Bicycle Mechanics - Drawings or ideas for home-made bike case?

Hi,
I plan to fly with my bike during the coming year, and am thining about making a case for the bike. Anybody got ideas or drawings for a home-made case? I'm pretty handy and resourceful.

Thanks, in anticipation....

Tom

problem is you are charged by weight. Unless you can vacuam form plastics or work with cloth and resin, whatever you save by building is going to be eaten up in weight charges from the airline I would bet. just a thought. good luck.

How much $ are you really saving when you count your time in building this? I would go with a mfg. made case. Even if you only use it one or two times you could always resell it. I have always wondered why the airlines do not have rentals on stuff like this?

You raise an interesting design problem. I would use the strength and rigidity of the bike frame to augment the strength of the case and make it part of the case. What I have in mind is to make the case fit around the frame and attach to it, rather than make the case so the bike merely fits into it. Make custom standoffs that cradle the frame tubes and fasten around them, as well as brace the sides of the case to keep it from being compressed. You may be able to turn the fork and handlebars to one side rather than taking the stem off of the steerer. The front wheel would fasten to the diamond section of the frame. You might use carved blocks of hard styrofoam and cable ties to keep the front wheel tightly in place. Some sections of the case exterior, like the area near each derailleur, could be more rigid. The skeletal members of the case could be rather light, perhaps of 3/8 inch plywood. The idea is that all members of the frame would reinforce one another. The actual skin of the case might be as light as corrugated cardboard. It would only cover non-critical areas and provide minimal protection. Those are some preliminary thoughts.

Hi,
I plan to fly with my bike during the coming year, and am thining about making a case for the bike. Anybody got ideas or drawings for a home-made case? I'm pretty handy and resourceful.

Thanks, in anticipation....

Tom

jUST GET A BOX from a bike shop. Cardboard and put bike into that.

Fhe easy & cheap way. Get a box from a bike shop, wrap all the frame parts in foam plumbing pipe insulation, remove front wheel, loosen handlebars & turn sideways and remove the peddles. Put all parts & tool in a zip lock bag in the box and ship. I have done this several time with good luck. If the box gets damaged get another box for the return trip. Also make or get a spacer fro the distance between the front forks.

You raise an interesting design problem. I would use the strength and rigidity of the bike frame to augment the strength of the case and make it part of the case. What I have in mind is to make the case fit around the frame and attach to it, rather than make the case so the bike merely fits into it. Make custom standoffs that cradle the frame tubes and fasten around them, as well as brace the sides of the case to keep it from being compressed. You may be able to turn the fork and handlebars to one side rather than taking the stem off of the steerer. The front wheel would fasten to the diamond section of the frame. You might use carved blocks of hard styrofoam and cable ties to keep the front wheel tightly in place. Some sections of the case exterior, like the area near each derailleur, could be more rigid. The skeletal members of the case could be rather light, perhaps of 3/8 inch plywood. The idea is that all members of the frame would reinforce one another. The actual skin of the case might be as light as corrugated cardboard. It would only cover non-critical areas and provide minimal protection. Those are some preliminary thoughts.

Another thing to consider is: What are you going to do with the case once you get there? A big, bulky case can be a major pain to schlep from place to place during your 10 day tour. Keeping the dimensions UPS-able would be a major plus too.