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Permalink Reply by Michael A on May 6, 2010 at 3:57pm

There are other things to consider when purchasing a case. Will the airlines charge oversized baggage fee? Will it fit in that cheapo sub compact car you rent when you get to your destination? How far will you have to disassemble the bike to get it in the case? How easy is it to get around to and from the airport and terminals, make sure it has wheels. And if it is finicky to pack, will the TSA goons put everything back in the right place while they are checking to see if your smuggling drugs in your frameset? My advice if your not taking a race bike to a race, rent from a local shop, I travel to vegas, orlando and atlanta several times a yr and it is ALWAYS cheaper to rent then to travel with your bike. I just take my pedals and shoes, helmet and am good to go.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Ash on May 6, 2010 at 4:14pm

Hey. I work at the airport, we load bikes to all over the world. The soft cases are ok to travel with, not to fear tearing.. The advantage of the solid cases are the wheels, but they are so damn heavy..

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Permalink Reply by dan brown on May 7, 2010 at 3:15am

the airline fees really add up over time.

I would not recommend a soft case - all it takes is one reckless baggage handler,etc.

Look into getting frame couplers and you can pack your bike into a standard (Read : non-oversized checked baggage).

It may be worth the price in the long run. A friend who runs bikes tours all over the world

(www.farandawaycycling.com) swears by these :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_Torque_Coupling

good luck

DB

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Permalink Reply by Matt Roben on May 7, 2010 at 4:29am

I picked up a case at Performance for right around $200- I think they even have a 2 bike case but you will get so screwed with oversize charges it is unbelievable. As Dan mentioned couplers are a great solution since it allows you to fit your whole bike into a weight and size regulated suit case and only pay for regular baggage- cost is around $500 when I checked into it recently and I think about a 2-3 week turnaround- consider how much it will cost, $80-185 each way on airlines for your bike and that $500 is nothing in comparison. Check out S and S couplers- I found one of their guys who can do the retro fitting and is authorized to use their products- he is out in CA but here is his info Victor (858) 292-4255. Hope that helps.

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Permalink Reply by Matthew on May 9, 2010 at 4:30pm

Thanks for all the great advice! I have been on the road the past couple of days so I haven't had a chance to take a look at all of this until now. The cases sure are expensive, and I don't really need my bike with me, but I prefer not to drive, and I have a kind of love affair with my bike. Call me crazy.

I know it is a generalization, but I have had bad experiences with airport baggage handlers in the past and it's left a scar that I would rather not reopen with something as precious to me as one of my bikes.

That said, the cases seem like a good idea as long as I don't mind the brutal fees: I love my bike, but not enough to shell out mega $$ if I want it to travel with me. The couplers seem like a GREAT idea, but I would be concerned about their strength on a bike that I was really laying into. Granted I don't beat down my bikes, but I do demand a lot out of the frames and components so I will need to investigate those little doo-hickeys before giving them a go. Regardless, the spanners seem to be the better choice in all this.

Thanks for all the great help! If any more suggestions or advice creeps up, let me know!

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Permalink Reply by Bob Maher on May 9, 2010 at 6:33pm

Over the past 15 years I've air travelled with my bike about 30 - 40 times, about half being international flights. I strip the frame down to the BB, cages, and ft derr. Frame goes on the plane with me. I place the frame in a drawstring trash bag (Hefty Steelsacks are the best) looped around my shoulder, and it's usually mistaken for a garment bag. A 56cm Trek frame fits in every overhead compartment I've ever encountered, but usually I hang it with the garment bags in first / business class. Wheels, fork and parts go in a suitcase just big enough for the wheels, or a bike frame box cut down to be just big enough for the wheels.

It takes me about 20 minutes to break down or re-assemble the bike, and I only need a 5mm hex, 6mm hex, 8mm hex, and a small pair of vise grips for the threaded headset.

Before 9/11 I would take the parts on the plane inside one of the panniers, and check only the wheels. I made a Tyvek bag for the wheels. I could bicycle to the airport, break down the bike, fly, and reassemble at my destination. Did that twice before 9/11, and the only modification after is that I have to check the panniers. I use thick cable ties to hold the two bags together for the flight.

Finally, some airlines allow you to check a fully assembled bike (remove pedals / turn bars 90 degrees) for a fee that's less than the oversized bag fee. I've done this a few times on domestic hops while traveling overseas, and never had any damage to my OCLV carbon frame.

Good luck!

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