Do what?

As you point out, the Brompton will likely need to be stored in the luggage compartment underneath the bus. You could use the padding (it weighs very little and it is pretty small) that I describe in the video to protect the bike, but the Brompton is pretty sturdy and I think that it can handle the road bumps without any padding at all. Be sure to cover the bike when you show up to the bus! I have been denied entry onto a bus because I forgot to cover the bike! The bus driver refused to let me bring the bike on the bus (not even to store the bike in the luggage compartment) even though it was smaller than most of the suitcases in the luggage compartment!

Please explain why you think that it will not work for international travel.

@@mattvanderhoek5516 there is no way you’re getting that to the gate. It will need to be either checked in or fit carry on requirements.

@@26realmc why/how is getting it to the gate any different than in the USA?

@@mattvanderhoek5516 domestic US travel vs international? Have you ever been out of your home country?

@@26realmc I have travelled many times internationally and I have never had a problem getting the Brompton to the gate and going through security. Please explain why you disagree.

Indeed!

I don’t know but I suspect that it would fit on a 787 given the size of the airplane. If/when you find out, please post a reply here as the info would be useful.

Indeed!

Interesting. Thanks for the information. The rule does not make sense since the entire airplane (cabin and cargo area) are pressurized to slightly less than normal atmospheric pressure at sea level. Nothing would/will happen to a fully inflated bike tire on an airplane.

@@mattvanderhoek5516 yeah I don't doubt that you are correct. Japan isn't know for it's logical rules so it doesn't surprise me at all to see an airline rule from a carrier in Japan with no basis in science.

You definitely could put the insulation and rubber bands on the Brompton before the bike goes through the x-ray scanner. If would fit just fine. I usually do not do this since 90-95%% of the time I am able to put the Brompton in the overhead bins or the coat closet where insulation & rubber bands are unnecessary.

How did you get on?

Hi Guy, One of my goals is to minimize the risk of damage/theft to my Brompton. If I were to check the bike at the ticket counter, then the airline would handle the Brompton and the risk of damage/theft would increase significantly. My bike is least likely to be damaged/stolen, if it is handled only by me. This requires me to carry the bike onto the plane. My success rate of carrying the Brompton onto the plane is about 90%. I only gate check the Brompton if I am unable to carry it onto the plane. With gate check, the bike may be returned to you on the jetway (and avoid baggage claim, which is great) or the bike may be returned to you at baggage claim where the risk of damage/theft increases (as you point out). So in short, my advice is to always try to carry the Brompton onto the plane if possible, in order to minimize the risk of damage/theft to the Brompton. Hope that helps. Matt

@@mattvanderhoek5516 Hey thanks. 90% sounds good. I’m hoping to get my Brompton in a few weeks, where it will be interesting to see if I have the same kind of success rate as I hear other people having with regards to bringing it into retail stores and restaurants and planes, trains and busses etc.

@@pentacleman1000 I hope you do meet with success. Some advice for airports/planes: There is no need to cover the bike when going thru TSA/security since they do not care. However, make sure you cover the bike when carrying it onto the plane. If they ask you what it is, just say it is a "personalized mobility device." Never use the word bike on a plane. They freak out and try to charge you a hefty bike fee. For other places like stores, restaurants, trains, etc. - there is no need to cover the bike. Have fun with the Brompton. It is awesome! It really is much more than a bike. It is a travel system.

Yes. You can take Brompton on some airplanes as cabin luggage. Larger model airplanes have larger overhead compartments that can fit the Brompton. In the United States, here are some models that will fit the Brompton in the overhead compartments: Airbus 320 and 321 (on Delta but not necessarily on other airlines), Boeing 737-700, 737-800, 737-900, 757-200 (on Delta but not necessarily on other airlines). If you carry the Brompton onto an airplane and it does not fit in the overhead compartment, you can still ask the flight crew to let you store it in the coat closet. Good luck!

Badger indeed! For grad school. You?

@@mattvanderhoek5516 No but my wife went there for undergraduate and graduate school. The School of Social Work is named for her. On Wisconsin!

