have more money than time or skill, this is probably the most stress-free way to ship your bike domestically.

How it really works: If you’re someone that doesn’t like when other people touch your bike, this could be very stressful. If you usually let other people do the maintenance and repair on your bike, this could be the best option for you. Most bike shops take this task seriously and do a good job. The only down fall to this option is that you usually don’t get to cram as much other stuff in your bike box as you would if you boxed your bike at home (clothes, bags, etc.)

Bikes on Buses:

There are a lot of bus companies in the world. I only have specific knowledge about two major companies in the U.S., which are Bolt Bus and Megabus.

How it works: If you’re using Bolt Bus, you can stash your bike in the cargo area. If you’re riding Megabus, you can’t. Greyhound will let you carry on a bike as long as it’s in a box, but be wary of inconsistencies with Greyhound personnel across the country.

Bikes on Airplanes:

We could probably devote a whole second article to this option due to varying airline policies and endless amount of packaging options; I’ll try to point you in the right direction without drawing tears of boredom and frustration. You’ll likely want your bike to fly with you if you’re traveling internationally. I don’t see the benefit of traveling with it domestically unless you’re a pro athlete and you’re on a time constraint.

How it works: You package up your bike, bring it to the airport, check it as a bike, get charged anywhere between $100 – $200, and fly with your bike. The amount charged varies greatly by airline, and policies are constantly changing. You can try to mask the fact that you’re checking a bike, but you’ll need to get your bag or box under the airlines specified dimensions such that you’re not overcharged for bringing a bike. In essence, if your bike can fit in a bag or box that’s small enough, the airline won’t count it as a bike.

How it really works: Where to start? I could start by saying the rules that most airlines have regarding bikes is seemingly ridiculous compared to the policies regarding golf clubs, snowboards, skis, hockey bags, and so on. I could also start by saying that figuring out how to cheat the system will take you a long time, and even after you think you’ve figured out a plan, you could still end up paying the surcharge.

The most expensive, stress-free option would be to buy a special bike box, and then also pay the surcharge as indicated by your airline. The next option is to box your bike in a cardboard box and pay the surcharge. If you want to get around the airline surcharge, read on.

This is really a game of dimensions or disguise. Check out the fine print for your airline. They’ll give dimensions for bikes. If you can get your bike in a protective case that fits or is under these dimensions, you’re golden. How do you do this? The options abound. Here are some ideas:

Couplers – You can get a bike with couplers, or get couplers retro-fit on a bike. This is only worth it if you’re going to be doing a LOT of bike travel.
Soft bags – You can try to put your bike in a soft, oversized bag with padding such that it doesn’t seem like a bike at all. You will want to go with something like the Spack Junk S&S Coupled bag , which is designed specifically for flying with your bike. Don’t try to to stuff your bike in a hockey bag. Myself and others have had zero luck with that option; usually the bike doesn’t fit and it’s risky from a protection standpoint as it is a soft bag.
Plastic wrap – I wouldn’t recommend it, but people have gotten away with it. Save space on dimensions by deconstructing your bike and wrap it a zillion times with plastic wrap (like Saran Wrap) instead of putting it in a box.

International Travel

International travel is tough, because your bike will need to go through customs. The rules are different – almost backwards from domestic travel.

It’s actually safer and potentially more cost effective to carry your bike on the plane. If you ship your bike – even through BikeFlights – you’ll find that it’s actually extraordinarily expensive. For example, shipping Denver, Colorado to Rome, Italy costs roughly $280 USD. To Buenos Aires, Argentina it’s about $800 USD. Even just to go to Calgary, Canada, this will run you about $220 USD.

The other thing to consider is having your bike stuck in customs. I’ve heard stories of bikes shipped to Canada that have not arrived when expected.

Your best bet is to just figure out the best method for carrying it on the plane when traveling internationally.

Tips for Boxing Your Bike

Tips for boxing your bike (at home): Try to be reasonable with your bike box; don’t make it bulge, protect your hubs, protect your headset. F ace your cassette inwards, and put some extra padding underneath your bottom bracket. Where points of your bike come in contact with the box (e.g., wheel axle edges, bottom bracket, rear drop-outs), use rigid reinforcement like extra cardboard or books instead of soft things like sleeping bags or clothing that will compress under force. Use tape to make sure your clothes or other soft padding stays where you want it to stay on the bike during shipment.

Tips for boxing your bike (not at home): Okay, you just finished your bikepacking trip. If you decided to save a few dollars by boxing and shipping your own bike. You need to think about physical locations ahead of time. You’ll likely pickup a bike box from a bike shop in town. Do you know how far away it is from a FedEx? Look it up. Nothing more awkward than trying to walk or ride several miles with a HUGE box in tow. It sort of defeats the purpose of doing this yourself if you pay for an expensive Uber to get you from one place to another. But that might be an option.

Tips for boxing your bike (in the FedEx Parking Lot): Pickup a box from the bike shop and pack the bike at FedEx. Try to take your pedals off at the bike shop. If you can’t do it with your multi-tool, get the shop to help you with a pedal wrench. Walk yourself, the box, and your fully rolling bike to the FedEx. ::fingers crossed for low winds:: Make sure you have your multi-tool and tape with you to assist with the breakdown of your bike. Of course, if you have a car at your disposal, you can box up your bike somewhere more comfortable than the FedEx parking lot… but where’s the fun in that?

5 Useful Tips for Travelling with A Bike

1. don’t risk your best ride.

While it may sound extreme, there are quite a few upsides to having a bike meant solely for travel. This is less feasible if you simply take a short bus ride to the other side of your city to reach a trail but is much more pertinent for those who travel great distances or even overseas for mountain biking holidays. It’s hard to feel cozy and care-free on a trip where you’re left constantly worrying about the state of your multi thousand-dollar bike you’ve spent hours tweaking, tuning and maintaining.

Investing in a travel bike can assuage those fears and let you relax. What’s the point of struggling to enjoy a vacation when you could easily find affordable and reliable bikes at a small price? Mountain bikers looking for an inexpensive ride will quickly find that the best bike under 500 dollars is just as sturdy, fast and durable as other pricier rides. There are plenty of bikes that can handle strenuous trips without costing an arm and a leg, which lets you keep your expensive bikes at home, ready for your return to local trails.

2. Pack Your Bike Properly

Traveling with a bike by plane? You can likely find an airline that will ship your bike with you no matter where you’re flying from. On the downside, you run the risk of having it damaged in transit as airlines try to move massive piles of luggage as quickly as possible. Luggage damage is fairly rare, but packing your bike properly lessens that risk even further.

Find a case that fits your box and make sure you disassemble any jutting parts that might damage its container. Consider buying a soft-shell or hard-shell case if the thought of cardboard bike boxes just doesn’t give you peace of mind. Your local bike shop may even offer a packing service if you aren’t confident in your bike disassembly skills. However doing it at home can help familiarise you with the process and you can even pack it with soft gear or spare clothes instead of fairly useless packing material.

Check out the 10 Best New Zealand Mountain Bike Trails

3. load your bike with care.

Bus travel can take quite a lot of strain off of the adventurous rider with an eye on the horizon, so to speak. Many bus lines have bike racks on the front or rear of the vehicle to accommodate commuters and hobbyists alike and each line will have its own procedure, though it is not uncommon for bikes to ride free with a paid ticket. Ensure you alert the driver that you will be loading cargo. Always approach from the curb side, and ensure your bike is securely mounted before entering the bus.

For added peace of mind, try sitting as close to the door as you safely can to keep an eye on your bike, though this may not be feasible during certain hours of operation. Always notify the driver you will be taking off a bike as you depart just to ensure there are no incidents and all should be well.

4. When in Doubt, Ship It Safely

Not in the mood to try and pack a bike for a long car journey or cross-country trip? No problem, considering how many mountain bike shipping services exist to help cyclists in need. Avoid the urge to ship through your local FedEx office and instead look into bike-specific services.

If you have a particularly good bike shop in your area and a shop near your travel destination, you might even be able to have your ride packed and shipped without having to worry about assembling it personally after you arrive.

5. Train Cargo Space Can Be Your Worst Nightmare

Not that it’s any more dangerous than other cargo space, but trains only have so much room to stow freight and advance warning might slip your mind. Certain lines allow you to make a request for bike storage when you buy your ticket and others might require advance notice.

Always check with your local companies before assuming you’ll get away with bringing something so large and bulky along unannounced, as you would with any other long-distance travel. Don’t expect a short-commute train to have bike space, though; That’s more the realm of long-distance trips.

There’s no reason to be nervous about taking your mountain bike with you on a long trip, but peace of mind goes a long way in taking the stress out of your travel plans.

Plan ahead of time and you won’t be left scrambling with rolls of tape the night before your big trip. Don’t be afraid to seek out local help if you just don’t want to risk damaging your favourite bike.

Author: Amanda Wilks is a passionate writer, veteran MTB rider, and sports activist. She loves to travel and explore the world on a budget – always looking for new and exciting mountain biking destinations.

Main Image By Walleater [ CC BY-SA 4.0 ], from Wikimedia Commons

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5 tips for traveling with your bike.

Over the past 20+ years, I've spent some time packing, shipping and traveling with mountain bikes . Races , demo events , or mountain bike vacations, I do it all. I've traveled with a bike or two by plane, 9 on my truck, and 18 in the demo fleet with our trailer. During this time, I've definitely had some mishaps, learned from my mistakes and would like to share a list of 5 tips with you.

