Bike Travel Options

Mark Maurer

So what's the best bike bag/box for flying with your bike. I know a lot of you bought the Armored Hen House lately. Do you like it? What about the Pika? I've got a couple of races to travel to and it would cost me over $1,000 just to use Tribike transport or Bike Chauffeur. Susan wants to go to Puerto Rico 70.3 next year as well so that would more than cover the cost of a good case. Thoughts? 

John Withrow

We need more info... What kind of bike do you plan to carry in it? How good are you with a wrench? Some of the bags are small enough or inconspicuous enough to often be able to avoid bike fees while others not so much.

I ride a P5 which is nearly impossible to take the bars/fork off so I us the Scicon Aerocomfort Triathlon. It's awesome for the P5 because you don't have to break your bike down at all. Just take the wheels off and put them into the side pockets, then mount the bike onto the internal frame and zip it up. But that also means it's big and looks like a bike case, so you might pay as much in airline fees as TBT will cost. And it won't easily fit into the back of a small rental car.

Nemo Brauch

John makes a very good point. The decision becomes very personal when you factor in the kind of bike you are transporting and how comfortable you are breaking it down. My Felt DA is a PITA to take the fork off and I'm not even that comfy having random who knows who mechanic on the other end doing it for me. So the Hen House bags are just out for me. I've used a hard Ironcase by Tricsport for over 10 years now with good success. BUT, if I were purchasing one now- I'd lean more towards a softcase with wheels like the one John has. The IronCase is just a bit awkward to get through the airport and the way the handle is situated- it puts a lot of weight in your hand. Additionally, these days TSA will open the box every time. In the past that was a bit of a crap shoot- but now it is pretty much a guarantee. The Ironcase has to be lined up just right to ensure it fits together and nothing falls out. On my last trip, TSA re-packed the box without lining it up correctly. Things could have been worse, but luckily the bike was fine and I only lost a few small parts (totally my fault for not securing them in their bags better, but that's my lesson learned).

Mark Maurer

Sorry about that. I have a P3. I do almost all of the maintenance on the bikes in our stable and I'm very comfortable with break down and rebuilding.

Shaughn Simmons

I have a FELT IA, fairly technical and complicated bike.  I have traveled twice using the Ruster Hen House and escaped all oversize baggage fees both ways on both trips.  After breaking this bike down a few times, I am comfortable with the process as well.

SS

Paul Hough

I have used a Pika Packworks since 2008. Sometimes I get charged bike fees sometimes not. It is oversized but I've NEVER been charged for that. My bag has been all over domestically, as well as to St Croix 70.3, Puerto Rico 70.3, IM Switzerland, IM Sweden, IM Regensburg, Almere (ITU LC), Motala (ITU LC) and Powerman Zofingen. With the exception of Puerto Rico, TBT doesn't service any of those locations. I think a lot of folks who don't travel much are unaware of how TBT cranks the rates up outside the US. I used TBT for Cozumel ($400) and Austria 70.3 WC ($650). For 70.3 Worlds in Australia this year, TBT charges run from $700 to $1000 depending on your starting location. Cost savings and small size (easier to fit in a car) are the biggest advantage of the Pika. Portability is the biggest disadvantage (i.e., 35 lbs isn't that heavy but is awkward to carry with a strap if you have to walk more than a couple of hundred yards. I do have to break it down and put it together but that only takes about 20 mins. This year my case went to Bend, OR for $50 roundtrip and to Switzerland and back for $0! I like what I see about the SciCon Aerocomfort but I've read on ST that there are an increasing number of reports from folks with bike damage using that case. Also, the second you put wheels on a case you pretty much guarantee you are going to get nailed for a lot of fees. That can really add up over time if you travel several times a year. I looked at the Armored Hen House as an option until I found you had to drop the fork which is too complicated with my BMC. If that's not a problem it would be a good case for airlines that don't significantly charge for each additional bag. In both trips so far this year, that case would have cost me more to use than my Pika, substantially so on the trip to Switzerland for the extra bag. If I ever quit being cheap I would look closely at the EVOC bag, but for the meantime, I'll probably keep saving money with my trusty Pika.

robin sarner

will be flying to Kona with my Pika.    I have the xl size.     older Cannondale Slice.        etap so no shifting cables.   I have brake cables wired so I can totally detach the cockpit.       

JeremyBehler

Posted By Mark Maurer on 25 Aug 2016 09:29 AM


Sorry about that. I have a P3. I do almost all of the maintenance on the bikes in our stable and I'm very comfortable with break down and rebuilding.

What size P3?

I love the Hen House.  Haven't been charged a bike fee after four flights so far.   Only asked once what was in the bag to which I replied "exercise equipment"

It's already paid for itself.  I've used it for my 58cm Tarmac and just used it yesterday on my 58cm Ventum.  The Ventum required me to remove the crank (Dura Ace 9000 so SUPER easy).  I had the bike put together in about 15 minutes.  I had to remove the fork, aerobars, surrounded them in pipe insulation, and velcro'd them all together.   Have traveled with Zipp 404s and Enve 7.8s in the wheel bag with no issue. 

Gary Lewis

I have the Armored Hen House and a p3 also. I've only used it once and didn't get charged a bike fee, but did get charged an oversize fee of $400 one way and nothing on the way back. Argued as much as I could, without knowing exactly how to measure it, I had to pay. The hen house can be a little awkward to pull on its wheels as the bag is narrow and tends to want to tip if you have the wheel bag attached.

Mark Maurer

@Gary, it's a 51 and my wife's is a 49 so they both should fit. Do you have to pay for two bags since the wheels are in a separate bag.

Gary Lewis

You would have to pay separate bag fees on each part. That didn't bother me, I had my wife and son with me so one or two $25 fees isn't bad. Probably could loan you mine if you need to pack two bikes. I don't have another travel race booked anytime soon. Waiting to see how I do at IMAZ before planning my next move. My p3 is 51 also, fit in there great.

JeremyBehler

Posted By Mark Maurer on 25 Aug 2016 09:43 PM


@Gary, it's a 51 and my wife's is a 49 so they both should fit. Do you have to pay for two bags since the wheels are in a separate bag.

Those will fit very easily without removing the cranks.  Just the fork will need to be removed. 

Here's a video on packing in the Hen House.  The first time takes a bit longer to get used to it (and cut pipe insulation which I did for extra protection) but after that I can pack/unpack in about 15 minutes.

Video Link

You are charged bag fees.   That's why I try to fly Southwest (2 bags fly free and I use my carry on for clothes) but I flew Delta this trip so it was $60 (still $140 less than the bike fee).  You can also squeeze a lot of extras in the Hen House (clothes, helmet, etc)

Al Truscott

Mark, if you want to try out the Amoured Hen House this Oct with you bike, I've got one you can borrow, to give it a test run before you invest. Let me know, I'm not using it this fall, as I'm traveling three times with my tri-bike, which has its own unique carrying system @ regular baggage rate (S&S couplers).

Mark Maurer

Has anyone ever seen or used this bike bag? http://orucase.com/products/the-airport-ninja It looks intriguing especially since it's just one bag instead of 2 like the Hen House.

Gordon Polozola

@John, so would you recommend the Scicon AeroComfort? I'm looking at that case due to the ease of packing/less deconstruction. Is it a definite airline fee case?

rlh2000

I have a Scicon AeroComfort I've used a handful of times now- love it! Pack up in <5 min, wheels really easily, but yes, definitely airline fees and may not fit in every car super easily, though I haven't had a problem yet myself. I've only flown Southwest with it, so it's be $75 each way.