Travel Bags/Cases

Road cycling & upcoming rides
GregPankhurst
Posts: 298
Joined: 29 Apr 2012, 17:57

Postby GregPankhurst » 10 Feb 2015, 11:04

Just wondering what people could recommend (and recommend avoiding) in the travel bag/case space? Or is the whole thing much easier to stuff in a cardboard bike box?

And are there any bags/boxes that might hold 2 bikes?

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Stuart
Posts: 2568
Joined: 11 Mar 2008, 10:43
Location: Dulwich Hill

Postby Stuart » 10 Feb 2015, 12:14

I use an Evoc (semi-hard) bike bag. They are quite expensive to purchase (although we got them on special at Wiggle for about $300) and you have to think about what to do with it at the other end if you're not just staying in one place as they don't fold down that small and will take up a lot of room in a car. For Europe this year we've organised to store them in the first place we are staying for a small fee, otherwise I would have used a box.

My carbon bike has made it to Europe and back in one piece BUT the bag weighs 9kg so add a bike and some tools and there's 20KG straight away. It also only has wheels at one end so pulling it through airports is a drag when it's up around the 32kg limit and Joanne struggled somewhat with long walks from one terminal to another in London when Qantas failed to check our bags all the way to Nice.

I am having an attachment made in Alu for the other end that will have a single wheel on it and be removable to get around this issue. It also tends to "collapse" at the bars end of the bag - we used stiff cardboard to try to negate this and it worked fairly well (got bent out of shape in transit) but for 2015 I'm making up a "frame" out of electrical Conduit to fit inside.

There is also now a different internal frame you can use to keep the bike more stable (see the review below)

See here for a good review of the Evoc and discussions on travel bags. The Scion also gets good reviews, has wheels at both ends and you don't have to remove the bars but it also has had some issues with keeping the bike solidly on the internal frame

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JoTheBuilder
Posts: 1500
Joined: 19 Feb 2011, 15:32

Postby JoTheBuilder » 10 Feb 2015, 12:56

I have a BIKND. I did a LOT of research on these before I bought one and was lucky enough to find it on Wiggle on sale for about $500. Here were my findings:

BIKND:
1. Blow up sides allowing the bag to pack neatly down for storage. When blown up they provide substantial cushioning for the bike;
2. 4 recessed wheels. Easy to wheel around the terminal. Also less likely to be knocked off;
3. 4 wheels can be packed;
4. When we went to the US last year we were able to fit 1 bike and 1 frame in the bag. I doubt you'd get 2 bikes in any bags on the market at the moment;
5. Weighs 11kg. This is on the heavy side. Was fine for international travel but I have been stung domestically.
6. I am short so I don't have to take the seat post off. Most would but that is a bonus for me.

SCICON
1. 4 wheeler but they stick out and I've heard stories of them being knocked off;
2. You don't have to take the handlebars off (or pedals though most people do). Huge advantage for those not familiar with bike assembly;
3. Does not pack down for storage and it's pretty large.

HARD CASE
1. Less flexibility when fitting in additional items such as helmets etc;
2. Does not pack down for storage;

Have a look at Bike Radar for reviews though this is an old article.

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James Rogers
Posts: 457
Joined: 13 Nov 2011, 09:58
Location: Newtown

Postby James Rogers » 10 Feb 2015, 14:10

I have a Pika Packworks. Soft case, with very good/clever padding, stealth design, and handmade in the US by a bloke in his basement. They also make one to carry 2 bikes.

See CyclingTips for a review. It has no wheels, but only weighs about 4kg.

Another good alternative is use a cardboard box with a bike bag, such as the tardis or body bag from Ground Effect. We pack the bike into the bag, and then put it in the box. It makes for a quick, light and easy to replace solution. BOGear also make an impressive, lightweight bike bag.

We've carried the bikes this way to Japan, US, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, and more regional flights. Packed weight including essential tools, helmet and shoes in the box is curiously, consistently 16kg.
Last edited by James Rogers on 06 Mar 2015, 16:01, edited 5 times in total.

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utopia
Posts: 265
Joined: 18 Nov 2010, 11:24
Location: Canterbury

Postby utopia » 10 Feb 2015, 14:28

http://bikeboxalan.co.uk/

Video showing packing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6uHHi6s5xY and box being stepped on at the end.
Think there's a video of the box kicked out of a moving car somewhere too.

Box alone is 11.2kg, which means the bike (and bits) should be light , space wise it easily fits helmet, shoes, travel pump, travel tools a set of cycling gear

*nb: if you have a disc wheel you can't use the anti crush pole, apparently it still travels well, but I didn't test it myself.

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James Rogers
Posts: 457
Joined: 13 Nov 2011, 09:58
Location: Newtown

Postby James Rogers » 22 Feb 2015, 09:13

Pushy's have these soft Zipp bike bags on special. No idea what they are like, but they have wheels – $169.

Image

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utopia
Posts: 265
Joined: 18 Nov 2010, 11:24
Location: Canterbury

Postby utopia » 06 Mar 2015, 15:31

http://envirobikebox.com.au/
Official supplier of bike cases to the Australian National Cycling Team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjcohquTuHY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTR8y_B9lTo

PS : No personal use or recommendation on this as I'm not in the Team ...yet.


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