Security for your bike. This changes based on where you are going, how you are getting there, and where you are staying. Even places where you think your bike may be safe, like the bike park, sees quite a bit of theft. High end bikes just leaned on racks are easy pickings for thieves. We have a large selection of different locks in our house, as I am very paranoid about bike theft after living in Chicago, and working for ABUS . Here is a quick run down on what is used based and where we use it

Bordo 6000 Combo Folding Lock (not shown) Locking up my mountain bike or eMTB around town or cities with higher theft rates or longer than a few minutes.
Armored Cable Combo - Used on my hitch and roof racks, camp grounds over night, demo events for quick stops at rest areas or over night while camping or bikes are at demo events. These locks use combos that you can set and be daisy chained together for longer length when there are multiple bikes on the hitch rack. They are also stronger than your conventional cable lock, having an extra layer of steel wrapped around the internal braided cable.
Chains - My chains are Keyed Alike, and can be daisy chained to create a longer length of chain. They are 9mm tempered steel with hex links, and cannot be cut with bolt cutters. I used these bad boys for longer stops on the road and over night at bike demos. All the other vendors use cables to lock their bikes, so I know a thief is not going to spend the time on ours.
Detecto RS1 Motion Sensitive Alarm Lock - This motion sensitive alarm lock comes from the Moto side at ABUS. I attach it to the chain when I need an added layer of security depending on the location. I've rented RV's and stopped in parking lots over night with bikes on the rack. I wanted to be alerted if someone was attempting to cut the chains, and this lock came in very handy. While it doesn't add another layer of chain to defeat, thieves hate noise when working on a bike, so 100db of screeching lock helps keep them at bay.
Key Garage - I lock my keys in this when I am at bike parks, on the trail, shuttling, hiking, paddling, and pretty much anytime I am out on an adventure that I don't want to be worried about losing my truck keys somewhere.

Use a bike rack that holds the bikes by the wheels , or store them on trays inside your vehicle. If you are using a bike rack that holds the bikes by the frames, it's not a matter of if, but more of when it is going to get scratched or damaged. A couple great options are 1Up USA , Kuat , and QuikrStuff . While it is not always possible, the best option is to travel with your bikes inside the vehicle. They stay safer, and cleaner. Driving through a good rain or snow storm can cake your bike and brakes with a nice layer of road grime. If you do get run through some weather, make sure to clean off your rotors prior to riding your bike. This will save you from contamination of your brake pads and a whole lot of squealing down the trail.
Bring some basic tools. Depending on if we are flying or driving, and to what type of event, is what dictates the tools we bring.
Flying - multi tool, compact torque wrench set, & shock pump.
Driving - I was a Boy Scout, and our motto is, be prepared, so when we drive places, I bring a lot with. If I am pulling the trailer to a demo, everything is pretty much coming with. Including spare tires, brake pads, chains, levers, nuts & bolts, pretty much everything I need to keep the bikes running all weekend long.

This is not the definitive list, but a handy list of 5 tips for traveling with your mountain bike . If you have more tips to share with others, post them in the comments below.

Eminent Team - Aug 02, 2023

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Mountain Bike Holiday Advice > Travel With Your Mountain Bike

There are lots of guides on how to travel with your mountain bike, especially how to fly with your mountain bike. It is really surprisingly easy. Rather than providing a step by step guide I´ll talk you through some of the ways our guests arrive with their bikes, some links and some things to watch out for.

If you don´t want to travel with your mountain bike then hiring is a good option and we have really good hire bikes. Often if you are coming from outside Europe it is actually cheaper for you to hire a bike when you get here.

Flying With Your Mountain Bike

For a regular bike, in many ways flying is the easiest way to travel with your mountain bike. It really is very, very easy. You need to book it in when you book your trip, and there will be some charges which depend on your flight operator. Then you have a few options for how to package it. The only damage we have ever seen (with over 5000 visits) was bent disc rotors from people who hadn´t removed them. We have had less than 5 groups arrive without their bikes and all of those were with us within 48 hours.

This video helps with a cardboard box.

The Cheap and Difficult | A Cardboard Box Go to your bike shop and ask for an old bike box. They will probably be pleased because you will save them the hassle of dumping the box. Also it´s a good moment to get some spares for your bike or some fuel for your trip. The GMBN video above is good, however I´d recommend using foam pipe lagging for the frame and thick cardboard to seperate the wheels and handlebars from the frame. Remove the disc rotors, honestly, trust me. Honestly a cardboard box is a last resort if you plan to travel with your mountain bike It is a hassle to move anywhere, there is more likelihood of damage and packing takes ages compared to one of the other options.
The Expensive and Easy | An Evoc Bike Bag or Similar I would say that 90% of the people who fly for one our our mountain bike holidays pack their bikes in an Evoc bike bag, or one of the similar ones from CRC or similar. These offer great protection and the faff factor is really low. You can go from bag to riding within 10 minutes with a bit of practice. In our opinion the Evoc is head and shoulders above the competitors, the price does reflect that though.
Hire a bike bag or box. If you don’t plan to travel with your mountain bike regularly then hiring is a great option. Rigid bike boxes are great but remember that enduro bikes are getting longer and wheels have gotten bigger. Make sure that the bike box can accommodate your bike so you aren´t panicking the day before your trip. There are LOTS of places to rent Evoc bike bags or similar, check your local shops, ebay and forums such as Singletrackworld for advice. If you don´t travel regularly this is a great choice.

I wrote a blog around 10 years ago detailing how to pack a bike bag. Honestly, all that is totally irrelevant now, I wont even bother linking to it, the new generation of bike bags removes all that hassle and preparation. If I was travelling with my bike I would either buy or hire an Evoc Pro bike bag for your trip.

Doug (basqueMTB)

There are a few points to note when you are flying with your mountain bike.

Deflating your tyres. There is really no need for mountain bike tyres, the pressure difference isn´t that big. Maybe just drop them down to 10-15psi so that if you´re using tubeless tyres they don´t leak sealant everywhere. If you´re asked if you´ve deflated the tyres you can correctly say that you have.
Deflating shocks and forks. See above for my advice!
Insurance. It is definitely worth getting holiday insurance for your bike so that if it is damaged during your trip you can claim. Many policies will cover crash damage as well.

Flying With Your E-Bike

Currently it is difficult to fly with your electric bike. If you are travelling with your e-bike then I really recommend driving. There are two issues, one is the battery and the other is the weight. The problems are not impossible to surmount, however often if you aren´t driving it is easier to just hire a bike from us.

Problem 1: Weight The best way currently is to take your bike in a bag, using one of the methods above. Note that you need to keep the weight below 25kg or the airlines won´t handle it. Removing the battery is essential for this, (see below).

Problem 2: Battery The battery appears to be the main issue for flying with your electric bike and there are very few ways around this we have observed. Many airlines allowed batteries up to 100WH, however all mountain bike batteries are bigger than this.

Mail your battery before the your mountain bike holiday starts. You can mail it to us and we will keep it for you and send it back to you after your holiday. You need to talk to the shipping company because the batteries class as hazardous material and there will be paperwork and cost associated.
If you are coming in a group then what you can do is that most people fly with their bikes and one or two people drive with all the batteries. This seems to work well and the 2 drivers can be switched for the way home.
If you are lucky and your battery is the same as one which we have we can rent you the battery for the week. This is getting harder and harder as batteries become more and more specific to the bike frame.

Drive With Your Mountain Bike

If I was travelling within Europe I´d take the risk on the train and drink wine and read my book all the way to my destination.

If I was travelling with friends, or taking an ebike, I would share driving with as many of them as I could fit in my van or car. Tunes on the stereo and share the drive.

If I was going to the UK or USA then I would fly of course!

This is a really easy way to travel with your mountain bike and lots of our guests arrive with their bikes in the car. The beauty is that you can visit some places on the way there and back, you can take plenty of spares and you can also load the car or van with Spanish wine and dried meat to take home with you!

There are a few things to watch out for and I´ll go through them here.

Local Regulations Be aware of the local restrictions for how you can travel with a bike in your car. It is essential that the number plate and lights aren´t obscured and that the bikes have a warning plate on the back. Check this for each country you need to travel through. Additionally in Spain at least, you can´t have the bikes loose in the back of your car.
Heights Restrictions If you take the bikes on the roof REMEMBER! There are height restrictions on the ferries and on the tolls on the motorways, remember that!
Security Overnight If you are stoping think about how you will secure your bikes. Don´t leave them in the back of a car, or van, outside a hotel unless you are really sure it is secure.

Driving from the UK There are two main options.

Take the shorter ferry, or the tunnel, to the north of France and drive around 12 hours down the great but boring French motorways. Expect tolls to cost around €100 each way for a car.
Take the longer ferry to Bilbao or Santander and then you have a short, and cheap, drive of around 2 hours to our base in Hondarribia.

Take the Train With Your Mountain Bike

You would think that the train would be a really easy way to travel with your mountain bike wouldn’t you? London to Paris on the Eurostar and then Paris to Irun on the TGV. I have done it and it was brilliant, however the problem is that the actual luggage restrictions prevent you taking your bike. While you will often find that you are not faced with any problems if you turn up, in theory the conductor could refuse you entry for your bike bag.

In practice I believe that if you turn up with an EVOC bike bag (other makes exist and we really do not have any connection with EVOC, I dont even own one of their bags!) and a sensibly sized rucksack then you will have no problems. I have personally done this and I know several guests who have travelled like this and it has been fine. I guess it depends on your attitude to risk!

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This entry was posted Friday, December 6th, 2019 at 3:00 pm and is classified as Mountain Bike Holiday Advice .

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What is Travel on a Mountain Bike?

When someone says travel, the first thing that comes to mind is a vacation or perhaps a business trip. But if you’re looking for something different, why not take advantage of the freedom and adventure that comes with travel on a mountain bike?

Traveling on a mountain bike allows you to explore paths and trails that would otherwise be inaccessible. It’s an exhilarating experience, allowing you to see and experience places you might not have otherwise.

Why Many People Enjoy Mountain Biking

Mountain biking is also a great way to escape your busy and stressful everyday life. It’s an enjoyable form of exercise that can help you clear your head, refocus, and gain some perspective. Plus, it’s a great way to spend quality time with friends and family.

It’s important to note that mountain biking isn’t just about the destination but also the journey. You can take your time and enjoy nature at its finest, or challenge yourself and see how far you can go in a given amount of time. Either way, it’s an incredibly rewarding experience.

But did you know that travel can have a different meaning for anyone who enjoys mountain biking? That’s right! In this article, you will learn all about travel on a mountain bike.

