Hi all! I’m just looking for feedback, ideas on travelling with a bike. I live down-under and travel internationally 3-5 times per year (Europe and USA mostly). Most trips I have a weekend somewhere and I have free time to ride.
If I’m just going to one location and one hotel I take my bike in a Bikeboxalan, otherwise I just rent a bike. Renting a bike has been fine, but it’s quite a hassle. Lately I’ve been thinking about getting a Ritchey outback breakaway. Fit’s into a normal sized suitcase and I could take it on every trip with me. I love the idea of always having my bike with me. This would just be a travel bike and would not be used at home. I’d set it up with SRAM AXS so it was super easy to assemble.
Does anyone have experience with a setup like this? Any other ideas?
I travel a ton for work and use an Evoc Bike Bag Pro. It fits my gravel, mtb, or road bike easily.
It took quite a few trips before I had my ‘system’ down but now it takes me only a few minutes to pack or reassemble and I’ve only had a couple of damaged bits after probably 60+ flights with the bike bag. I always snap a pic of the wheels and the bike in the bag so that in the case something goes awry I have proof that I had a functioning $10k carbon bike and wheels before the flight.
Side note- I have an extensive collection of bespoke frame protection made from pool noodles. Makes me feel much better as I’m handing my bag over to the handler at oversize luggage dropoff.
Not meaning to hijack but if anybody has found a good solution for protecting helmets during travel I’d love to hear!
Thanks. I have an Evoc bag as well, my problem is that on most trips I’m doing multiple internal flights and getting picked up by people in their car. I just can’t take a full size bike case on these trips - hence the interest in the Ritchey Breakaway.
For the helmet. I take it attached to the outside of my backpack. I got the idea from an osprey bag, and I 3D printed a similar system and attached to my backpack. It’s really funny being in long-haul business class with a helmet, I get asked about it a lot - a great conversation starter. It’s like this osprey bag…
I seriously considered a Breakaway, but my work situation changed so didn’t get one. My wife and I have used Pika Packworks cases. The overall size and weight of these is less than most other cases. With my road bike, shoes, helmet, and other riding stuff, the overall weight was <35lb. They’re malleable so easier to fit into places and vehicles that bigger or hard cases won’t fit. With the bike out, they fold up pretty small. Like FarmerJB, we use pool noodles and/or pipe insulation to pad the frame more thoroughly. We never had an issue, but that’s a much luck as anything.
Just a plug for the Post Carry Transfer Case which I use for similar purposes. It allows me to bring my bike on trips where it would otherwise be too much of a hassle. Once packed, it fits in the trunk of a standard sedan easily. I actually have a hard time imagining myself ever travelling with anything larger, since it would take so much more planning and compromise to make that feasible.
The one caveat is the additional disassembly required, including the need to drop the fork out which is becoming increasingly challenging with modern cockpit setups.
A dedicated breakaway travel bike would be pretty nice though!
I made a little cage with pvc pipe that just fits the helmet and put it in my checked bag. I’ve used it just once…but it survived. I have lost a helmet in a checked bag before. I was taking it carry clipped to my backpack but it was a little more hassle than I wanted.
