Flying with an eBike

Doomanic

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What are people's experiences with flying with an eBike? I'm primarily thinking about issues with the batteries.

@EddieJJ I'm looking at you... ;)
 

Japuserid

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o_O I fly a Paramotor, on the rare occasion the weather's good enough to fly .................but I never take the bike :)
 
E

EddieJ

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Really sorry, but I'm afraid that I can't advise you about this one.

We always drive.

We stop at the same Ibis hotel on the way down, and the manager always lets me park in staff carpark, and then on the way back we stay in another Ibis, which allows the bikes to be stored within the hotel.

I'm not sure what will happen this year though, as the plan is a week visiting relatives in Nuremberg, then head down to Switzerland for the second week. We are going to have an overnight stop on the way to Germany, and as of yet, that is all an unknown detail both in respect of hotel and bike security. The bikes are insured with LV as an extra to the house insurance, but that isn't the point.

P1010206.JPG
 

Doomanic

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I used to be a certified IATA Dangerous Goods Shipper specialising in Lithium batteries but that has now lapsed and the regs have changed. I do know that a 500Wh battery was classed as DG back in 2013 and the regs haven't got any easier. I suspect that hiring a battery in resort is going to be the only option. Seeing @EddieJJ posts about Switzerland had me hoping there was a work around.
 

LukeTurner

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Im certified IATA and you arent able to take anything over 100Wh on a passenger plane, everything above that has to go on a cargo plane or by sea.

The bike would have to go properly packaged, with all the correct labels, signed by someone who is IATA trained, you would also need a carrier that is willing to ship the goods.

If you're dead set on wanting to ride your own bike, as above, ship it without the battery and hire a battery in the country you are going to. Otherwise, save a whole load of hassle/money and just rent the whole bike when you arrive :)
 

Doomanic

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Have you seen how expensive eBike hire is? For a week holiday it would be cheaper to buy a battery in country and chuck it in the bin at the end!
 

Kiwi in Wales

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Hey all, what about this for an idea?

Could you possibly post or courier your battery to where you will be staying in advance of your overseas trip or will you get the same issues as above when you roll up at the post office or arrange a courier re having to declare it is a huge lithium battery?
 

LukeTurner

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The post-office will categorically not post a battery, even if its a pair of AA batteries on their own. The batteries have to be encased in electrical goods.

Just to give you an idea of the actual cost of shipping a battery abroad, you are looking at £100.00 to an EU destination, and it has to be in the correct hazardous goods box, packed by someone who is trained to pack it, and have all the signed shipping declarations with it.

Believe it or not, it is actually easier to ship the battery on the bike, rather than the battery by itself!
 

Kiwi in Wales

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Thanks for the heads up on that, looks like driving it over attached to the bike is going to be the only option ☹️
 

LukeTurner

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Driving it over would be the cheapest option, you wouldn't want to get caught with a 500Wh battery in your hand-luggage! :ROFLMAO:
 

J dog

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Feb 16, 2018
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Just booked an Mtb holiday in the Sierra Nevadas (Spain) from uk. I was pretty desperate to take the electric and as there is 18 of us decided to look at couriers. Found a company called Sherpr, very helpful and they are taking bikes and luggage for about the same price as EasyJet etc. would charge. Plus I don't think we would have got everything on one flight. I realise this only works with a largish group. Incidently does anyone know if the 240v uk charger will work ok on 110v?
 

Doomanic

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I don't think so, mine says Input 230v. Usually a universal input voltage device will say Input: 110-240V.

Why do you need it to work on 110V?
 

J dog

Member
Feb 16, 2018
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Essex
Just dreaming of some of the places I would like to go, several on 110v. Hoping it would work, obviously slower
 

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