What Is Travel On A Mountain Bike

Mountain biking travel is a term that indicates the distance of movement for any moving parts. Before, travel only referred to mountain bike suspension, but now it also incorporates dropper seat posts.

The travel distance is typically measured in millimeters (mm) and can range from 80mm on cross-country bikes to 200mm or more on downhill bikes.

Travel is a crucial aspect of mountain biking as it directly affects the bike’s performance and the rider’s comfort. More travel allows for greater absorption of shocks from bumps, rocks, and drops, making it ideal for rough terrains. However, bikes with more travel are typically heavier and less efficient on climbs or flat terrains.

With dropper post travel, the seat shifts from the typical riding position for pedaling to a lower level, enabling you to navigate technical descents more easily.

Differences Between Mountain Bike Travel Suspensions

There are three fundamental suspension systems that any Mountain Bike could have. Generally, a bike will feature either the classic “Hardtail” or modernized “Full Suspension” setup.

A hardtail mountain bike has a single suspension fork that is generally situated at the front wheel. It only has a “hard” rear frame, hence the name ‘hardtail.’ The suspension is usually limited in range, but it does offer impact absorption and increased stability for the rider.

On the other hand, a modernized “full suspension” has a suspension fork at the front and a rear suspension shock. With this setup, there is more travel for both the front and back of the bike. It offers improved impact absorption, increased control, and stability for the rider.

Here are the differences between hardtail and full suspension bikes:

When it comes to comfort, a full-suspension mountain bike is the superior choice. Not only will you be more comfortable while riding, but these bikes are designed for higher drops too! However, this can come at the expense of diminished power output on the path.

A hardtail mountain bike weighs less than a full suspension bike, making it the lighter option. This is because the frame of a full-suspension bike must be made stronger to carry the additional weight of the rear suspension.

Full suspension bikes cost more than hardtails due to their increased complexity and higher-quality components.

Maintenance

Maintaining a full suspension is more complicated than a hardtail, as the rear shock needs to be serviced or replaced at least once a year, depending on your riding conditions.

Front Suspension: The Forks

Each mountain bike fork comprises several components: a steerer tube that runs through the center of the crown and then branches off into two stanchions that fit inside their respective brace and slider. Lastly, these lead to two dropouts attached to the wheel for stability.

The conventional approach to upgrading front suspension is to up the travel of their stanchions. To put it plainly, this method amplifies the tightening of the front suspension. A shorter journey will be more reactive, allowing you to inject additional energy into your path. A longer suspension is an ideal choice for challenging paths and high lifts.

Common Travel Distances on the Front Suspension

It’s essential to remember that the size of the stanchion tubes matters greatly. As travel increases, the stanchion’s diameter must also expand to remain strong and stable.

Common Stanchion Tube Diameters

Rear suspension: the rear shocks.

Unlike the front suspension of a mountain bike powered by two compression chambers, its rear shock operates with only one. The shock is installed horizontally on the ground, with a slight diagonal slant, in contrast to the front suspension, which is set upright. Connecting to the bike’s frame through two eyelets makes your rear shock accurately sized and ready for use.

Rear Suspension Designs

If you’re a mountain bike enthusiast, you should be familiar with the five main rear suspension designs manufacturers use to make your rides even more enjoyable. These are the following:

1. Single Pivot

This is the most basic structure of all rear suspension designs and is generally cheaper to produce. The rear shock suspension is attached to the main frame simultaneously. The compression remains stable throughout the shock’s travel which amplifies stiffness when compressing to avoid bottoming out.

2. Linkage-Driven Single Pivot

With this design, a swingarm is still connected to one pivotal point. Despite this, the manufacturers have found a way to adjust the fixed compression curve as one move across their system.

3. Twin-Link / Virtual Pivot Point

This revolutionary design introduces a triangular structure connected to the mainframe by two swiveling connections. This design functions similarly to the Horst-Link but can frequently be produced at a lower cost due to its lack of patent protection.

4. Horst-Link / Four Bar

This design for a mountain bike features an axle that does not directly attach to the mainframe. By utilizing this system, you can eliminate the oscillation caused by regular pedaling. This also enables the manufacturer to adjust the compression arc, which is how much force needs to be applied throughout shock travel.

5. High Pivot

This is identical to the classic single pivot structure, except that the center of rotation is placed significantly higher on the frame for extra stability. Boasting an idler pulley that guides the chain path above its pivot point, this design significantly diminishes pedal bob for a more efficient cycling experience.

How To Find The Correct Eye-to-Eye Distance

The eye-to-eye distance measures the length of your shock, including any travel.

You’ll need to measure the distance between both of your shock’s eyelets to get a correct reading. Incorrect eye-to-eye lengths while using shocks can cause suspension inefficiency and adversely affect its function.

Balancing Suspension

To fully utilize a full-suspension mountain bike, it is important to understand its features and capabilities. Uneven compression rates between components can greatly affect ride comfort and suspension system performance.

The front and rear suspensions don’t have to have equal travel, but having them be similar makes it easier to balance them. To balance them, you need to adjust the pressure inside the chambers. This will ensure that each shock bottoms out at the same time, regardless of the travel. If you pair a longer shock with a shorter one, the longer one will require less pressure, and the shorter one will need more pressure.

Dropper Post: A Key Component In Mountain Bike Travel

What is a dropper post.

A dropper post, also known as an adjustable seat post, is a revolutionary piece of mountain bike equipment that allows riders to quickly and easily adjust the height of their saddle without needing to stop or dismount. This is done via a lever located on the handlebars, which controls a hydraulic or mechanical system within the post.

The primary advantage of a dropper post is that it provides the rider with the ability to adapt to varying terrain conditions on the fly. For instance, during steep descents, a lower saddle height can offer better control and stability. Conversely, on flat terrains or uphill climbs, a higher saddle position can facilitate more efficient pedaling.

The Connection Between Dropper Posts and Travel

So, how does a dropper post relate to travel on a mountain bike? Essentially, the dropper post adds an extra dimension to the bike’s adaptability, complementing the function of the suspension system.

Just as the suspension travel allows the bike to adapt to the terrain’s vertical undulations, the dropper post enables the rider to adjust their center of gravity in response to the trail’s demands. This combination enhances the bike’s overall performance and the rider’s control and comfort, making the journey more enjoyable and safe.

Main Types of Suspension

There are two main kinds of suspension. One relies on compressed air, while the other one relies on springs.

Suspensions using air shock are lightweight, easy to adjust, and stiffer as they approach the bottoming-out point. However, these options need more upkeep and are less reactive.

Coil springs, on the other hand, are more responsive, durable, and require less maintenance. The downside of using a coil spring is that they’re heavier than air shocks and are difficult to adjust.

No matter what type of suspension you use, make sure it fits your riding style and terrain. Properly set up suspension should help you tackle any trail confidently and safely.

Some bikes don’t have a suspension, and they’re called rigid bikes. They offer a direct connection between the wheel and the frame, which can be beneficial in certain situations. Fat tire bikes are a great example of rigid suspension bikes.

Overall, your suspension has the potential to make or break your mountain biking experience. It’s important to consider your terrain, riding style, and budget when selecting a suspension setup for your bike. Properly setting and tuning your suspension will help you to get the most out of every ride.

Remember that the right suspension will depend on your unique riding style and terrain. Test different types of suspension and find what works best. With the right suspension, you can take on any challenge with confidence and style.

About The Author

Mario Baker

Hey there! We’re Antonnette and Mario, a sister-and-brother tandem who love bikes and biking.

We and our team use our extensive knowledge about bicycles to help you have a great riding experience.

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What Does TRAVEL Mean on a Mountain Bike: Is More Travel Better?

I love riding my mountain bike down steep hills and off of lifts but I have noticed that even after adjusting my current suspension I am bottoming out on relatively small drops. That is why I decided to upgrade my suspension to have more travel distance. In this guide I will explain what that means for various kinds of bikes and suspension set ups.

What is “Travel” on a Mountain Bike?

Travel is simply the maximum distance that either the front or rear suspension of the Mountain Bike can compress, when absorbing force, before bottoming out. The higher the travel the more force the suspension can comfortably absorb. The lower amount of travel the lower amount of force absorbed.

Types of Mountain Bike Suspension

There are three types of suspension setups that any Mountain Bike might have (I will get into the third later). For right now it is most likely that your bike will either have a “Hard-Tail” or “Full Suspension” setup.

The difference between a hard-tail and a full suspension mountain bike is that on a full suspension bike there is a rear shock absorber as opposed to just the front fork. A hard-tail, therefore, will not have rear suspension components and will simply have a “hard” rear frame.

The differences between hard-tail and full suspension…

Price: A full suspension mountain bike will be much more expensive than a hard-tail mountain bike.

Comfort / Downhill Capability: A full suspension mountain bike is going to be much more comfortable to ride and be able to handle much higher drops. Although, this does come at the cost of reduced ability to put power into the trail.

Weight: A full suspension is going to add the components to your mountain bike so by definition will be heavier than a hard-tail

Maintenance: Again, the more parts you add the more that can go wrong and the more that needs to be adjusted.

Given this distinction between hard-tail and full suspension mountain bikes the next two sections are going to be split between talking about front and rear suspension components.

Suspension is Fun to Talk About

Mountain Bike Travel – Read What is Travel on a MTB and is More Better?
What is Lockout on a Mountain Bike Fork – all about when to use it.
Selecting a MTB fork is confusing, let me help with – C hoosing a Mountain Bike Suspension Fork
Wheels and Hub widths – Why is this so confusing? Read – How to Adapt a MTB Wheel to a Boost Fork

Front Suspension and Travel Distance on an MTB

The front suspension, or forks, of any mountain bike is going to be split into a few components. The steerer tube which goes into the center of the crown which branches into two stanchions. These stanchions are what slide into the brace and slider which ends in two dropouts that attach to the wheel.

The main way that riders upgrade their front suspension is by increasing the travel of the stanchions. In essence, this is increasing the length of compression that the front suspension withstands. A shorter travel will be more responsive and allow you to put more power into the trail while a longer suspension is better for rough trails and high lifts.

