Originally Posted by
raybo
Another thing you've never done is fly with a bicycle packed into a 62 inch box. I have an S&S coupled frame and it takes 2 cases to fly with it: one for the bike and another for the gear. So, while you seem to believe that you could take 1.5 bikes in 2 62-inch cases, you will likely need, at least, 3. What is your plan for cases 3+?
The idea that you can use 62 inch airline cases as panniers is lunacy. Have you ever tried to do this? I have one of these beasts and I can't imagine trying to mount one on a bike (let alone 2). Would you put holes in it for hooks? There is no way to bungee them to the rack/frame. You seem to think this is a simple problem to solve, when, in fact, it likely isn't doable at all.
Also, I can't imagine trying to move these cases from airport luggage carousal to airport hotel by myself. I can barely deal with the two I travel with. Adding even more stuff to get around would be madness, in my experience.
+100 (This is an
awesome thread!)
The fundamental problem here is that OP is trying to solve the problem of needing a bunch of extra luggage to transport his bike by making his bike
bigger, which is never going to work. The amount of luggage required scales faster than the size of the bike. I would love to have a full-sized bike which can pack into its own panniers, really I would. I would also like to have a threesome with Scarlett Johansson and Keira Knightley. Both are about as likely.
I speak also as somebody who has experience traveling with an S&S coupled bike and panniers. In practice, you can't fit much more than the bike, a rack, and a repair kit in the 26x26x10 before you hit the 50-pound limit (and you'd better stay under 45 to account for variation in scale calibrations). It is perfectly simple to pack for an extended tour with that and two large panniers, one of which you check and the other you take as carryon. Leave the box at a hotel near the airport. Problem solved.