Touring - An S&S Couplers question

I have a bike with S&S couplers. I can put it in a suitcase however, there is all the other bike touring equipment, such as, racks, tent, sleeping bag, biking clothes, tools, etc. The takes up a separate bag and I fulfill my 2 bag luggage limit.

How do you handle this "extra" stuff?

Ray

So it fulfills your second bag limit... what else do you need?

I just saw a picture of a bike packed in a suiyt case. wow, those coupler bikes are amazing. Do they still ride very solid with unoticable difference between them and a one piece frame?

I have a bike with S&S couplers. I can put it in a suitcase however, there is all the other bike touring equipment, such as, racks, tent, sleeping bag, biking clothes, tools, etc. The takes up a separate bag and I fulfill my 2 bag luggage limit.

How do you handle this "extra" stuff?

Ray

You need more than 2 bags?

Use the panniers as carry-ons, and put some extremely essential gear into the panniers: 1 pair of riding shorts, socks, raingear, book, shoes, empty water bottle, snacks, etc. I kept one pannier empty so that it looked like I had just one carry-on. I attached my helmet to the pannier as well, to save room inside for the other stuff. This way, if at the other end your bike and 2nd bag doesn't show up, you can at least still tour a bit once you find a bike with a rack.

I have Ortliebs, and added 2 D-rings to each pannier (one D-ring for each pressure strap). I brought along two shoulder straps, one for each pannier, and hooked into the D-rings when I needed to carry the panniers any distance. I can't carry that much weight with just my hands (and those handles).

Carrying two stuffed panniers with one shoulder strap is awkward because the panniers don't hang together as one unit---they go their own directions when you are walking. If you don't mind it, you probably don't need two straps. You might not have this problem, because your shoulders (where you'll be hanging the panniers from) are probably wider than your hips. ;)

I just came back on train. I had the bike in a box; a large additional box for helmets, sleeping bag, matress, tent, and front rack; I had three paniers strapped together with all their contents. So I had three pieces of baggage, It could have been further consolidated, but it still seemed like it might not have made it under a stiff 2 bag requirement.

Don't forget that you can carry a day pack or pannier on the plane with you as your carry-on baggage allowance, actually most airline allow 2 carry-on bags. In fact, I've seen lots of people carry more stuff onto the plane as "carry-on" baggage than I have as checked baggage.

Probably it's a better idea to have your helmet in the carry-on bag than in your checked bags anyway.