Here is a chart of common travel distances on the front suspension of the mountain bike…

Another thing that is important to keep in mind is the diameter of the stanchion tubes. As the amount of travel increases so does the diameter of the stanchion to maintain durability and stability.

Here is a chart of the common stanchion tube diameters on the front suspension of the mountain bike…

As I mention before, many riders will upgrade their mountain bikes front suspension by increasing the amount of travel that the suspension is capable of. This is really only done in two scenarios as if it is done without thought then it could actually hamper performance.

When you have anything other than a downhill mountain bike and want to try to imitate one.
This one kind of ties in with the previous. But, travel distance is increased when a rider desires a more comfortable ride and intends to do mostly downhill riding with large drops. If there is a large amount of uphill riding then a long travel will only make it more difficult to ride the bike.

Something that is often mentioned on MTB suspension is a “Lockout” I explained what it is and when to use your lockout in another article on this website: What is a Lockout Fork and When to Use It

Rear Suspension and Travel Distance

Now this is where things can get really complicated. This is because there are around five main rear suspension designs that manufactures implement in mountain bikes. They are as follows…

Single Pivot: In this design the rear shock of the mountain bike is connected to a swingarm by the titular single pivot point located just above the chain rings. This is the simplest rear suspension design and therefore is often the cheapest to manufacture.

The downside of the design is that the compression is going to be consistent throughout the travel of the shock as opposed to some newer designs which increase the stiffness of the rear shock as it becomes more and more compressed to hopefully prevent bottoming out.

Linkage-Driven Single Pivot: In this design there is still a swingarm connected to a single pivot point. The difference is that there is some kind of linkage which allows the manufacturers to manipulate the compression curve which was previously constant throughout the travel.

Horst-Link / Four Bar: Put simply, the rear axle of the mountain bike is not directly connected to the mainframe of the bike. This will reduce pedal bob (the bob that comes from the rhythmic nature of pedaling) and will also allow the manufacturer to manipulate the compression arc (amount of force needed to compress throughout the travel of the shock.

Twin-Link / Virtual Pivot Point: This design implements a triangular design that connects to the mainframe by two pivoting links. This design performs very similar to the Horst-Link but is not patented so is often cheaper to manufacture.

High Pivot: This is the same as the single pivot with the exception that the pivot point is placed much higher on the frame. There is also the addition of an idler pully which routs the path of the chain above the pivot point as to eliminate what would otherwise result in extremely high levels of pedal bob.

The Rear Shock and How it is Sized

The rear shock of the mountain bike is comprised of a single compression chamber as opposed to the front suspension which relies on two. The shock is placed horizontal (Often with a slight diagonal tilt) to the ground, again as opposed to the front suspension which is placed vertically to the ground.

Furthermore, the rear shock attaches to the frame of the bike by two eyelets which is actually how they (the shocks) are sized. Although, the same style shock is used no matter the design of your rear suspension.

Finding the Correct Eye-to-Eye Length of a Mountain Bike Rear Shock:

To find the eye-to-eye distance measure from the center of one pivot eyelet on the shock to the second one. This distance is the eye-to-eye length that you must use to find correctly sized rear shocks for your mountain bike.

Using shocks with incorrect eye-to-eye lengths can cause problems with the efficiency of the suspension and even can cause it to work against you. The travel on a rear shock is therefore more restricted although can vary slightly as the compression chamber can be of slightly different sized even if the overall length must be the same.

Just as with the front shock the longer the travel the better the shock will be at absorbing force, and the worse it will be for riding your mountain bike uphill (putting power to the trail).

How to Balance Your Suspension with a Full Suspension Mountain Bike

Balancing the amount of force that the front and rear suspensions on a full suspension mountain bike is crucial to getting the most out of said mountain bike. If one component is compressing slower or faster than the other then the comfort of the ride can be dramatically compromised. As can the overall effectiveness of the suspension system.

It is not essential that the front and rear suspensions have the exact same amount of travel although the closer they are the easier it will be to balance them. Balancing them involves adjusting the pressure inside of the chambers so that each shock, no matter the travel, bottoms out at the same time. A longer shock will need less pressure when paired with a shorter shock and vice versa.

Coil Shocks VS Air Shocks

There are two main kinds of suspension. Those which rely on springs to compress and those which rely on compressed air. The benefits of an air shock are that it is lightweight, easily tune-able, and naturally get stiffer near the point of bottoming out. The downsides are that they require more maintenance and are also not as responsive.

The reason why some rider chooses coil springs, even though they must be bought specific to the weight of the rider and are also heavier, is that they are extremely responsive. Additionally, coil springs don’t fade in stiffness when riding for long periods of time as some air coils will.

The Third Kind of Mountain Bike Suspension Setup (A Rigid Bike)

The third, and most uncommon, form of suspension on a mountain bike is… well… to not have one at all. On a rigid bike you will not find either a front or rear suspension system and rather just a solid frame comprising the entire mountain bike.

This kind of mountain bike setup is most widely used for fat tire bikes as with a fat tire bike it is absolutely necessary to be able to put a lot of power from the pedals into the trail. This is because of the friction accosted with a fat tire.

Rigid suspension systems on fat tire bikes are able to be implemented due to the natural suspension capabilities of having such a large tire. This larger tire works to absorb force and the low pressure you can ride at work to smooth out the ride as well.

Additionally, often time rider will upgrade their rigid style mountain bikes with increased cushion seats.

Some regular tire mountain bikes implement a rigid style suspension system although they are much less comfortable to ride and require a more experienced rider. These bikes can provide a great experience if you’re constantly going uphill and don’t plan to encounter any rough terrain.

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How much suspension travel do I need on my mountain bike?

From cross-country to downhill, we take you through how much travel you can expect on the major types of mountain bike

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Jamis Faultline A2 full suspension mountain bike

This competition is now closed

By Nick Clark

Published: January 15, 2023 at 9:00 am

Mountain bikes feature different amounts of suspension travel depending on the type of riding they’re designed for.

Suspension travel describes the amount of movement a suspension fork or rear shock has. It is usually a measurement of how far the wheel axle moves in a vertical or near-vertical plane as the suspension compresses.

Depending on the discipline of riding the bike is designed for, the suspension travel can vary from 80 to 200mm. While more travel may seem better, helping you soak up lumps and bumps, it can be a hindrance if your riding includes lots of climbing or you benefit from a light, responsive bike.

This means deciding on the right amount of travel for your needs can be difficult, but there are a few factors to keep in mind, including your riding style and the type of trails and terrain you’ll be tackling.

Bike manufacturers design their mountain bikes around different travel lengths, tailored to specific terrains or riding disciplines, and categorise the bikes accordingly. As a result, looking at the different categories of mountain bikes, their intended application and travel length is a handy way to determine how much travel you need and what bike you should get.

In this guide, we’ll explain the different mountain bike categories and how much suspension travel they typically have.

Cross-country mountain bikes

Cyclist riding the Giant Anthem Advanced Pro 29 1 full suspension mountain bike

The best cross-country mountain bikes are designed to compete in high-level, fast races, where lightness and pedalling efficiency are often the keys to success.

Typically, cross-country bikes have featured 80 to 100mm of travel. Because cross-country race courses have become more extreme and technical, it is now common to see bikes designed around 120mm travel front and rear, such as Scott’s Spark RC .

Using less suspension travel than other mountain bikes means cross-country bikes can be built with a lighter frame construction because less reinforcement is needed to deal with the lower frame articulation. This helps riders race up the kinds of inclines that characterise XC races .

The short-travel forks used on cross-country bikes also help to keep weight down because they utilise a lighter chassis and narrower stanchions, usually 30 to 32mm in diameter.

Stanchions are the part of the fork connected to the crown and remain rigid to the bike while the lowers move up and down over them.

The trade-off for this weight saving comes in the form of fork flex, which impacts the directness of steering inputs and the overall ability of the fork to perform in gnarlier terrain as friction levels build on the seals.

A short-travel fork will also run out of travel quicker compared to one with more travel. Although setup and damper performance will dictate a lot of factors in how proficiently it absorbs bumps, less travel means it won’t absorb bigger bumps as well as a long-travel fork.

Hardtail mountain bikes are also well-represented in cross-country, because rigid frames allow for the highest pedalling efficiency. However, the traction and descending ability of full-suspension bikes make them desirable to many riders.

Downcountry mountain bikes

Downcountry bikes aim to balance a cross-country bike’s efficiency with a trail bike’s downhill capability.

‘Downcountry’ is a relatively new mountain bike discipline and isn’t that well defined as a result. But in terms of suspension, these bikes range from beefed up cross-country at 110mm of travel, to lightweight trail with around 130mm front and rear travel.

Having slightly more travel than an outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes are more capable on descents. However, with shorter travel than trail bikes, they still offer greater pedalling efficiency than burlier bikes.

Downcountry bike frames can be made lighter than trail bikes because the demand on the frame is less. This means they require less material in their construction because they don’t require the same amount of strength as a trail or enduro bike needs.

Downcountry bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter. This gives higher levels of rigidity to the fork, making steering inputs more direct, although concessions are still made to weight savings.

Trail mountain bikes

Cyclist in red top riding the Canyon Spectral 125 CF 7 full suspension mountain bike

Trail bikes are one of the most popular types of mountain bike. They are designed to straddle the line between enduro bikes and cross-country bikes, providing a ride that’s fun but capable.

Confident on descents and fairly capable on climbs, trail bikes typically have between 120 and 160mm of suspension travel.

Trail bikes at the longer end of the suspension-travel spectrum cross the boundary into all-mountain. Typically, these bikes will feature beefier frame construction to deal with the added suspension travel.

The optimum amount of travel depends on what terrain or trails you like to ride, and where you’d like to progress with your riding. 140mm is ideal for even the toughest trail centres, with more travel being required for gnarlier ambitions.

Forks with mid-sized stanchions, either 34mm, 35mm or 36mm in diameter, are common on trail bikes. These shift the balance away from lightness toward rigid stability for better handling while descending. Less flexibility in the fork will mean more direct steering input, making the bike feel more planted through the rough stuff.