Stephen, sorry for not responding sooner. Just saw your comment. Actually, here are my assumptions (in order of importance) and their implications. 1. I am biking to the departure airport (often from my house) and I am biking from the arrival airport (often to a hotel). This precludes a heavy, bulky hard case since it would be much more difficult and slow to bike with a heavy, bulky hard case. I only want to bike with lightweight items that do not take up too much space in my T-bag. 2. I want to minimize the chance of the airline damaging my Brompton. My bike is likely to suffer the least damage (or none at all) if it is handled only by me. This requires me either to put it in the larger overhead bins (on larger airplanes - earmarked for longer domestic flights) or in the coat closet (on smaller airplanes). As an aside, my success rate with the coat closet is about 90% on those smaller airplanes. If I were to check the Brompton in an IKEA bag (either at the normal bag check or at the gate), then the airline would handle the Brompton and the risk of damage would increase significantly. I only check the Brompton when forced by the airline and my video describes how to protect the Brompton (with lightweight and low volume materials) in order to reduce the risk of the airline damaging the checked Brompton. But again, I would rather NOT check the Brompton so that only I handle the Brompton. By the way, I have flown with the Brompton over 50 times and I have NEVER been asked to deflate the tires. Sorry to hear that they asked you to do that. Also, as I said earlier, I have only needed to check my Bromtpon about 10% of the time. Of course, how you fly with the Brompton all depends on your underlying assumptions. It sounds like your assumptions are a bit different than mine, which would lead you to different conclusions regarding whether or not to check the Brompton as baggage. Hope that helps.

Interesting option but probably unnecessary. Overall, this trailer option adds a lot of unnecessary bulk and weight. I don’t think you need to store/protect your Brompton in a travel/duffel bag. If you need to bag check your Brompton, then just use my protection method (IKEA bag with pipe insulation - small and lightweight) and the Brompton will be fine. Also, note that his Brompton does not have a rear rack, which forces him to use a bicycle trailer to carry all of his stuff (note that he could just pack lighter and bring less stuff). With a rear rack, you can simply put a backpack or other bag on the rear rack and avoid using a bicycle trailer. A rear rack is the way to go. It has come in really handy for me many times.

Kathy Barge Folded dimensions are 23" x 22.2" x 10.6". I do not know the size of the overhead luggage bins on Allegiant but you can always gate check or bag check the Brompton. If you use my suggested protection method, it should not get damaged.

@@mattvanderhoek5516 thanks for the detailed video. i did like your idea to ask if stewardess could place in coat closet! thx so much for info.

is bag still available? and ikea bag?

Kathy Barge The Brompton T-bag has been discontinued. It has been replaced by the Brompton Borough Roll Top Bag (expensive!). The IKEA dimpa bag is $5 at IKEA.

@@mattvanderhoek5516 thank you. enjoy the ride!

Biome Biome In the USA, the Brompton is a free carry-on or a normal piece of checked luggage.

The gears are in the middle when folded so pretty well protected. Shame about our European rules. Im looking at a trailer that converts to a case for the bike so I can ride to the airport and check the Brompton in.

I have gate checked it many times and never missed a flight. It takes about 3 mins.

createthis you are correct. It is unnecessary to cover the bike as it goes thru the scanner. I no longer cover it as it goes through the scanner. But be sure to cover it when going on the airplane!

My success rate of getting the Brompton on the plane is about 90%.

@@mattvanderhoek5516 yeah I did not mean it's not possible, just that I don't know people flying with them. I'd be scared to death every time to see what will happen... And I in case that they have to check it in I'd spend the whole flight anxious. The baggage crew have managed to badly damage two hard case Samsonite suitcases of mine, after all. I guess they play basketball with them.

icl even if you check the Brompton there is nothing to worry about. The Brompton is very sturdy. I have checked the Brompton many times and it has never been damaged.

Not sure what you mean by pure water. Cup was not dirty, it just had coffee residue from the coffee shot that I made just before filming the video.

@@mattvanderhoek5516 it looked like shit!