Road Cycling - Bicycle Traveling Case

As the title suggests---any suggestions? Which one to survive overseas air travel? Which one to present less hassles at the check in counter at airports?

I have used a hard case twice transporting my bike from Australia to Europe. Both times the case got damaged, but the bike was unhurt - I'm guessing the baggage handlers dropped the case, and the weight of case+bike broke the material around the wheels. Now I know to inspect the case immediately I get it from the airline, and report any damage immediately. The airline (Japan Airlines) fixed it under their insurance.

I also transported the bike between England and Italy using a disposable cardboard box - the bike survived undamaged, but I was a little nervous. I wonder if the baggage handlers take more care when they can see the bike is less protected. No, I don't think so either.

As the title suggests---any suggestions? Which one to survive overseas air travel? Which one to present less hassles at the check in counter at airports?


Serfas Bike Armor Transport Case


• Size requirements meet UPS standards
• Bike securely encased in foam
• Two heavy-duty rollers located on end for easy transport
• Super tough polyproplene shell
• Four stainless steel locking latches offer the ultimate in security



Size: 47x30x11, 31 lbs

http://www.serfas.com/accessories/accessories_3.html

If you don't travel all the time, you might check into renting a case. Some really good shops have cases to rent. You might also want to check into membership in the LAB. One of the benefits is not having to pay the extra freight charge on certain airlines.

DEMON

Renting sounds like a good idea, but I can see myself getting sucked into traveling for triathalons a lot very soon---but still a good idea. I'm covered with extra charges on air freight---my buddy has a connection where we can get free vouchers for this.

Keep the suggestions coming!

I shipped 2 Performance travel cases from San Diego to Seattle via FedEx with no trouble at all. It is also less expensive than the xtra charge the airlines tend to levy.

You might try that route.

CycleFrog

Check your local bicycle clubs as well. Many keep a few for use by their members.

Check out this thread.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=5014006

As the title suggests---any suggestions? Which one to survive overseas air travel? Which one to present less hassles at the check in counter at airports?

least hassle? a soft padded bag with a zipper.

best suited for international travel? a trico, or something similar.

https://www.bikeprousa.com/race_case.php?UID=2007100214032312.109.106.4

I use and dig the Serfas clamshell design. Simple, secure, cheap, small, light etc.

BTW - there are EXTENSIVE threads discussing this topic from every angle. I'm certainly not going to rehash and it bores other people to do so as well. SOOOO, try using that little BF search function.... ;)

i use this one: http://www.bikebag.com

it is a soft sided bag so it is easy to roll up and stick in the trunk of a rental car, a locker at the railroad station or under your hotel bed. it has plenty of storage, 2 wheel bags and lots of padding. it is fairly easy to move around with the roller wheels and shoulder straps. i have never had any damage to my bike using it but i only travel with my old bianchi celeste (steel). i have never carried my colnago c-50 (carbon) with it and not really sure i would want to (or need to). if you have a carbon bike you might feel a bit safer with a hard case like the trico iron case or a scicon case.
i can only recommend against ordering from bikeprousa because they were taking over 2 months to fill my order without any explanation so i cancelled and bought from bikebag.com instead. they had the bag to me in 3 days and saved my trip to hawaii.
also i get lots of compliments on how nice the bag looks when i'm travelling.
good luck!

I've been using a cardboard box from my LBS for all the flights I've taken with my bicycle in recent years. It seems to work just fine.

I've flown from Calgary to Sydney, Australia. From Melbourne to Launceston, Tasmania. From Hobart, Tasmania to Cairns, Queensland. From Sydney, Australia to Calgary. From Calgary to Des Moines, Iowa. From Los Angeles to Calgary. From Calgary to London, England. And from London, England to Edmonton. All in the past three years, and all with a cardboard box.

The only type of cardboard box I'd warn you away from are the United Airlines boxes. They are HUGE which is, initally, very attractive ... you can just roll your bicycle right in. The problem is that they are too huge, so they are hard to get around the airport, and they tend to start to sag and break apart. If you're going to go with a United box, pack your bicycle well, and tie everything else you put in the box to the bicycle.

I use a soft padded bag with the zippers.

My bag has 4 rollers and a shoulder strap, the bottom of the bag has an Al frame with dropouts point for front and rear and a "tower" that is padded and comes up either side of the down tube.

I put a 4mm piece of corrugated palstic in the bag on either side of the bike.

The bag weighs nothing, will fit in a closet at destination and I have never suffered any damage to my bike.

Anyone noticed the question was asked in 2003?

Woa.... time warp. And the dude who replied to the 4 year old thread wrote as if it weren't nothin'.

Woa.... time warp. And the dude who replied to the 4 year old thread wrote as if it weren't nothin'.

true. but i am glad. i need one by next monday. anybody use the performance bike ones? I saw they had the pro one in stock.