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Enduro mountain bikes

YT Capra Mk III Core 2 enduro mountain bike-21

Enduro bikes are designed to meet the demands of enduro racing , which consists of multiple downhill stages that riders have to reach within a set time limit. As a result, enduro bikes have to perform well on technical descents while providing a decent pedalling platform to get you to the top of the trail in good time.

Travel for enduro bikes starts at 150mm and ranges up to 180mm. There is a 190mm-travel version of RockShox’s enduro-focused ZEB fork, but you’re more likely to see this attached to a freeride or bike park bike.

Enduro bikes require a burly frame construction in order to cope with the demands of downhill trails.

Head tubes have to be stronger to deal with the extra force coming from the long-travel fork, while the rear linkage has to be able to support the extra articulation.

This added frame construction makes the frame heavier, impacting efficiency when going uphill, but the pay-off is worth it when coming back down.

Forks within this travel range prioritise rigidity over weight savings, with thicker stanchions of 36mm to 38mm, providing direct steering inputs and a solid feel as you ride over gnarly terrain.

Downhill mountain bikes

male cyclist riding orange full suspension mountain bike in woods

Downhill bikes are designed for, you guessed it, riding downhill. The discipline doesn’t require the bike to be pedalled on uphill or even flat terrain, enabling designers to focus solely on providing the best platform for descending steep and technical trails.

These bikes feature some of the longest suspension travel, ranging from 180 to 200mm, helping to protect riders from large, repeated impacts.

Frames have to be built to the highest strength levels to cope with the impacts you experience on downhill trails. Although downhill frames are heavier than those intended for other disciplines, it’s less important to have light frames because you’re not pedalling them uphill.

Downhill forks feature the thickest stanchion, ranging from 35 to 40mm in diameter, because they deal with the most extreme terrain and require the greatest rigidity.

Weight isn’t a big issue for downhill bikes, so the added heft is worth the trade-off for the performance gains.

The forks on downhill bikes have a dual-crown design, meaning the fork mounts above and below the head tube, as opposed to single-crown forks, which mount only from below. This adds more torsional stiffness to the fork, helping to keep steering inputs direct through the toughest terrain and providing strength for big impacts.

Electric mountain bikes

Male cyclist in blue top riding the Nukeproof Megawatt 297 Factory full suspension eMTB

Electric mountain bikes are heavy, even compared to downhill bikes. The added weight a battery and motor bring means frames as well as components have to be engineered to cope with the extra weight – and contribute even more weight to the bike in the process.

Electric bikes can be categorised by the other disciplines featured in this article and will tend to feature the travel of that discipline.

The best electric mountain bikes will feature e-MTB specific forks and shocks, some with thicker stanchions for rigidity, and custom tunes that are suited to the heavier weight of the bike.

Because you’ll have a motor, there won’t be a trade-off in having a bike with more travel (and therefore weight), with the bike taking up the burden on the hills.

What about hardtail mountain bikes?

Male cyclist in black top riding a Radon Cragger 8.0 hardtail mountain bike over rough terrain

Hardtail mountain bikes have a suspension fork and a rigid rear end. They can be seen in a variety of disciplines, though are mainly represented in the cross-country and trail disciplines. They are also popular when it comes to budget mountain bikes because the simplicity of their design and less suspension means less cost.

As with other types of mountain bikes, fork travel is usually dependent on discipline. Cross-country hardtails typically have 100mm of travel, but more aggressive hardtails can have suspension travel of up to 150mm.

Some manufacturers will design frames with flex points in the rear triangle, allowing for vertical compliance in the frame. This improves comfort when sat in the saddle, and to a smaller extent rear-wheel traction while climbing.

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Nick Clark is a digital writer for BikeRadar, focusing on all things mountain bikes. Having raced XC for most of his youth, he has a deep understanding of the sport and loves bounding around the UK to spectate at events. A mountain biker at heart, Nick helped create a community of trail builders in his local forest in North Wales. Nick also loves road cycling, where he has completed the holy trinity of spectating at all three grand tours in their host countries. Described as having a good engine in his racing days, it’s now common to see Nick wheel-sucking on club rides and sprinting for town signs. He also enjoys bike touring and has completed numerous travels on the west coast of Europe, most recently riding from Lisbon to Roscoff. Nick has built many of his bikes from the frame up and has a keen eye for technical detail. He is currently riding a YT Capra on the trails and a Focus Izalco Max for the road.

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Bike Friendly Travel

So you’re coming to Whistler to ride your bike. When going to ride abroad, many mountain bikers ask themselves the same question year on year – “How do I travel with my bike?” In addition to getting from A to B, this means you’ll be packing not only your gear but your bike as well. While these tasks can be daunting, there are a number of ways to travel easily and safely with your prized possession. Here are some steps to bike friendly travel.

STEP 1: Invest In A Bike Bag

When traveling, your bike must be packed in a rigid and/or hard shell container specifically designed for shipping. Many choose to ship in a cardboard bike box but bike bags or bike suitcases are the easiest as well as the safest packing solution. Handlebars must be fixed sideways, pedals must be removed and tires must be partially deflated for air travel. Remember to be conscious of weight if you are flying as extra charges may occur.

STEP 2: Decide What Bike To Bring

Whistler has a variety of types of mountain biking available. There are copious amounts of all-mountain trails surrounding the village, cross-country loops, and of course, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. This leads to the dilemma of what bike to pack. In short, bring an aggressive all-mountain bike if you have one. It can be ridden on all types of trails including the bike park. Rental options are available for downhill and cross-country should you want another bike.

STEP 3: What To Pack

Together with packing necessities, you will have to include your mountain bike gear as well as tools to rebuild and maintain your bike while abroad. Here is a quick reference list for what to pack:

Set of allen keys (make sure you have one large enough for your pedals)
Torque wrench if possible
Tire levers
Helmet (Full face and half shell for DH and all-mountain trails)

STEP 4: Getting From The Airport

There are a number of ways to get from the airport to Whistler with your bike box or bag. You can book a shuttle , rent a vehicle, or even fly . Regardless, planning ahead will save a lot of hassle and waiting around.

STEP 5: Choose A Bike Friendly Hotel

When booking your Whistler mountain bike holiday, make sure to book a bike friendly hotel. Bike bags are big, so you will want to think about where you will be storing these during your stay. You will also want to know where your bike will be stored when you are not using it. At the Listel Hotel Whistler, we offer secure bike storage and a bike wash station.

Safe travels and see you on the trails!

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Honda debuts advanced mountain bike in the new e-MTB Concept

As automakers focus more on transitioning to electrification, the number of weird electric concept vehicles has grown. Some companies seem hellbent on creating the most futuristic vehicles possible, but some have taken a less aggressive approach. Honda , like its home country rival, Toyota , has been slow to move with EVs, but the company’s latest concept shows that it’s thinking about the different ways electrification can fit into everyday transportation. Its newest concept is an electric mountain bike with wild styling and a large battery pack, but details are scarce, and there’s a great chance the bike never reaches consumers

Though its EV program isn’t as robust as some, Honda has a range of electric and hybrid vehicles in its catalog, such as small cars and scooters. The e-MTB Concept looks surprisingly complete and robust for the first mountain bike effort from an automaker. Honda said its frame and swingarm are built with thin-wall aluminum casting technology, frequently used on advanced motorcycles .

Honda hasn’t detailed specs for the bike, but some have suggested it uses a Brose mid-drive motor and an SRAM Eagle AXS drivetrain. We can see Shimano brakes , Fox suspension, and Maxxis tires in the shots Honda shared.

While some electric mobility concepts focus on urban settings and navigating city streets, the Honda e-MTB concept is meant to perform outdoors. The automaker said, “The e-MTB concept expands the field of ability in nature. Easily going uphill with electric assistance, this bike offers a new riding experience that combines the FUN of motorcycles and FUN of a mountain bike. It is being developed to enable anyone to enjoy riding mountainous trails more freely.”

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The Indoor Cycling Plan That Will Help You Maintain Your Fitness Through Winter

All the advice you need to keep your cardio up, including a weekly program.

a cyclist riding an indoor trainer in a living room

Luckily, stationary trainers make indoor cycling accessible and simple for those who live in winter climates.

If you’re not someone who looks forward to trainer season and sees the winter as a time to maintain fitness rather than add to it, we have all the advice you need to do so. For those who love racing on Zwift or using a WattBike workout to boost their FTP , winter is less about maintenance and more about making improvements, but platforms like these (and the tips we have here) can also help keep you riding steady.

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No matter your winter goals, we have the best ways for you to make the most of your indoor training and maintain your fitness straight through winter. Consider this guide—including an indoor cycling plan that’s all about maintenance—your ticket to elevated rides come spring (no slogging through those first few sessions for you!).

Make Indoor Training Exciting

Riding your trainer doesn’t have to be a drag! The trainer makes maintenance simple: Have your trainer permanently set up in a well-ventilated room or garage and rather than taking 20 minutes to get ready to ride, you can be pedaling away in under two minutes. Plus, during the holiday season when kids are home from school or your schedule gets super hectic, the trainer makes it easy to get your workout done right at home.

“We’re so lucky with trainers now, because you can maintain fitness with such little time thanks to the efficiency that they provide,” says former pro Christian Vande Velde , who now works with the Breakaway App , which provides AI-based coaching for cyclists. “When you train indoors, you never stop pedaling. There are no stoplights, there’s no traffic. You can do uninterrupted perfect intervals every time and be solely focused on your own performance.”

Prioritize Consistency

If you have four hours to train per week, make it these workouts: three 45-minute rides, one hour-long ride and a strength training session . This will be much better for maintenance—and possibly even gains!—compared to a single four-hour ride. Moving in some capacity most days will serve you better than cramming your riding into one to two days, says Ryan Kohler of Fast Talk Labs .

Kohler prefers ride durations of at least 45 minutes whenever possible—though if 30 minutes is all you have time for, that’s much better than nothing! You can maintain your fitness in as little as three hours per week if you can spread that out over three to four rides, he says.

