Plastic Bike Bag

Anyone know an alternative to the CTC Plastic Bike bag, as Wiggle seem to be out of stock and nowhere else sells it (the CTC shop seems to be a wiggle shop)?

I need one by next Friday (3rd Feb), as going for a week of touring in Spain.

Thanks
Amit

outdoorprotection.co.uk - actually have just checked and it says sold out. Guess you could ring them and see when they expect more stock

Bubble wrap and tape? Discard on arrival and replace with new before leaving?

You could hire a Bike Alan bike box? I don't know where abouts you are but I know Bike Shack at Altrincham hire them, and the company themselves do as well I think. I used one when I went to Lanzarote, and while I've never used a bike bag I wouldn't entertain anything but the Bike Alan bike box now.

There is a HUGE difference in a C2C plastic bag and a bike Alan Bike box. We are really not talking about the same thing are we?

I have just ordered 2 CTC bags and am hoping they get here soon. When they get here I am going to use one as a template to see if I can make one out of spinnaker cloth. It will be the same size, stronger and lighter than the plastic bag and will have a velcro fastening all the way round and can be made in any colour. I will also make a small stuff bag for it to go into. I am a sailmaker by profession and have all the gear.

If it works out I will send you one as long as you come on here and scream as loud as you can, how brilliant it was (with photos) and tell everyone else that they should have one.

PM your e mail address . It will be too late for this trip but ok for your next one.

Steve

I tried emailing CTC but no reply.

Gonna try and get a big double matress polythene bag from a bed shop.

Steve, thats a very nice offer! However I havent got any other touring trips planned this year (annual leave all booked up ) so I might not be the best person to send one too.

Amit

That was going to be my suggestion!! Failing that, get a roll of clingfilm and wrap the bike. Take another roll for the way home. Takes a while...

I use a mattress bag. can't see the difference between that and the CTC. The CTC should print theirs wit a bike or something on it. I bought one of these after been refused with the plastic bag at Biarritz airport. Seems tough enough. At least they cannot say "its not a bike bag". http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bike-Bicy...95?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item1c21d84e23.
Bit late for the OP I know.

Probably too late for you now but Bike Adventures do a similar bag to the CTC bag :
http://www.bikeadventures.co.uk/shop.html

+1 for Bike Adventures

The idea of a "sail bag" sounds great - very strong and light. I am planning a couple of weeks in S. Italy in October and, depending on price, would be interested in a couple of your bike bags for the flight down to Bari and thereafter. Any chance you will go into production? Regards JKB

You should make it so that it doubles up as an actual sail for those 'windy uphill cycles'.

I ordered my CTC bags from Wiggle Ltd in Mid January but they still have not arrived. As soon as they arrive I will have a measure up and see what I can come up with.

Steve

Steve, I tried before to get something like this done. My suggestion if you can do it is not to have velcro all round - will just rip open. The ideal would be a zip across one end. My Bike adventures one is 1200x2050mm and flat design (ie not a box shape when fully open). My suggestion would be to print the words "Bike bag" or similar, and to make from as translucent as a material as possible so baggage handlers can see what it is. Feel free to PM me if you fancy a partnership making/selling these. I am not looking to make money, but see a market for them

I've given you a link to a cheap [£6] bike bag that is already printed up. Have a look.

Huge difference indeed, my suggestion though was based simply on the fact that the OP was clearly traveling overseas, and personally I wouldn't entrust either of my bikes to a bike bag. I know many do and without issue, but if an issue did occur with a bag your bike is getting damaged, whereas with a box the chances are it will be fine in all but the most extreme circumstances.

Jim, I have one quite like that. It is really a cover, and if the same material as mine rips very very easily. The Bike Adventure/CTC ones are tougher and not much pricier.

What I am trying to envisage is one made of super tough but super light sail cloth......my holy grail!

Why wait for the ctc bags? I bought one of them but I never opened the parcel - it weighs 750g and is probably just mattress shaped. With sail cloth, if it's anything like the superlight cuben that Oookworks use, it's expensive material. Why not work on the basis of the minimum size for a touring bike with 700c wheels and a rack? Cut the sillouette twice, a couple of inches spare to allow for the width, stitched together all round but leaving the end open. Personally, I'd go for no zip / velcro to save bulk (I'd just use parcel tape).

To avoid arguments at the airport, it'd be good if it followed the curve of the wheel at the front (so it shouts "bike bag") and it'd be worth experimenting with stencils and spray can to have something official-sounding written big on the side such as "Airline Bike Bag".

One good thing with cuben is that it is sort of see-through.

I was suprised as mine is pretty thick, maybe standards vary depending on what cloth they get hold of. I have some of those covers from the £1 shop and yes they do tear easily but padded out would probably do one trip. We were turned away at easyjet check in last year as they insisted CTC were not bike bags. CTC do need to overprint these bags to defeat the check in jobsworths.