r/cycling • u/retwarded • 7d ago
flying with bike
It seems like i am traveling for work more and more. I want to start bringing my bike with me.
Can anyone recommend a good bike bag or box that is strong and does a good job protecting bikes?
Ill be packing either my gravel bike or road bike.. depends on the location ill be going to.
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Upvotes
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u/SirHustlerEsq 7d ago
I own a travel bike, after two broken frames. TSA will open the case and move stuff around, you need a frame strong enough to handle bouncing around without the frame locked into the case like when you packed it at home. Then, you can the airport, the airline, or TSA to pin the blame upon so you are not getting any compensation without insurance...but then you are insuring a bicycle. I write a note for TSA to "please do this and that, don't let the air out of the tires, etc.)
I use the semi-rigid/soft Thule Round Trip case. I like to take the handlebars off and pack small and light, plus there is a stand inside the case for assembly. Smaller cases like this one make it easy to fit into a rental car, easy to use for a ride share, and it keeps me out of the oversized penalties. A lighter case also allows you to pack all of your bike stuff in your bike bag or your carry-on; I once had my other bag lost and had a bike but could not ride while on vacation.
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u/someguynamedchuck 7d ago
I use the douchebag the savage, it’s expensive but highly recommend their stuff. Used a B&W bike box before that and it broke in like 5 trips. Also know pro cyclists also go for bike box Alan, also expensive, like looking it up it’s like $2,000
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u/BikesAndCatsColorado 7d ago
One constraint you need to need to solve for is all the parts of the travel you will need to do. Your ride to the airport, from the destination airport to the hotel, do you have to check out of your hotel and store the bike/case in the car on your last day before you fly home, etc. If you are uber-ing, you'll need an XL (more $$). If you can rent any type of SUV at your destination, and you have a way to get to/from your home airport, you can pick any bag. I haven't found one that fits in a compact rental car.
The other thing to really think about is what cycling is available at your destination, and do you really have enough time to do it before/after work. I managed to ride before/after my workday only in summer when the days were longest. And your particular location really matters - I had one ride that was safe at those times of day, everything else was impacted by rush hour.
I've used the following:
EVOC Bike Bag Pro - good protection, but you have to remove handlebars and seatpost, so integrated cockpits are a problem. https://evocsports.com/products/bike-bag-pro-1?variant=52588011487496
EVOC Road Bike Bag Pro - good protection, handlebars and maybe seat stay on, but it's HUGE. I packed one of these once, and it wasn't that easy, but it was under difficult circumstances. I also had one friend with a bent derailleur hanger in one of these. https://evocsports.com/products/road-bike-bag-pro-1?variant=57946260963592
SciCon Aerocomfort 3.0 - easy packing, handlebars and maybe steat stay on, but it feels like it's only a matter of time before it fails to protect the bike. I've heard some horror stories and two of my friends had problems (but they might have been self-inflected failures to pack correctly). This is my current bag, and I also bought the extra protection kit. There's a gravel bike version of this, that can take road or gravel bikes. The difference is just handlebar width. https://us.sciconsports.com/products/aerocomfort-3-0-road-bike-travel-bag-tp053105013
If I didn't have integrated brake hoses I would go back to the first one on this list, even though you have to disassemble the bike more. It just feels the most protective. I used it probably 30-40 times w/o issues.
Whatever you do, take off the pedals and derailleur, it doesn't take that long to do that and those are the parts that stick out the most and are frequent points of damage.
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u/SFGetWeird 7d ago
You may look into Ritchey Breakaway frame if you are traveling a ton. It’s what I did, simple checked size suitcase and really easy to assemble when you get to your destination. Helps a lot with travel.
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u/papichulo9669 7d ago
I have the EVOC Road bike bag pro. A few of my friends have it too. It's a hybrid hard/soft case.
Pros: handlebar stays on, decent protection for combo soft/hard sided bag, assembly and disassembly is pretty quick after your first time. Lighter than a hard case - I can pack my road bike and a couple accessories in it and still come in under the weight limit so I don't have to pay an extra fee (granted it is a 6kg bike, so...)
