Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Ritesh
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Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby Ritesh » Mon Feb 08, 2016 3:13 am

Hi,

Good Day. I will be travelling from Mumbai (India) to Sydney and I plan to carry my own personal bicycle. The bicycle will be packed in a box and will be part of my checked in luggage. Also the bicycle is a simple non-motor one.

I read older post here on the forum and understand that the bike should be super clean with no dust or soil on it.

I need your help to understand if there is any other prior requisites that i need to take care of? Any other checks to ensure that my bicycle passes of the customs smoothly.

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RonK
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Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby RonK » Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:31 am

This quarantine, not customs. It's intended to prevent the import of soil-borne plant diseases. Even if your bike is clean, AQIS may decide to spray it if you are coming from a high-risk region.
But yes, better chance of a smooth passage if the bike is clean, in particular under the mudguards, and of course the tyre treads.
Here is a sample customs declaration card.
Just make sure you comply with all the questions.
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il padrone
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Re: Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby il padrone » Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:43 am

....and you will get much more attention if it is a MTB and/or you say you have been cycling off-road or on muddy trails. If it is a road bike and has only been ridden on sealed roads, much less worry. If it is not a MTB, always say it is a road bike.
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baabaa
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Re: Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby baabaa » Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:57 am

and to make it easy on both you and quarantine wash the bike down and let it dry in the sun twice and then tell the quarantine staff that you have done the same and if they ask question just give them honest answers. They may need to wash the bike down again but this depends on what part of India you are flying in from, the time of year ( your summer/ winter) and what sort of phytosanitary risk they feel is a current. My guess is a double wash and being keen to show them a very clean bike will make this process simple. A small ganesh mounted to the handlebars may also help.....

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Re: Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby dalai47 » Mon Feb 08, 2016 9:58 am

Plus clean up the inside of the steerer tube - they check there too... :D

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Leaf T
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Re: Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby Leaf T » Mon Feb 08, 2016 6:28 pm

Hi Ritesh and welcome to BNA.

After cycling in Thailand and Malaysia in mid 2013 on a MTB style touring bike with mudguards I was worried about the same dirty bike and customs/quarantine problem as you. I flew from Singapore to Sydney. I washed my bike and also panniers before boxing bike and it was okay. The easier you make it for the airport staff the easier it will be for you as a rule.

I think you will be good as long as it is very clean and there are no pieces of dirt, dust or grass etc on bike and tyres. Do not worry about filling in form too much. If you have done your best to clean bike and are not a criminal they will be reasonable. Maybe have many photos on your phone of washed bike in box before closing it? Every little bit helps.

Most importantly when you get to Australia? Enjoy the ride!! :D :D

Ritesh
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Re: Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby Ritesh » Tue Feb 09, 2016 5:12 pm

Thanks a ton guys for all the replies and suggestions, it sure does help, thanks for the pointers too, i feel more comfortable now.

Cant wait to get cycling in Australia.

Ritesh
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Re: Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby Ritesh » Tue Feb 09, 2016 5:56 pm

One more question people,

What about the grease/oil on the chain? is that ok? or should i discard the current chain and get a new packed one to Sydney. Else do you use any specific lubricant to clean the chain?

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Re: Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby tmac100 » Tue Feb 09, 2016 6:07 pm

When I brought my touring bike and gear into Australia for 3 different tours, customs waved me through. Twice from the middle east and once from canada. The bike and gear was clean. The chain has it's usual amount of oil/grease on it - as did the deraillers. Not an issue.

OTOH, when I air freighted my Bob Ibex into Sydney (as a separate item) in 2011. I ad one hell of an expensive time clearing customs bureaucrats. When the inspector opened the box he remarked that this was a totally useless inspection as there was no issue with the trailer and contents. I replied that the bureaucrats were just following the directions in their manual. It was costly - more costly than bringing the Ibex in with my bicycle gear as "luggage".

I now tour only with 4 panniers and another couple of Ortlieb bags - one on front bars and one draped over the back rack.

Moral: make life easy for yourself by making it easy for Australian customs. as an aside, my touring bike is stored in a shed in Victoria waiting for my next tour (July-Aug 2017). No longer a customs issue :)

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baabaa
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Re: Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby baabaa » Tue Feb 09, 2016 6:49 pm

Nah, unless you need a new chain I would say don't bother, but if you give the old one a good clean with a rag the customs wallah will think you are sabse acha, as they wont get grease on themselves if they even bother to have a look. If you do the right thing and declare what you need to declare the customs people in Australia are not as hard as those in India.
Plenty of bike chain lube options here in Oz, have a look at the "shed" forum and the types and brands are almost endless....

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il padrone
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Re: Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby il padrone » Tue Feb 09, 2016 7:00 pm

Ritesh wrote:One more question people,

What about the grease/oil on the chain? is that ok? or should i discard the current chain and get a new packed one to Sydney. Else do you use any specific lubricant to clean the chain?
Nothing to worry about with the chain lube . it is mud, soil, and vegetable matter (seeds, grass) that the customs/Dept of Primary Industry guys will be looking for. This is where soil-born diseases and pests may be introduced, not via chain lube.

If you have a really dirty chain it is the airlines who may cause a fuss, but only if the bike is not boxed or securely bagged. Grease on somebody's $3000 Gucci suitcases is never a nice thing and the airlines do not want the insurance claims.
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Ritesh
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Re: Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby Ritesh » Wed Feb 10, 2016 1:00 pm

Thanks for all the input again guys, this helps a ton! thanks.

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ColinOldnCranky
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Re: Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby ColinOldnCranky » Wed Feb 10, 2016 2:37 pm

You will need to reduce your tyre pressure to account for the reduced pressure in the plane hold.

Ideally only by the amount necessary to maintain the same pressure differential that you normally operate it. However airport people do not understand the basic principles of atmospheric physics any more than the idiot next door so they will likely insist you totally flatten them. That means that your wheels will not be reinforced by the tyres as they normally are so they will be subject to extra risk of damage in the hold. Not much you can do if they do insist, they are not going to go back to school in order to get it right and they will think that they are right anyway.
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il padrone
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Re: Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby il padrone » Wed Feb 10, 2016 3:56 pm

"Have you deflated your tyres?"

"Oh yes, sure have" (by 5psi) :P

Actually did not even get the question asked last December when we flew to NZ, so did not have to cross my fingers behind my back :D
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Mike Ayling
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Re: Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby Mike Ayling » Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:37 pm

ColinOldnCranky wrote:You will need to reduce your tyre pressure to account for the reduced pressure in the plane hold.
You will never have to reduce the pressure by more that 1 bar =15psi.

Then you could say to the check in person:

Thank you. I didn't know that I had to reduce my tyre pressures.
What do they do about the tyres on the plane's landing wheels?

Mike
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il padrone
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Re: Cycle Import - Australian Customs

Postby il padrone » Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:34 pm

Mike Ayling wrote:You will never have to reduce the pressure by more that 1 bar =15psi.
Not even that.

1. My tyres are normally inflated for riding to between 45-50psi. The tyre has a rated max of 70psi. So I already have a 20-25psi margin of safety.
2. The plane cargo hold is at least partially pressurised. That's why dogs and other pets in transit do not die in the hold. Someone with aviation experience may be able to clarify this, but I actually believe the hold will be almost the same pressure as the cabin, as it is the cyclinder of the fuselage that is the pressure vessel, not the semi-cylinder of the cabin and floor.
3. The difference between sea level and 12,000m will be about 10-12psi. Yes, sea level is 16psi; space is 0psi. My tyres will easily withstand the 12psi effective increase in pressure.
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