The following article provides instructions and tips on packing a bike for travel on planes and trains.

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I spotted this on Burnside/SW 16th Ave., Portland during a recent visit to the Emerald City.  What used to be a nice looking road bike has been reduced to a sad looking frame with strong lock still protecting it. The moral of this sad tale, is not to leave your bike even when locked in a public place, overnight or for extended periods.

Whether touring or just out on a casual day ride, watch out when traveling on a lane with parked cars on the right.  Some drivers may swing open the driver's side door without looking first, thus creating a potential collision with the car door.  This could be along side streets or beach areas where cars park on side of road. Depending on the city and specific riding environment, about three to eight percent of bike accidents are due to collisions car doors.

If a bike rider is traveling in the right lane or bike land alongside parked cars, who is legally responsible when car door-bike collision occurs? 

Most areas have laws that require car users to check for bicyclists before opening the door of their vehicle, but there have been serious injuries and deaths caused by drivers illegally opening their doors in the path of a passing cyclist where this is prohibited by law.

Many areas have laws allowing cyclists to ride in the door zone, meaning they may expose themselves to danger in order to keep out of the way of motorized traffic. These laws typically have exceptions; avoiding hazards, such as an open door, is sometimes among them.

The so-called "door zone" is the space in which a cyclist is in danger of getting hit by a car door. It varies depending upon the model of car one is riding by. It can be almost zero when riding by a vehicle with gull-wing doors or much larger if one is riding by a truck.

Some local ordinances spell it out clearly.  For example, in my hometown of Bellingham, Wash.,  the law for this is spelled out in RCW 46.61.620:

"Opening and closing vehicle doors - No person shall open the door of a motor vehicle on the side adjacent to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so, and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic, nor shall any person leave a door open on the side of a vehicle adjacent to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers."

Things get a bit murky sometimes as laws in some jurisdictions indicate to ride as far to the right as possible in a safe mode.   One is sharing the road with other passing cars and trying to avoid opening car doors at the same time can be in conflict.

I would recommend to always ride with a mental red flag that a parked car door could swing open at any time.  I try to look if I can see anyone in the driver's seat as I approach.   If there is, I assume that the drive may not be aware of my approach and I proceed cautiously.  Riding at full speed alongside parked cars is not a good idea.   Most of the time, all will be well, but every now and then, there is a painful exception...If there is a bike lane outside the door zone, it is safer situation.  During my West Coast tour I only encountered the parked car door opening issue in bigger cities, especially in Southern California.  Another problem area is along roads which beach access where cars often pull over and park on the side of the road.  This is where I encountered my only close call where a beach goer parked mostly off the road and swung open the door in as I was approaching. Fortunately, I had slowed down in this area and was able to avoid the collision.

One of the biggest issues when solo touring is leaving the bike and gear outside a store while going in for necessary shopping since there is no one available to look after the bike.  There is no obvious foolproof solution to this dilemma but I have a few suggestions:

1. Take all the critical items with you, such as wallet, phone, tablet, credit cards, ID card, etc.  Usually, it makes sense to put all these in the handlebar bag and take the bag with you while shopping or eating at an indoor restaurant.  This way, if the bike or panniers are stolen, you can at least call for help and retain the identification/credit cards to carry on with the tour.  Also, worth to consider is a pannier lock, which some vendors, such as Ortlieb offer.  If the seat/post is removable with a quick-release bolt type, I would retrofit it with bold solution which requires an Allen wrench.
   
   
2. Lock the bike, including the rear wheel so it cannot be easily ridden away.  Try to position it so it is as visible to you as possible while waiting at the checkout. I only carry a medium-strength cable with combination lock (6-foot length).  This allows me to lock the frame-rear tire to a post.  Of course, this type of cable is a snap to cut with the right cable cutter which bike thieves use... that is why it is a good idea to keep the bike within sight as much as possible.  On shopping trips, I try to be in-and-out from the store in 10 minutes.  The cable bike lock will only stop an opportunistic bike thief, not a professional.
   
   
3. If there is someone outside sitting on a bench or by a table who looks trustworthy, consider asking the person to watch it for you.  I did this several times during my West Coast tour.  Usually, I only did this after chatting with the person for a few minutes to assess their integrity.  This could be a mistake if the person happens to be a psychopath.  In this case, the person who volunteers to watch your bike is usually the one you need to worry most about stealing it.
   
   
4. If possible, take the bike inside the store.  I was able to do this several times during my tour at bigger stores such as Costco or REI.  Most stores are OK with this but ask first and find out where is the best place to leave the bike inside the store.  Lock the rear wheels to the frame so someone cannot easily ride off with it.  If you want to see a movie, ask the attendant if there is a place to take it inside a secure area.  When they see that all of your belongings are on your bike, they will usually help you find a place inside the building to store your belongings (typically in a closet, basement, or low traffic area). Store want your business, so they are usually happy to help you out.  If not, move on to a business that is more willing to accommodate you.
   
   
5. When eating at a restaurant, position the bike and yourself so you can see the bike through the window.  A few times I had to pass on restaurants which had no windows to watch the bike.  In any case, lock the bike up in a public place such as a crowded store entranced rather than in a quiet off-site area.   If there are a lot of people around, it is very unlikely that the bike will be stolen.  

Bike security is a bigger issue in larger metropolitan areas and not as critical in smaller cities and towns.  A golden rule is to never leave your bike locked up outside overnight in a big city.

