Originally Posted by
johnny99
Cheap soft cases offer zero protection to your bike. They are made for carrying your bike on road trips inside your car. For air travel, you are better off putting the bike in a clear plastic bag, so at least the baggage handlers will know it is a bike and hopefully treat it more carefully. A cardboard box with lots of padding will give you lot more protection.
+1. If you do not want to use a hard case, these two sites might give you some alternatives. One uses reinforced cardboard or plastic boxes that can be easily stored and reused.
www.shipbikes.com
www.crateworks.com
Personally, I always use my Trico Iron Case...