quester

Very interesting point, though I think I'd want to try it, or see someone else w/ a 60cm LHT try it, before springing for the cash.

Presumably the couplers could make use of the standard cardboard box easier, Hardy says above. My bike *barely* fits into the 92" normal box. I have to take the handlebars off completely (not just twist them), which can be a real pain to put back together completely.

Hmm.

quester

This is under the assumption that you need the bike with you on the plane. W/ a cardboard box you can fedex your bike anywhere in the US for $75 or so. This is as compared to the $50 you would be charged by most airlines (not southwest!) even for the 62" S&S box.

imi

I would love to see real life pictures of say a 60cm S&S LHT (or similar) packed in 62" box, with fenders? racks? tools? water bottles? pump? kitchen sink? Do you have to remove the chainrings?

A nifty racing bike (or computer generated pictures) are one thing, but how much of a real world touring bike can you stuff in a suitcase?

raybo

I posted pictures of putting my S&S coupled Waterford Adventure cycle into its hard case for traveling on this thread: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-in-a-suitcase

The only thing I put in the bike box is the bike and tools. The rest: fenders, racks, panniers, gear, etc, goes in another (large) suitcase.

I showed both cases and how I put the bike together in my recent Switzerland journal.

I've flown with my S&S coupled bike at least a dozen times and have certainly paid for their cost in saved baggage expenses. But, in addition, the hard case completely protects the bike from baggage handlers "excess exuberance," hides the fact that it is a bicycle, and makes it easier to move around than a partially assembled bike in a cardboard box.

This doesn't count the benefits of the couplers with transporting the bike in a car trunk, which I do all the time.

I would most definitely get S&S couplers on another touring bike, if I had to buy one.

Ray

imi

Thanks Ray... guess I'll have to leave the kitchen sink :/

I see you take the fork off. Pardon my ignorance never having had a threadless fork, but does this require much in the way of tools and expertise? (I have read up on it, but park tools makes everything sound so simple).

Airlines seem to veering towards the "one bag" rule (even to/from N.America). Maybe Forest Gump knew what he was doing, haha

Seems like every step I take forward they're waiting in the bushes (next to the check-in counter) ready to ambush me

Cyclesafe

My 62 cm S&S equipped Americano Co-Pilot fits fine in the trunk (boot) of a largeish sedan, but not an econobox. When packed in the case, the handlebars must come off.

Cyclesafe

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?...oc_id=5654&v=V

No racks, but fenders are possible.

joelpalmer

That's actually a reason I went with couplers - it lets me (theoretically) pack my bike into a suitcase looking container which should hopefully dodge any question about "what's in that box". On the practical side, I was building my touring rig up from the frame and figured it was worth getting the couplers cut into it before the rest of the build. It's doubtful that I would have gone to the effort of getting them if the bike had been built up. Also, I have yet to actually use the couplers for air travel, and the one time I tried to pack the bike (borrowed a case from the shop that did the work) I couldn't get it to fit, but that says more about the wisdom of trying to do your first S&S breakdown at 11 pm the night before you fly than anything else.

John Nelson

Does anybody know what the weight penalty is for the couplers?

HardyWeinberg

https://www.sandsmachine.com/spec_cm.htm

prathmann

My regular (non-folding or coupled) 60cm Cannondale does fit in the trunk/boot of every econobox (like Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla) I've tried once I pop the wheels off. That only takes a few seconds and is much faster than folding my folder or undoing even a single S&S. So I fail to see the advantage in going with any non-standard bike just for getting it into a trunk. I usually find it's easier to take the wheels off the Cannondale and fit it into the trunk than it would be to lower the back seat of the car.

Now for getting under the airline 62" rule there's clearly a need for either couplers or a folder and my Bike Friday has paid for itself several times over in saved oversize baggage costs.

ironpuppy13

just mail the bike (and all of your luggage for that matter) to where ever your going. it'll cut way down on your traveling costs. I've done it once and it is hilarious to travel without any luggage.

outashape

I had S & S couplers put on my steel Lemond bike about 6 years ago. This November I had to have Bilenkly Cycle Works put my baby to sleep. I have cycled in the rain many times and I did not have frame saver applied inside the tubing. I noticed a spot rusted through the steel below the coupler on the down tube. They told me they did not want to re-weld the frame as they did not trust the integrity of the steel. I did get my money's worth by the second year of travel. It was checked by TSA most of the time. I even put a note inside taped to the top of the suitcase that there were not any CO2 cartridges or any bike lubricants inside. Once they had me paged so I could shut the case after they searched the contents. I usually took the handlebars off and packed them with my regular luggage. My bike was never damaged in transit. I am retired now so I do not have a need to fly domestically for business or pleasure. I'd rather drive. I don't know if I would do it again, especially with all the new baggage rules. I did take the bike on many business trips in addition to cycling tours because I did not have to pay extra for baggage.

imi

Seems like a number of airlines have changed their baggage policies from the beginning of the year... extra charge for second checked baggage for example... wouldn't surprise me if they all follow suit... gah!

I'm considering a 26" compact S&S tourer in order to cram as much other stuff in a standard 62" (158cm) box with it as possible up to the 50lb (23kg) limit...