You really do travel light based on that photo. But, that really makes me wonder how important the stand really is. No racks, no fenders, only two water bottle cages, there really is not much assembly on that bike.
Originally Posted by
jkbrooks
...
& buy a bigger duffel backpack." I've used an inexpensive amzn 60L backpack duffel 1/2 dozen times in last 6 months. I recently had the shocking realization that perhaps my salvation lies in buying a bigger bag. I've found that flying in someplace where I then need to get to a train or hotel with my stuff in hand means I can handle one rolling luggage (the bike box) and one backpack type luggage . . . plus whatever small carryon I take on the plane. Means I'm checking two bags (backpack duffel & bike box) which costs me a few bucks each way but that's simpler for me than trying to get by with a big carryon & a checked bike. I flew to France twice last summer & it cost me $100 extra each way to check an extra bag. I've flown down to CA/AZ 5x in past 4 months and it's cost me $40 each way for additional checked bag. Tolerable. Maybe not optimal but a relatively cheap solve
First photo below is my luggage for my trip to Iceland. S&S Backpack is the black bag. The green bag was my second checked bag, the size and shape of a suitcase, but basically a duffel the way it was constructed, with just fabric and no frame. I had trouble getting all my stuff packed, so decided to replace the green bag with something bigger. The other bags were carry on. I do not trust airline luggage handlers to handle my helmet, I carry that into the airport and wear it onto the plane, put it in the overhead on the plane.
Second photo, my Canadian Maritimes trip, the orange bag is a 115 liter backpack made by SealLine, replaced my green bag. It is water tight and air tight, so I put a towel in the top fold so air can permeate through the towel as the air pressure in the plane hold varies during the flight. The orange bag, that specific model was discontinued, but they make a comparable one.
If the switch from Ortlieb to Carradry makes you wonder, I bought the Carradry panniers for a specific trip that did not happen. And the Axiom smaller gray ones at a garage sale, the gray looked better with the gray Carradry. Every trip I was wondering if I should try out the Carradry, and finally decided to try them for that trip. Nothing wrong with the Ortliebs, in the future I will use Ortiels for some trips and Carradry for others, depending on trip.
On my Iceland trip, I met a couple from Utah that were there for two weeks with their Ritchey Break Away bikes. They were loaded almost as light as you. They said that they only had to check the two bikes in the Ritchey cases, everything else went into their carry on bags. Flying Delta that year, one checked bag was free (their Ritchey cases), so they had no luggage fees.