CDG or Orly, a reusable case or a box for the flight home: plan your bike’s journey from Belleville to the correct terminal, with time set aside for packing and oversized baggage.
Confirm the bicycle on every flight before booking
A passenger ticket alone does not confirm carriage of your bicycle. Check the operating airline for each leg, especially on codeshares and connections. Size and weight limits apply to the packed item, including the container, not just the bike.
Ask whether you must reserve sports baggage and keep the confirmation.
Record the permitted external dimensions and total packed weight.
Check the bicycle bag-drop deadline and the rules for your return flight.
Cardboard box, soft bag or hard case: match it to your trip
A hard case can be reused but remains bulky during a cycling trip. A soft bag needs careful protection around vulnerable parts. A cardboard bike box can be practical at the end of a point-to-point ride. No container is universally accepted: check your airline before choosing.
Returning through the same city? Consider storing your empty bag or case.
Finishing in a different city? Arrange the return-flight packaging there.
Measure your bicycle and check the disassembly required before choosing a box.
Belleville, near Pyrénées station — Exact address provided after confirmation on WhatsApp. A box costs €69.99, including protective inserts and tape. Collection is in the city, not at an airport terminal. After payment, confirm the date and time on WhatsApp before setting off.
Pickup date and time confirmed on WhatsApp.
Pyrénées is the neighbourhood landmark; plan the complete onward journey to CDG or Orly separately.
The folded size of 85 × 45 × 18 cm helps plan transport of the empty box. Ask for assembled dimensions to check against airline limits.
Packing your bicycle: 6 checks before closing the box
Bring tools suited to your bicycle and follow the bike and container manufacturers’ instructions. Try the process before travelling if you have never dismantled this bike. Included padding does not replace securing loose parts; collecting a box does not automatically include a bike-packing service.
Photograph the bicycle and its setup before starting.
Remove only what is necessary, without pulling cables or hoses.
Protect the frame, derailleur, fork and brake rotors.
When removing a disc-brake wheel, use a suitable pad spacer and avoid operating the brake.
Secure wheels and removed components so they cannot move or rub against the frame.
Check closure, handles, external dimensions and weight with everything packed.
05
Getting to CDG or Orly with a packed bicycle
The RER B serves CDG: Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 1 provides access to terminals 1 and 3, while Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2–TGV serves terminal 2. Metro line 14 serves Aéroport d’Orly. An airport rail connection does not mean every bicycle or packed box is allowed aboard.
An ordinary unfolded bicycle is not allowed on the Paris metro. Check the separate conditions and space limits for a packed bike.
Before booking a taxi or vehicle, provide the assembled box dimensions and the number of bicycles and passengers.
Allow for changes, lifts, engineering works and the walk to the check-in desk, not just time aboard the train.
How much time should you allow for packing and the transfer?
There is no reliable packing duration for every bike. A first attempt, a stuck pedal or a box that needs adjusting can take longer. Work backwards from your airline’s bicycle bag-drop deadline: check-in, transfer, packing, then container collection.
Arrange a place and a time to pack; do not assume a workshop or working space is available at pickup.
For an early flight, collect the box or stored case the day before rather than depending on an 08:00 opening.
Leave room to weigh the box, adjust the packing and handle a terminal change.
07
Departure-day bike checklist
Before leaving your accommodation, check your booking, packed container and the essentials you are keeping with you. At the airport, ask the airline where to check the bike in and where to deliver oversized baggage: it may follow a different route from a normal suitcase.
Bike booking confirmation, travel documents and contacts available offline.
Contact information outside the case or box, with a copy inside.
Photos of the closed package before handing it over.
Tools and restricted items assigned to cabin or checked baggage according to security rules.
Baggage tag and receipt kept until you have collected the bicycle.
08
E-bike batteries, CO₂ cartridges and tyre pressure
Do not seal batteries or CO₂ cartridges inside the box assuming they are permitted. IATA explains that battery conditions depend on type, capacity and installation. Spare batteries must not go in checked baggage; that does not make an e-bike battery automatically acceptable in the cabin.
Obtain explicit airline approval for both the electric bicycle and its battery before paying.
Check restrictions on CO₂ cartridges, aerosols and maintenance products.
Follow airline and manufacturer instructions on tyre pressure rather than a universal deflation rule.
Arriving in Paris: plan collection for the return flight
If you leave through the same city, empty bike bag or case storage starts at €25. Confirm dates and the total price, assemble your bicycle in a suitable place and drop off the closed container. This service stores the empty packaging; it does not transfer bicycles between airports.
Remove valuables, documents, food and batteries before drop-off.
Arriving at CDG and departing from Orly involves two separate journeys; storage remains at the Belleville pickup point.
Check the bike and brakes after reassembly; ask a mechanic if you are unsure about any adjustment.
Transport routes and baggage rules can change. Check with the operators before departure: this guide does not replace your ticket conditions or the airline’s approval for your bicycle.
Do not rely on stock without confirmation from an airport supplier. Box & Ride does not sell at the terminal: reserve city pickup before your airport transfer.
Do I need to remove both wheels and deflate the tyres?+
It depends on the bike, container and airline. Check the required disassembly and final packed dimensions; there is no single instruction for every bicycle.
Does the box price include the flight’s bike baggage charge?+
No. The €69.99 covers the box and the advertised kit contents. Sports-baggage charges and the airport transfer are separate.
Should I give the airline the folded box dimensions?+
No. The 85 × 45 × 18 cm measurement describes the empty folded box. The airline needs its assembled external dimensions and total weight with the bike inside.
Can you pack my bicycle at the pickup point?+
No. Box & Ride supplies the box but does not offer packing assistance. Arrange your tools, packing space and time.
What if my return flight changes?+
Contact Box & Ride on WhatsApp to confirm a new collection slot or storage extension and its price. Recheck the bike baggage booking with the airline too.