Ideally, you’d add an hour of strength on top of that. Plus, it’s smart to add in some other movement types when possible (like taking your pup on a few longer walks rather than the usual backyard pee stop).

Strength Train Regularly

Speaking of strength, Kohler is a huge fan of weight training in the offseason/maintenance season for both overall health and power-boosting reasons. “I try to push everyone to integrate some strength into their training during this time of year,” he says. “It’s motivating to just see what you can accomplish when you first start strength training , and it gives you new goals to work toward so you’re not focused solely on cycling metrics .”

You don’t need an aggressive strength training plan, though. Cyclists can make major strength gains with a few basic bodyweight exercises or dumbbell workouts .

Have a Purpose for Each Ride

For many people, you’re not here (and by here, we mean on Zwift Island) to make friends. You’re in this to get on the bike, get your ride done, and get back to your day—and that’s fine! But don’t just pop on the bike and pedal aimlessly for 30 minutes. Each time you get on the bike, you should have a plan for the ride.

You can work with a coach like Kohler or use a program from The Breakaway , Wattbike , or dozens of other training apps to guide your rides, but when you only have a few hours a week to devote to riding, it’s important to have some kind of structure to your days.

“It’s so important to have an intention going into every ride,” says Vande Velde. “Having a plan that you follow helps take away the cognitive load of trying to figure out ‘what should I do today?’ and helps you jump on the bike and just get to it.” (If you want an easy maintenance plan to follow, we’ve got that for you below, too!)

Hit All the Zones Most Weeks

Most of us have a favorite zone or two to ride in. Everyone loves a zone 1 recovery ride at a nice easy pace, and most riders have a certain type of higher-intensity zone where they thrive. Maybe you love doing hour after hour at tempo pace, or you prefer ultra-high-intensity, all-out sprints . Maybe you’re one of the few who just loves the grind of riding at threshold for long intervals.

It’s tempting to stick to just one type of workout while in maintenance mode, thinking you’re simplifying things. But Charlotte Backus , cycling coach and Wattbike ambassador, points out that if you stay in just one or two zones, those are the only zones you maintain.

“My biggest advice is to touch on each zone on a weekly basis,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be fancy: Have a day that’s all in zone 2 endurance , have a day where you’re doing some tempo, have a day of threshold work , and then have a day where you’re doing sprints. Just make sure you warm up and cool down before your intervals!”

Don’t Skimp on Recovery

Maintenance mode may seem like a great time to drop a couple of pounds, but Backus warns against skimping on recovery postride. Sure, you’re not out there doing a five-hour sufferfest, but if you’re hopping on the bike first thing in the morning , you still are finishing that ride depleted. And around your ride is not the time to be cutting calories!

“I love a recovery shake , but it doesn’t have to be fancy: You can blend a banana with a half scoop of protein powder or a scoop of peanut butter in there,” Backus says. Just aim for around 3 grams of carbohydrate to 1 gram of protein to replenish your glycogen after a ride and help jumpstart the muscle recovery process.

“I often hear from clients that they feel sore , and I tell them to add a recovery shake after every ride—after a week, they’re not sore anymore and they find they have more energy,” she adds.

Make Riding Your Meditation

Maintenance mode for most cyclists is also the time of year where work and family life takes the front seat and health/fitness moves into the back. But the winter is also the time we often need some extra self-care. So rather than viewing every trainer ride as a serious workout or distracting yourself with movies or virtual racing, take part of every ride as your moving meditation and turn off all the background noise. (Don’t worry, you can still pedal on Zwift while you do this—just flip the screen so you can’t see it!)

“A lot of people are crunched on time—they have full-time jobs and families—and they’re always pushing energy out,” says Backus. “You need to have energy coming in! I think of my trainer time as my meditation . That’s my time for myself, where I fill up my energy cup. Figure out what you need to add or subtract to make your trainer rides feel like they give you more energy rather than take energy away.”

Build Endurance... and Then Sprint!

Even if you’re not willing to commit to a training plan or formal schedule, make an effort to throw in a few sprints during most rides. A 2020 research study found that when even a small amount of sprinting was introduced to low-intensity training, it allowed elite cyclists to maintain both their sprint power and their threshold power. After seeing this, Kohler started adding more sprints for his athletes when they’re in maintenance mode.

“Adding just a few sprint efforts makes for a great workout , because it’s mostly easy riding but it’s broken up so it doesn’t get boring,” he says. “So you have the aerobic maintenance of riding in zone 1 and 2, but then there’s these very short, maximal six-second efforts where you get that neuromuscular component that adds strength and power—without pushing too far into heavily structured training this time of year.”

Skip the Monster Days

Maintenance mode may only require a couple of hours per week, but a singular three-hour ride isn’t as good as four 45-minute rides when it comes to maintaining fitness, says Kohler. “If you have limited time, aim for consistency and give your body the repeated signal to maintain your fitness,” he says.

“If we’re just trying to be heroes every weekend and maxing ourselves out one day a week, that’s not going to help you improve,” Vande Velde adds. “You never want to do one ride and need a full week to recover!” (He also notes that on the indoor trainer, people tend to go just a bit too hard, too often—keep an eye on how often you’re doing intervals rather than riding at endurance pace , and don’t do more than two to three interval-based rides per week.)

There’s a small caveat here, though: If you’re an advanced cyclist who’s been riding for years and are making time to get on the trainer a couple of times during the week, you can likely handle a higher weekend load if you suddenly find yourself with the free time and energy to head out for a long ride with friends. Just be careful to not overdo it!

A Sample Training Week in Maintenance Mode

The nice thing about maintaining your fitness using the indoor trainer is that whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced cyclist, the workouts are the same. The only thing that changes is your power —the stronger you are, the higher your power will be in the different zones.

Because this plan focuses on maintenance, the time for each workout will remain the same—but if you do have an extra 30 minutes to add to a ride during the week or are able to sneak outside for a long endurance ride, feel free to add more time in zone 2 to any ride!

Five days of riding too much? Consider Thursday’s and Sunday’s workouts optional.

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 45-60 minutes zone 2 with 3 x 10 minutes at tempo; optional strength training
Wednesday: 45-90 minutes zone 2 with 10 x 6-second all-out sprints with 2 minutes of rest in between OR if riding for 90 minutes, try 3 x (3 x 30-second sprints with 4 minutes of rest in between sprints), 15 minutes of zone 2 between each set
Thursday: 45-60 minutes zone 2
Friday: strength training
Saturday: 60-90 minutes in zone 2
Sunday: 45-60 minutes zone 2 with 15-20 minutes at threshold

.css-1nafcwp:before{background-color:#F8D811;color:#000;-webkit-background-position:center;background-position:center;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:1.25rem;background-size:1.25rem;content:'';display:inline-block;height:1.75rem;margin:0 0.625rem -0.125rem 0;width:1.75rem;}.loaded .css-1nafcwp:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/bicycling/static/images/chevron-design-element.c42d609.svg);} Indoor Cycling

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What is Travel on a Mountain Bike?

May 4, 2022

One of the most popular types of mountain biking is travel on a bike.

The rider will use their own legs to power the bike up and down hills, but may also use their hands on the handlebars to balance themselves while they are pedaling.

The terrain can also vary from flat terrain with easy access to lifts, all the way uphill with limited access to lifts.

Table of Contents

Buying Guide for the Best Mountain Bike for Beginners or Experts

Buying a mountain bike can be confusing, especially for someone who is just starting out. With all the different types of bikes and brands out there, it can be hard to decide which one to buy.

In this article, we will cover the basics of choosing a mountain bike that is right for you. There are many factors to consider when buying a mountain bike so don’t worry if you aren’t sure what exactly to look for in your next purchase.

When it comes to buying a mountain bike, the first thing you need to do is determine your needs. Is it for recreational use? Are you going on long rides? Do you want something that’s durable and reliable? There are many factors that go into deciding what type of bike is best for you so don’t worry if this seems overwhelming

Why Is It Necessary to Travel Using a Mountain Bike?

Traveling by mountain bike is the best way to get around the world.

They’re also great for getting around in areas where you can’t drive on roads, such as when exploring the mountains or jungles of Southeast Asia or Africa.

The best way to travel by mountain bike is to buy one that fits your needs and then learn how to ride it properly.

How Fast Can You Go? – The Basics of Speed Comparison in Mountain Biking

Speed is one of the most important characteristics of mountain biking. It is a critical factor in determining the outcome of a race or ride. In this article, we will explore how downhill and uphill speeds compare with each other using some basic mathematics.

The downhill speed can be defined as the speed at which a rider moves from point A to point B on the downward slope. The uphill speed can be defined as the speed at which a rider moves from point A to point B on an upward slope.

A rider’s downhill speed is always greater than their uphill speed because gravity pulls them down faster than it pulls them up. This is because gravity accelerates objects with mass towards Earth’s center, and it does so with twice as much force for every unit of distance traveled; therefore if a mass of 1 kg is being pulled towards the center of Earth at a rate of 10 m/s, it will be accelerated at 20 m/s.The rider’s speed will increase when they are on the downhill portion of their ride due to gravity. This can be seen in this graph:

Five Tips for Riding Your First Mountain Bike Trail

Mountain biking is a thrilling sport that can be enjoyed by beginners and experts alike. However, there are some basic skills that you should learn before taking your first ride on a mountain bike.

1. Practice safety precautions: Always wear your helmet, use hand signals to communicate with others on the trail, and obey all traffic signs and rules of the trail.

2. Learn how to balance: Start riding in a straight line first, then practice turning left and right while keeping your balance.

3. Start slow: If you’re just starting out with mountain biking, start off slowly by riding on flat terrain or using a bicycle trainer at home to get used to the feel of riding before venturing out on real trails

4. Don’t forget about your bike: Take care of your bike so it lasts a long time and doesn’t need to be replaced too often!

Avoiding Common Mistakes on the Trail

This article explains the common mistakes that people make while biking trails. The article also provides solutions to these mistakes.

Mistake #1: Biking on a trail too close to the road

Solution: Keep your distance from the road and avoid riding on the shoulder of the road.

