moving a bike

Has anyone moved a bike across the pond?  I love my bike and want to bring it with me, but I want to wait a bit until Im settled in London before I will know if we will have the space for it and if it will be safe to ride in the streets.  But it is in the back of my mind.
I could have it shipped, which will likely be VERY expensive.
Ive seen people with their bikes packed up to go on a plane.

Does anyone have any experience with this?  Should I just try to buy an old beater of a bike in London when Im ready, or try to get my nice, shiny, expensive racing bike over there?  

Lou~  I'm not certain on this one, but I know you can take bikes on planes.  You may have to pay to have it checked as an extra.  I think it might be able to be checked at the side of the plane like a baby stroller.  Call some airlines you usually travel with and see what their policies are.  All I do know is that you can take them on the plane, as a fellow student from my uni almost brought his over for our semester in Germany.  Before shipping it, I would see if you can't manage to take it on the plane for free or for a lesser fee.  Best of luck, I know how hard it'll be for me to leave some of my prized possessions behind.

I'm sure you can take you bike on the plane too....I saw it on Airport!    

But on the show, the guy was complaining that there was scratches on his bike and the brake levers were a bit bent but they said it's his own fault for not properly protecting it.  Seems his friend who also brought his bike had bought a special bike box that protected it....why he didn't as well is anyones guess.  

I have no idea where you'd get one but if you bring it with you, get a box! And also double check with the airline you're flying with to check prices and that they will take it.    I would think it'd be easier to bring it with you so you have it than wait and try to have it shipped at a later date.

Best of luck!

My granddad once told me (when I was think about shipping my bike) that the airline could give me / sell me a box. I dont know if thats true now days.

Anyway, I did a google on "Bike Box" and found this -

https://www.crateworks.com/products.html

Hope that helps,
Sarah

Hi Lou
I have taken bikes back and forth (my bikes are international travellers!).
Here’s what I do:
Take the bike to the bike shop and have them pack it down. They will dismantle it and pack it securely in a bike box for around $25-30. Then, when you check in, check the bike in like a piece of luggage. Once I did have to pay extra because I had 3 pieces. I don't remember how much it was - between $80-180 (sorry bad memory). Then, when I get to the other side, I take it to a bike shop and pay around $30-45 for them to put it back together for me.
Works like a charm!

thanks so much missy.  I think that is what I will look into and thankfully can save on money on the other side because I have put my bike back together many times, its the secure packing I can't do myself.

Do you live in London?  I would have done anything for my bike when I was in Colchester, but that was a town that biking was very convienent.  Im wondering if i should wait a little while to get used to London and figure out how the streets are for biking.  I don't bike on the major roads here in Florida because all the roads are like 4 lane highways and Im afraid of getting run over by a car.
Have you biked around London at all and what do you think of it?
Also there is the issue of space in the flat that we will rent once I arrive.  Not sure how it will fit.
It would be great for me to bring it over right away because my mom may be coming over for our wedding and I can blag her to bring it on as a checked bag.
I would just be afraid of bringing it over and then not using it because the streets are too busy, or if it got stolen - I would be gutted.

Well I have never taken my bike to London - I live in Taunton which is about 3 hours away from there! Nice country lanes, which are semi quiet and beautiful.
Hopefully there are others from London that will read this thread and give us an answer!
Good luck with your *baby*