A method for handling a fiber reinforced tube the tubular wall of which has a stiffness which allows the tube to maintain a nominal circular cross section of its own, the tube including a liner, a fiber reinforcement surrounding the liner and a coating surrounding the fiber reinforcement, includes the steps of: flattening the tube so as to obtain a non-circular shape, such as an oval or elliptical shape, subsequently winding the flattened tube onto a reel. Thanks to the method, a combination of a wound flattened tube and a reel is obtained which is fit for road transport.