Mistake #2: Riding fast on a trail

Solution: Slow down and take your time when biking on a trail. Take your time so that you don’t tire yourself out.

How to Pack for a Backcountry Ride with a Mountain Bike

Pack your bike properly to ensure you have everything you need for a safe and enjoyable ride.

Packing for a backcountry ride with a mountain bike can be tricky.

Some of the items that are important to pack include:

– A pump (to inflate tires or repair punctures)

– Spare tube – Spare tire (if needed) – Multi-tool (for minor repairs) – Tire levers (for removing and replacing tires) – Chain lubricant

How to Travel Safely and Effectively With Your Mountain Bike

Every year, there are more people who are biking and traveling. With the growing popularity of mountain biking, it is important to focus on safety so that you can enjoy your ride without accidents.

The most common cause of accidents on a bike is not due to speed but rather a lack of concentration and awareness. This article provides some tips on how to stay safe while riding your bike.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Experience?

Most mountain bikers have a favorite time of day they like to go ride their bikes. There are certain hours that offer the best conditions for mountain biking.

The morning is usually a good time to go ride because the sun is rising, but it can get too hot in the afternoon. The best time for mountain biking is in the early evening when it has cooled down enough to be enjoyable and not too hot.

There are some other factors that contribute to your experience on a mountain bike as well, such as how much vegetation there is and how much traffic you might encounter on your route.

What are the Advantages of Traveling on a Mountain Bike?

If you are looking for a fun and different type of travel, mountain biking is a perfect choice. It can be a challenging sport, but it can also be a relaxing and refreshing activity.

The advantages of traveling on a mountain bike include:

-You will get plenty of exercises that are good for your health.

-You will see places that you would not have seen otherwise.

– Enjoy the scenery more than if you were walking or driving.

– Experience nature in a whole new way

Top 10 Fun Things to Do in the Mountains When You’re Biking

It is a common misconception that mountain biking is not for beginners. However, there are a lot of fun things to do when you’re biking in the mountains. Here are 10 activities that you can enjoy when you’re riding your bike in the mountains.

1) Take pictures of yourself and your friends

2) Running downhill with your bike

3) Cycling on unpaved roads

4) Riding on dirt trails

5) Going off-road without a helmet

6) Jumping over waterfalls

7) Riding through tunnels

8) Climbing to the top of a mountain

9) Hiking on foot trails and climbing stairs to get to some cool spots

10) Exploring caves and other natural wonders

3 Types of Mountain Bikes You Need To Know About

Mountain bikes are a popular type of bike that most people enjoy riding. There are three types of mountain bikes that you should know about.

Mountain Bike Types:

– Hardtail: This type of bike has a frame with no front suspension and is designed for going fast and jumping obstacles.

– Full Suspension: This type of mountain bike has a frame with front suspension that absorbs shock from bumps and keeps the body in place over rough terrain.

– XC (Cross Country): This type of mountain bike is designed for riders who want to go on trails or ride through the woods, but still have fun doing it.

Locking Your Bicycle & Protecting it from Theft with a Lock or U-Lock System

What is travel on a mountain bike? When you own a bicycle, it is important to make sure that it is locked up properly.

The first step in securing your bicycle is to purchase a lock or u-lock system. There are many different types of locks available on the market, but they all have the same goal in mind – protecting your bike from theft.

There are two main types of locks: U-locks and cable locks. U-locks are commonly used because they can be easily locked around a pole or other object, while cable locks must be looped around an object in order to secure them.

The Best Ways to Ride Your Bike for Fun or for Safety

What is Travel on a Mountain Bike? Biking is a healthy and fun way to get around, but it can also be dangerous if you aren’t careful. This article will provide some tips on how to ride your bike safely and have more fun while doing so.

According to the League of American Bicyclists, in 2015 there were 466 bicyclist deaths in the United States, which is up from a total of 447 bicyclist deaths for all of 2014. In order to prevent these deaths, it’s important that you take precautions when biking.

Many people choose biking as their form of transportation because it’s an inexpensive and sustainable way to commute or travel. It’s also a great way for people who are new to cycling or who are recovering from injuries or surgeries.

In order to enjoy the ride, you need to be able to see the trail. That is why it is important for you to get a bike that has lights and reflectors.

If you’re looking for your first mountain bike now, it’s best that you get a hardtail so you can take it day or night. Hardtails are lighter and cheaper than full-suspension bikes which means they are easier to carry around. Full-suspension bikes also have more parts which could lead to more damage if they fall over. For more articles to read please visit here

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8 Travel Shoes to Make Your Holiday Trips Slightly Less Terrible

Posted: November 9, 2023 | Last updated: November 9, 2023

In the year of our lord 2023, we’re beyond lamenting the woes of holiday travel. ( We have already done this, to be fair .) It will be heinous. It will be awful. Much of it will be spent on our feet, in traffic or rolling an overstuffed carry-on through days-old slush. So instead of whining, we’re doing the sensible, adult thing, and planning for this intrusion . Item number one to take care of? That’d be commandeering a pair of the best travel shoes we can find.

The Best Boots for Men, From Chelsea to Chukka and Beyond

The best travel shoes for men.

Best overall: Birkenstock Boston Shearling-Lined Clog
Best slip-on: The North Face ThermoBall Traction Mules V
The dressy option: Yuketen Bit Loafer
Most versatile: Blundstone 510 Classic Boot
Best slipper: Ugg Classic Mini Boot
Best sneaker: Nike ACG Mountain Fly 2 Low Sneaker
The celeb endorsement: Lusso Cloud Scenario Slip-On
Trendiest pick: Gardenheir French Recycled Hemp Garden Clogs

This is a trickier task than it might first appear. After all, there are plenty of types of travel and tons of shoes that generally suck at delivering a painless experience whether on the road or in the skies, and after you’ve arrived at your destination. That is where we come in — as jetsetters, pro travelers and glorified test monkeys, we’ve put dozens of styles to the test when traversing TSA, I-95 and everything in between.

What Should You Look for When Buying Travel Shoes?

As we previously mentioned, there are tons of types of travel, but some universal rules of thumb stick out when choosing the best travel shoe for your upcoming journeys. Comfort should trump aesthetics every time (warning: ultra-push trainers can cramp the foot on six-hour flights) and shoes that prioritize breathability and easy adjustment or removal naturally make a ton of sense.

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Perhaps these instructions strike you as vague, or perhaps you just don’t want to hunt through the thousands of boots and sneakers clogging up the interwebs or your local DSW. We got you covered, with eight expertly-selected picks that we’ve personally used to traverse the continent, and in some cases the globe. There are ultra-popular Birkenstock slides, versatile Cheslea boots, artesian clogs and much, much more. Choose what feels right for you, and remember that your gate agent is a person, too. Below, the best travel shoes for men this holiday season.

The Travel Shoe to Rule ‘Em All: Birkenstock Boston Shearling-Lined Clog

Birkenstock boston shearling-lined clog.

As we mentioned, we’ve flown, driven and Ubered in dozens of shoes, and, to exactly nobody’s surprise, our go-to travel shoe remains Birkenstock’s wildly popular Boston clog. Snug enough to surefoot your way through baggage claim or up an icy driveway, all while remaining incredibly easy to slip off on the JetBlue flight (just put them back on before you go to the bathroom, please), they’re sensible, pack down beautifully, and, if you secure a pair of the shearling-lined versions, beefy enough to deal with chilly temps. Do yourself a favor and just buy a pair already.

Birkenstock’s New Boston Clogs Strike a Serious Cord

The snuggly slip-on: the north face thermoball traction mules v, the north face thermoball traction mules v.

If Birkenstock’s behemoth isn’t quite your speed, The North Face offers a sleeping bag-style alternative in their ThermoBall Mules, a weatherproof slip-on that’s designed with the same technology as the outdoor brand’s best-selling jackets. A collapsable heal makes them just as easy to pull on, and their crunchy, semi-bulbous look should do enough to appease crunchy and hypey travelers alike.

The Dressy Option: Yuketen Bit Loafer

Yuketen bit loafer.

Traveling for work? Jetsetting for a wedding? Luckily for you, Yuketen’s Bit Loafer offers a smart option that is still a joy to earn skymiles in. Crafted from an Italian-tanner leather that’s hand-sewn by leather artisans in Maine, these loafers are set atop an original rubber camp sole, providing a flexible and forgiving alternative to the typically stiff dress shoes outsole. Trust us, they’re worth every penny.

The Do-It-All Travel Boot: Blundstone 510 Classic Boot

Blundstone 510 classic boot.

Of course, not everyone has the luxury of galavanting around in slippers. Whether your trip necessitates packing light or some serious TOT (time on toes), Blundstone’s versatile Chelsea is the only way to go. Built on a sturdy outsole and featuring signature pull tabs for easy on-off-ability, they can handle literally anything you throw at them — an eight-hour drive, a serious snow shoveling session or just the approving looks for local buddies and former high school crushes.

The True Travel Slipper: Ugg Classic Mini Boot

Ugg classic mini boot.

Grow up. Uggs are for everyone, and anyone who says otherwise is denying themselves the pleasure of a snuggly-wuggly experience for the dogs. Just make sure you were socks, else risk hateful eyes in the TSA line.

For Serious Sneakerheads: Nike ACG Mountain Fly 2 Low Sneaker

Nike acg mountain fly 2 low sneaker.

Laces? In the airport terminal? Even the most dedicated sneakerhead — the one to rock, ten to stock among you — will agree that it’s a hard no. So what to do? How will people know that you are insufferable, and you will happily talk to them about it? Salomon is the easy answer, but we’d suggest a deeper cut from Nike’s latest ACG drop. The Mountain Fly 2 Low has a similar lace toggle for easy adjustments, but we find it’s cushy foam midsole —designed for tackling tough terrain — to be kinder on the underfoot than the average technical shoe’s rock-hard sole plate. Plus, they go very hard.

The Celeb-Endorsed Kicks: Lusso Cloud Scenario Slip-On

Lusso cloud scenario slip-on.

