Carretera Austral - Patagonia

[D.G.E.]

I've just spent 4 months riding my motorbike around the bottom half of South America and have decided to return to Patagonia in January/February to ride the Carretera Austral with Mrs D.G.E. We'll be starting in Puerto Montt, Chile, and finishing in El Chalten/El Calafate, Argentina. We've bought a Cotic Cascade each and are raring to go.

However, I'm a bit stuck with transporting the bikes. Flying to Puerto Montt via Santiago with the bikes in a box is clearly no problem. But the bikes will need to be boxed again ready to fly out of El Calafate. I've contacted the few bike shops around there and they have already said they can't help with boxes. There is a UK based company that will deliver bike boxes to us in Argentina and ship them home but they want nearly £600 per bike.

Does anyone else have any experience or ideas they can offer to avoid a hefty bill? Thank you

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Buy a few rolls of cling film at the finish and wrap your (padded) bike to form a custom bike bag?

[Jurek]

Would bubble wrap followed by cling-film not be more effective?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

... wrap your (padded) bike to form a custom bike bag?

[Jurek]

Misunderstood.

[perpetual dan]

I have zero experience, but…

I guess if you phoned a local bike shop and asked if they could keep you a box during the post-Christmas lull in 10 months time you’d be out of luck. They might have a box, but remembering and then keeping them hanging about the store especially for you sounds like a lot of hassle.

If you show up at the end of your ride, ideally with a weekday in a hotel, you’d probably be able to ask nicely in a bike shop - or just buy some big bits of cardboard/ padding / fancy bike box on the day.

Also, what are you using for the way out?

[Lightning Phil]

Plumbing supplies and supermarkets for your padding, cardboard and gaffa tape etc.  allow a day or two to gather your materials. It will have to be El Calafate, not a lot at El Chalten, least there wasn’t 23 years ago.

You could also ask these guys for where to get packing materials for flight.

https://www.bicyclepatagonia.com/contact/