How flying with your bike in a hard-shell travel case works, from booking the flight to riding at the other end, and the two cases we make for it.
Before you book
A bike travels as checked sports baggage, and what it costs depends on two numbers: its weight and its size. Most airlines charge extra above 50 lb, and many set a size limit, length + width + height added together. A Vault Pro is 31 lb empty and 102 in in total, so with a 17 lb race bike inside it is about 48 lb.
Fees and limits differ by airline, route and fare, so check yours before you book rather than at the counter.
Bike fees and limits by airline →Work out your packed weight →
Packing the case
Only 3 things come off: both wheels, seat post and saddle, pedals. The handlebars, derailleurs and cassette stay on, so there is nothing to disconnect or re-adjust. Then it is five steps:
- Wheels off, wheels baggedBoth wheels come out and go into Vault wheel bags — sold separately — so no cassette or rotor rests against your frame.
- Seat post and pedals offThe seat post comes out with the saddle still on it — mark your height first and it goes back exactly where it was. Pedals come off too: airlines require it.
- Fork onto the front adapterThe VaultLock front adapter slides and swivels until it lines up with your fork, then locks.
- Rear axle into the sleeveThe rear sleeve takes the axle and gives the chain and derailleur room, so nothing is under pressure in the air.
- Gear in, latches downWheels, wetsuit, helmet, shoes — pack around the bike, drop the lid, throw the latches.
At the airport
You check it at the counter as sports or special baggage, as you would golf clubs or a surfboard, and expect it to be hand-carried to the oversize belt. The case opens flat, so a security agent can see the whole bike and close it properly afterwards.
Pedals must be off: airlines require it. Leave lithium batteries and CO₂ cartridges out of the case, because airlines prohibit both in checked baggage.
At the other end
Rebuilding is the packing in reverse: wheels back in, seat post back to the height you marked, pedals on. Because the handlebars, derailleurs and cassette never came off, the bike is set up the way you left it.
When you are not flying
The same case ships by courier. At 102 in, it is inside the 157 in limit FedEx, UPS and DHL work to, so it goes as a standard parcel, not freight. Driving to a race instead? Check whether it fits your car, standing up or on its side.
Will it fit your car? →
Questions before you fly
What happens at the airport?
You check it as sports or special baggage, much as you would golf clubs or a surfboard, at the counter rather than the belt. It is designed to be opened and inspected quickly, which is the difference between a TSA agent closing it properly and repacking it themselves. Expect it to be hand-carried to the oversize belt.
What airline fees might I be charged?
Three things stack: the normal checked-bag fee, an excess-weight fee above the carrier's threshold (commonly 50 lb), and an oversize fee if the bag exceeds their linear limit. At 102 linear inches the Vault Pro is within the published limit on 15 of the 16 carriers in our table that publish one, and over it on Qantas. Fees vary by carrier, route, aircraft and fare, so
check your airline before you book.
Will it stay under 50 lb with my bike in it?
Usually, yes — and that is the point of the design. A performance road, gravel or TT bike is commonly 16–19 lb, so 31 lb of case plus a 17 lb bike is about 48 lb, inside the 50 lb standard checked-bag weight on most carriers. Gear packed around the bike is what pushes you over it.
Run your own numbers.
What do I have to take off the bike?
Both wheels — They go into Vault wheel bags inside the case. The bags are sold separately. Seat post and saddle — Comes out as one piece. Mark your height before you pull it and setup is unchanged at the other end. Pedals — Required by airlines on a checked bicycle, not a packing preference. Handlebars, Derailleurs, Cassette all stay where they are.
What does packing actually involve?
Five steps: both wheels, seat post and saddle, pedals off, fork onto the front adapter, rear axle into the sleeve, gear packed around it, lid down. The frame is held at the axles by the VaultLock mounts rather than resting on foam, so nothing carries the bike's weight but the points designed to.
See the steps.
Why is it safer than what I use now?
Two reasons, and the second matters more than people expect. The shell is high-impact polypropylene, so a load stacked on top of it in the hold is carried by the case rather than by your top tube. Inside, the bike is also locked at the axles by the VaultLock adapters — it cannot shift, and the chain and derailleur sit with clearance rather than under pressure for the length of the flight.
Can I pack other items around my bike?
Yep. Wetsuit, helmet, shoes and more all pack in around the bike. Watch the scale as you do — gear is what takes a packed case past the 50 lb standard checked-bag weight. Leave out lithium batteries and CO₂ cartridges: airlines prohibit both in checked baggage.
Can I ship it via FedEx, UPS or DHL?
Yes — as a standard parcel, not as freight. On a case this size carriers bill on dimensional size rather than on what it weighs, and at 102 linear inches the Vault Pro is inside the 157 in limit FedEx, UPS and DHL work to.
BikeFlights ships it as well.
Will my bike fit?
Road, gravel and TT bikes, in all but the very largest frame sizes — and where that line falls varies by brand. Three tape-measure checks settle it.
Wheelbase: the box takes up to 44 in.
Bottom of the front chainring to the top of the frame where the seat post goes in: under 28 in.
Bottom of the front fork to the top of the handlebar stack: under 28 in. That 28 in is the internal height at its high point, the seat-post receiver. If all three clear, the bike will fit. If you are unsure about your bike, email
info@vaultsportsbox.com before you order.
Choose your case Will my bike fit? →