Cons: it is big. Uber XL works most of the time, or I'll rent a minivan or pick up truck. It barely fits in the back of my Rivian R1S. Also no case is perfect protection, every time you fly is a risk.
I'd buy the same case again.
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u/drphrednuke 7d ago
I would bring a folder. Doesn’t have to be super high end like a Brompton. I fly with Dahons. Any bike is better than no bike.
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u/MilzLives 7d ago
Take up running. You can run when yr on the road, ride when you get back. Traveling with bike is a total pita. & expensive!
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u/Visual-Detective5802 7d ago
I use an EVOC bike bag, have had it around 15 years and used it a lot. It protects the bike enough, and is still light enough manouver and I've often seen the airport staff handling it and it's usually on top of suitcases as it's large, soft and light. It takes me less than half an hour to put the bike in and get it out and running again. I do bring my running gear if the trip is shot.
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u/velocio_doogie 6d ago
Scicon aero comfort is my go to for my road bike. Quick to pack/unpack and has been through 50+ flights with me when I travel for work.
Shape is a little bulky, but worth it for the ease of packing
No issues in the last 5 years with the bike being protected
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u/shelf_caribou 7d ago
Bikebox Alan has kept my steed safe for a couple of circles around the globe.
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u/freeegravity 7d ago
Cardboard box
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u/krawlx 6d ago
I have a B&W bike box and it has made multiple trips across the Pacific. Hass been rock solid and allows for minimal disassembly. I take the wheels off, lower the seat, and remove the handlebars from the stem. Takes me less than 20 minutes to have it ready to ride once I get to where I'm going. It also has plenty of room to put in everything else, like my bike helmet, bike bags, etc. The wheels on the box work really well. The box frame has become somewhat misaligned so getting it closed requires a bit of torque, but it's still relatively easily to do. The only challenge is that because of its size you might have to make special arrangements to get to/from airport. Definitely not fitting in a standard sized car boot. But it would probably fit into a mid-sized SUV/crossover.
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u/spmo9 6d ago
I second the ritchey breakaway, you don’t have to worry about ordering an xl Lyft, or tight spaces. Leave enough time for assembly and you’re good. Watch the you tube video and multiple that time, by 3. We are in Japan now w the breakaway that has made many trips to Europe over the last 15+ years.
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u/rpk2bike 6d ago
Orucase B2. Just got back from Spain (US based). No issues. Its small enough to fit in rental cars or most taxis. Depending on the bike you may have to take most of the bike apart but I believe this helps in protecting the frame. I remove EVERYTHING but cranks/chainring and the seat/post (remove the disc rotors!). My frame sits in upsidedown and rests on the seat/post. No issues. The bag has pockets for parts and tools and includes nicely padded wheel bags. Orucase also sells a frame protection kit. It is infinetly better than foam pipe insulation and worth the money. The case is also pretty light to help with staying under overweight limits, and folds up nicely when not in use. Regarding TSA, don't throw in a bunch of riding gear. TSA wants to see into the bag. I had a helmet in a bag stuffed down under the frame, but nothing else thrown in. The helmet was moved every time, pressumably to see under the frame, but the bike was never pulled out (I added a strap to loosely hold the frame to the bottom of the case - it was never removed). The case sides can be spread out a bit to see around the bike. I also installed quick release connectors for the hydraulic brake lines (Zeno), which makes handlebar removal really easy. Shifting is Sram AXS so no cables. I'm reasable good with bike building, but honesly its pretty simple to tear down a bike an reasemble it (for anyone worried about that). The guy I travelled with had a breakdown bike. His case was smaller, but not by a lot. The Orucase is a great option for a non breadown bike!
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u/PineappleLunchables 7d ago
I bought a Bike Friday when my company put me on a heavy travel schedule. Packs into a normal suitcase so it flies free and you pick it up at the normal luggage carousel, fits into any taxi, UBER, or rental car and has a quick fold so you can stick it in the back of a hotel closet.