From the health benefits to the cost savings to being green, we all know biking is a great habit. Unfortunately, most of us also know what happens to good habits when we travel … and it's usually not pretty.
But what if getting on a plane didn’t have to disrupt your routines? What if you could bring your bike wherever you go? With the ultra-compact Tern BYB folding bike, you can—and it’s probably a lot easier than you think.
Here's a rundown of what it’s like to pack the BYB for a flight, along with answers to some common questions about traveling with this ultra-compact folding bike.
Contents
- Why travel with the BYB?
- Do I need a special suitcase to travel with the BYB?
- Will I need to bring tools to disassemble and reassemble the BYB?
- Will I need to pay extra baggage fees?
- What else should I pack?
- Recommended accessories
Why travel with the BYB?
Bringing the BYB on a trip lets you enjoy the same things you love about riding at home—easy transportation, exercise, and fun—but in a whole new place. It can also help you save money by skipping car rentals and taxis, while keeping you on your own schedule, even in cities known for traffic and public transport and delays.
It’s great for exploring, running quick errands, and getting in a ride between activities. Instead of relying on the hotel gym, you can simply hop on your bike and experience the destination in a more active, free-flowing way.
This video from Arleigh Greenwald (known online as Bike Shop Girl) shares how bringing a bike along can be part of a thoughtful self-care plan for your next family trip.
Since Arleigh is a mom to two young children, family trips come with plenty of responsibilities. Bringing the BYB makes it easy to sneak in an outdoor workout amidst all the activity. After all, nobody wants to spend their vacation indoors on a treadmill.
Do I need a special suitcase to travel with the BYB?
Yes, we recommend that you pack your BYB in the AirPorter Slim suitcase. It's specially designed to accommodate a folded BYB and has built-in padding to protect your bike on your flight.
Will I need to bring tools to disassemble and reassemble the BYB?
No. Disassembly and reassembly aren’t needed since the BYB folds down small enough to fit inside the AirPorter Slim. However, you may still want to bring a small packable tool kit for emergency roadside repairs or fixing a flat tire while you’re away.
Arleigh shows how she packs the BYB up for travel in another Bike Shop Girl video, demonstrating that it's just a matter of folding (or unfolding) the bike and removing (or replacing) a pedal. You may also want to let some air out of your tires before packing your bike. Don't forget to pump the tires at your destination.
As you can see, the whole process is simple enough for a flight-weary traveler to manage stress-free.
Will I need to pay extra baggage fees?
Probably not. In Arleigh's video about flying with the BYB, she found that her packed AirPorter Slim (which contained the BYB, some accessories, and extras) weighed 23 kg (50.6 lb), and she wasn't charged an extra fee.
On most airlines, the overweight luggage cutoff is around 22.7 kg (50 lb), so you should be able to check a carefully-packed AirPorter Slim without racking up an overweight baggage fee. Bonus points if you fly an airline that allows you to check your bag for free—in that case, bringing your BYB costs you nothing at all.
What else should I pack?
Take any necessary safety equipment, including:
- a helmet, and
- any lights you normally use with the BYB.
It also never hurts to carry spare parts that may be hard to find while you're on the road, such as:
- spare tubes that fit the BYB and
- the yellow plastic C clip that secures the MKS-EZ pedal (this clip is important but easy to misplace).
Recommended accessories
Besides the AirPorter Slim, here are a few accessories that make traveling with the BYB even easier:
- Go-To Bag: makes a great airplane carry-on that you can attach to the front of the BYB when you're ready to ride
- Luggage Truss: lets you mount your Go-To Bag (or any KLICKfix-compatible bag, rack, or basket) to your BYB's front Combo Mount
- Quick Release CMT: lets you install and remove the Luggage Truss (or other front Combo Mount accessories) in under a minute for easy packing and unpacking.