Celebs, they’re just like us! In the sense that they also love an affordable slip-on that still counts as a socially acceptable shoe, despite being breathable af thanks to a preferred foam design. Shawn Mendes, Justin Bieber , a Joe-Bro and more have all been spotted rocking Lusso Cloud’s airy slip-ons around town, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

The Trendy Travel Flex: Gardenheir French Recycled Hemp Garden Clogs

Gardenheir french recycled hemp garden clogs.

Travel shoes are all about comfort, functionality and ease…but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a ‘fit off while you’re at it. This hemp clog from Gardenheir, chic garden supply importer for and menswear brand extraordinaire, is weatherproof and makes total sense for cross-country flights, but also ticks all the swag-goo boxes we’re looking for in 2023 — tastefully minimalist, built to be worn with chunky socks and generally indicative that you have a standing date with McNally Jackson for your monthly mag pickup.

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We've put in the work researching, reviewing and rounding up all the shirts, jackets, shoes and accessories you'll need this season, whether it's for yourself or for gifting purposes. Sign up here for weekly style inspo direct to your inbox.

The post 8 Travel Shoes to Make Your Holiday Trips Slightly Less Terrible appeared first on InsideHook .

a collage of the best travel shoes for men on a runway background

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Mountain Bike Trials
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How to fly with your bike
We've also got 15 tips for travelling with your bike from our readers, a separate article with detailed advice on how to pack your bike, our pick of the best bike boxes and bike bags,...
How To Safely Transport Your Mountain Bikes on a Long Distance Road
1. Put the bikes inside the vehicle if at all possible. My setup for our 2012 road trip, in which we logged about 12,000 miles of driving. Photo: Greg Heil If you're able to transport all of the bikes inside the vehicle, it eliminates almost all of the other points on this list.
How To Fly With Your Bike: The Ultimate Guide
Flying With a Mountain Bike Flying With a Bike: An Overview There are three major variables to consider any time you fly with your bike. First, the safety of your equipment—you want to be confident your bike will arrive intact and undamaged at your destination.
How to pack your mountain bike up for travel: 8 tips
How to pack your mountain bike for travel Our step-by-step guide to packing your bike for an overseas trip. By Wilson Low 6 min readPublished on 07/14/2017 · 4:19 AM PDT With modern...
How to travel with a bike: The ultimate packing guide
1. How do I book my bike on a train or plane? Whether you're flying or taking the train, it's always good to book your bike onboard beforehand. Some train companies and airlines charge extra...
Tips on how to travel with your bike
EW: Packing your mountain bike for flights can seem a daunting prospect, but we've put together our top tips on how to travel with your bike to make it as stress-free as possible. We researched and now want to share our thoughts on how to travel with your bike around the world By Euan Wilson, H+I Adventures owner
How To Fly With A Bike
So you're going on a riding holiday with your mountain bike, should you choose a cardboard bike box or dedicated bike travel bag to fly with? Here's Neil wit...
9 Mountain Bike Road Trip Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them
Here are nine classic mistakes, and tips on how to avoid them to ensure your next bike trip is full of singletrack, smiles and high-fives. 1. Planning an Overly Ambitious Schedule and then Sticking to it Relentlessly. You want to cover as much distance as possible so you can ride ALL the trails.
Guide to Travelling with a Mountain Bike
The vertical bike rack has quickly become one of the most popular options for travelling with a mountain bike, and for good reason. Boasting increased carrying capacity, security, ease of use and a durable design that stands up to the elements, it's one of the most efficient ways to get a bunch of bikes to the trail.
How to Travel Internationally With Your Mountain Bike
Christine Dern traveling with multiple bikes. Photo courtesy Christine Dern Cardboard bike boxes are usually free from your local bike shop, but can be awkward to cart around. Photo by Christine Dern The EVOC bike bag is a solid way to travel with a bike. Note the aluminum stand at the base.
Guide to Shipping and Flying with Your Bike
Bikeflights ships domestically and internationally via UPS and FedEx, will pick up your packed bike and ship it for you, and will even sell you a box. Their website is full of helpful tips, and Adventure Cycling members can get a 10 percent discount on bike boxes and cases through the company. Shipbikes operates similarly to Bikeflights in that ...
How To Travel With Your Bike
You select a destination, a person rents his/her bike to you for a specified time, and you pay for it; often, for less than you could rent from a bike shop. You might even make a friend. Domestic travel is first up, because there are more options. I will talk about international travel next.
Travelling With a Bike (Not On It) 5 Useful Tips for Cyclists
5 Useful Tips for Travelling with A Bike. 1. Don't Risk Your Best Ride. While it may sound extreme, there are quite a few upsides to having a bike meant solely for travel. This is less feasible if you simply take a short bus ride to the other side of your city to reach a trail but is much more pertinent for those who travel great distances or ...
5 Tips for Traveling with Your Bike
Use a good travel bag. I've worked in a few bike shops that shipped a lot of bikes, and have flown with bikes well over 80 times. Using a good bike travel case or travel bag can save you bike from being damaged during your adventures. I prefer the Evoc Travel Bag Pro. The removable tray makes it easy to pack, has a removable castor wheel in ...
Travel With Your Mountain Bike
For a regular bike, in many ways flying is the easiest way to travel with your mountain bike. It really is very, very easy. You need to book it in when you book your trip, and there will be some charges which depend on your flight operator. Then you have a few options for how to package it.
What is Travel on a Mountain Bike?
Mountain biking travel is a term that indicates the distance of movement for any moving parts. Before, travel only referred to mountain bike suspension, but now it also incorporates dropper seat posts. The travel distance is typically measured in millimeters (mm) and can range from 80mm on cross-country bikes to 200mm or more on downhill bikes.
Mountain Bike Tours
Ways to Travel / Mountain Bike Tours Take the road less traveled. Road bikes don't have the monopoly on adventure, and sometimes going off the beaten path can have the biggest reward. Trek Travel has international mountain bike trips that showcase the natural beauty of the world around us like no other.
What Does TRAVEL Mean on a Mountain Bike: Is More Travel Better?
What is "Travel" on a Mountain Bike? Travel is simply the maximum distance that either the front or rear suspension of the Mountain Bike can compress, when absorbing force, before bottoming out. The higher the travel the more force the suspension can comfortably absorb. The lower amount of travel the lower amount of force absorbed.
How much suspension travel do I need on my mountain bike?
By Nick Clark Published: January 15, 2023 at 9:00 am Mountain bikes feature different amounts of suspension travel depending on the type of riding they're designed for. Advertisement MPU...
How to Travel with a Mountain Bike
Here are some steps to bike friendly travel. STEP 1: Invest In A Bike Bag. When traveling, your bike must be packed in a rigid and/or hard shell container specifically designed for shipping. Many choose to ship in a cardboard bike box but bike bags or bike suitcases are the easiest as well as the safest packing solution.
Why E-Bikes Are Your Perfect Travel Partner
From their ease-of-use to their low environmental impact, to their wide range of designs, e-bikes make the perfect travel companion. The post Why E-Bikes Are Your Perfect Travel Partner appeared ...
Lux Trail
The Lux Trail is all about riding further, faster, and longer than you ever imagined. With a geometry that's focused on ergonomics, suspension that makes riding more comfortable, and components that let you keep pushing and pushing - it's a dream combination. The Lux Trail is a feature-packed whip too with integrated storage, size-specific ...
Travel with a Folding Bike
It features Montague's patented folding system, and with a flip of the quick-release lever, it can fit into the trunk of your car or closet in 20 seconds. Montague's top-of-the-line folding bike, killing it in the convenience department and still ideal for race day, technical cross country, and fast single-track mountain rides.". Robb Report.
Honda debuts advanced mountain bike in the new e-MTB Concept
The e-MTB Concept looks surprisingly complete and robust for the first mountain bike effort from an automaker. Honda said its frame and swingarm are built with thin-wall aluminum casting technology, frequently used on advanced motorcycles. Honda hasn't detailed specs for the bike, but some have suggested it uses a Brose mid-drive motor and an ...
Indoor Cycling Plan: Tips You Need to Maintain Your Fitness
Wednesday: 45-90 minutes zone 2 with 10 x 6-second all-out sprints with 2 minutes of rest in between OR if riding for 90 minutes, try 3 x (3 x 30-second sprints with 4 minutes of rest in between ...
What Is Travel On A Mountain Bike
A rider's downhill speed is always greater than their uphill speed because gravity pulls them down faster than it pulls them up. This is because gravity accelerates objects with mass towards Earth's center, and it does so with twice as much force for every unit of distance traveled; therefore if a mass of 1 kg is being pulled towards the center of Earth at a rate of 10 m/s, it will be ...
Marlin 5 Gen 2
Weight. Weight. M - 13.97 kg / 30.81 lbs. Bike and frame weights are based off pre-production painted frames at time of publication. Weights may vary in final production. Discover your next great ride with Marlin 5 Gen 2 - 2023, Large. See the bike and visit your local Trek retailer. Shop now!
Top Fuel 5
Discover your next great ride with Top Fuel 5 - 2023, Medium. See the bike and visit your local Trek retailer. Shop now! ... Pre-owned mountain bikes; Top Fuel 5 - 2023, Medium; ... Knock Block 2.0, internal guided routing, downtube guard, magnesium rocker link, Mino Link, ABP, Boost148, 120mm travel. Fork RockShox Recon Silver RL, Solo Air ...
8 Travel Shoes to Make Your Holiday Trips Slightly Less Terrible
The Best Travel Shoes for Men. Best overall: Birkenstock Boston Shearling-Lined Clog. Best slip-on: The North Face ThermoBall Traction Mules V. The dressy option: Yuketen Bit Loafer. Most ...
Slash 9.9 XX1 Flight Attendant Gen 5
Weight. M - 14.70 kg / 32.41 lbs. Bike and frame weights are based off pre-production painted frames at time of publication. Weights may vary in final production. Discover your next great ride with Slash 9.9 XX1 Flight Attendant Gen 5 - 2023, Medium. See the bike and visit your local Trek retailer. Shop now!