I never had any issues at the biker/hiker camps in state campgrounds or at private camping areas.  Often I left the panniers on the bike overnight with the bike locked.  I locked the rear wheel/frame to a tree or post when available ... otherwise the bike was locked free standing on its kickstand near the tent.  I heard that some people like the bike to the tent poles with the bike lying on its side (without panniers).

At the few motels I stayed in, I took the bike inside the room.  In most hostels, there is a secure bike storage area or room where one can leave the bike without the panniers.  Note that in most hostels you will have to leave the tent and sleeping bag on the bike.  They don't want these items in the room to prevent bug issues.

While I do not carry a U-lock on tours due to the weight, the following video shows how to secure a bike with locks for maximum security.  This is most important if leaving for the bike for several hours or more unattended.  On a tour, I would not leave the bike unattended for a long time or overnight.

Remember that there is no single lock that will protect your bike in all situations.  Using multiple locks, including a U-lock will help in urban environments but will not prevent theft in all cases.  The idea is to make it more difficult and time consuming for a bike thief to steal the bike.

Once the bike tour is completed, the rider is faced with the task of finding the most practical and economical way to get the bike back to his or her home port.  This is assuming the rider is not  pedaling back home.

There are four options to transport bikes home after the tour:

1) Partially disassemble bike, pack in a bike box, and ship via UPS or FEDEX ground

This is a practical solution where a local bike shop does the disassembly, packing and shipping.  The touring biker rides the bike to the chosen bike shop and drops it off.  The biker should do a bit of research on nearby bike shops to get an idea on costs charged by the shop to pack and ship.  The prices can vary greatly, so getting estimates from the bike shop are in order.  Recommendations from others or online reviews such as from Yelp.com may be helpful.

From, my experience, FEDEX provides the best ground shipping rates.  But both FEDEX and UPS have online calculators, so check it for your particular situation (shipping distance, weight, box size).

There is an adder for over-sized bike boxes. Try to keep the girth of the box less than 130 inches for the best prices.  The girth is the total of the length plus the distance around the width and height.   A box 50" long by 26" high by 10" deep would have a girth of 50+(2*26)+(2*10) = 122" and would be less than the 130" limit.  Boxes bigger than the 130 inch girth will cost significantly more to ship.

2) Partially disassemble bike, pack in a bike box, and check in as baggage with airline

Taking a bike home in packed in a bike box and checking it in as normal luggage may be the cheapest solution if the weight is less than 50lbs. but perhaps not the most convenient.  Alaska Airlines, for example, charges $20.00 if under 50 lbs. for domestic travel for regular passengers (possibly free with mileage program members). However, there is a logistical and inconvenience factor in lugging a big bike box to the airport, such as the need for special taxis which can handle oversized luggage, or the need for transport assistance in carrying the box to the airline check-in counter. 

For international travelers, however, this approach may be the most viable and practical option.

Again having a bike shop do the disassemnly and packing is a practical solution.  The same comments apply as in case (1) regarding finding a good bike shop.

3) Take on AMTRAK, if returning by train

If traveling home by train, Amtrak offers several options for transporting the bike.  In most cases, the bike will be checked in as luggage for $10.00.  The bike must be in a box (yours or Amtrack will supply a box for $15.00).  Bicycles must be partially disassembled in order to fit in an Amtrak bicycle box.  Loosen and turn the handlebars sideways, and remove the pedals. Amtrak does not supply tools for disassembling.  I would have a bike shop use a special tool to loosen the pedal nuts (usually they are very tight) and use a simple wrench to remove the pedals  when packing the bike at the train station using a purchased bike box.  Bicycles may be checked on Amtrak between all cities where checked baggage is offered but not all trains or locations are equipped to handle checked baggage.

Full-size bicycles may be carried on certain trains with designated "walk-on bicycle service." Bicycles must be stowed in the designated space within the body of the car.  Passengers utilizing the walk-on bicycle service, where bikes are carried on select trains by the passenger and stored in designated areas, must be able to fully handle their bicycle, and be able to lift their bicycle to shoulder height. Passengers are responsible for stowage and security of bicycles.  This option is usually available on shorter distances.

Amtrak fares may cost more than discounted airline fares and take significantly longer.  However, for shorter or even moderate distances, I like the Amtrak option because you can ride to the Amtrak station, buy a ticket, put the bike in an Amtrak box (or just hang it up fully assembled where walk-on service is available), and enjoy the train ride.

Check for details with Amtrak and if there is a nearby station.

4) Rent a car

A one-way car rental to return home has the advantage of transporting you and the bike home at the same time with the most flexibility.  Only minor bike disassembly is required (wheels off, twist handlebar).  This option is a very good option for shorter or moderate distances.

This is the last regular post on the Blog until October 7, 2013.  The West Coast tour will be documented on the Trip Journal page.

At Lettered Streets Coffeehouse, Bellingham, Washington.  This my last test ride before departure on tour on Sunday.  My favorite espresso stop because the baristas really know how to make great lattes.  You cannot have latte art as shown in the pic without having perfectly micro-foamed the milk.  

The most often asked question I get regarding the tour is shown below along with the answer I give.

Q. Who are you going with?
A.  I am going with ME and MYSELF.  ME is very complicated.  MYSELF is much easier to get along with...always agrees with me, never complains, not necessary to feed him, and enjoys riding with me.

At the end of a day's ride, I will reserve one of the bottle cages for a Tecate or a Sapporo.

(click on picture for large size)