Bike Case - Loaner

Jonathan Brown

Hey all,

Does anyone have a spare Bike Case that I could use for camp and an Ironman?  I am willing to pay for shipping to NYC.  THe challenges I run into is:
1) To rent a case twice, i can just buy one.  Because i will need it for 10 days each time.
2) i cannot buy one because there is ZERO room in my apartment.

Dates I am looking at 09/03 to 09/13 and 10/08 to 10/18.  

Thoughts?  Or is it just easier to buy a used one?  and then sell it again on Craigslist?  

Derrek Sanks

I haven't done this but another option is seeing if your LBS can pack it in a bike box (shipping box) and then you can ship it UPS/FedEx. You would have to add up the costs to see if it's worth it. LBS cost to disassemble/pack your bike and another LBS to reassemble it (unless you can do it), then there's the shipping cost.

Jonathan Brown

Hey Derrek,

I am looking into the LBS also.  I still dont have a LBS since i moved to NYC about a year ago.  The closest bike shop is more of a beginner/commuter shop with no mechanic's shop.  So i am still hunting for that.

I am looking at BikeFlight as an option.  It looks to be like a good option.

scott dinhofer

@Jonathan Brown - I may be your solution! I live in Westchester, can easily deliver to you if you don't have a car
I have two bike cases I am trying to sell!
armored hen house - posted on slowtwitch here
Aerus Biospeed case - posted on slowtwitch here

borrow it as a try & buy!

bike flight is a good option once packed in any bag or box as @Derrek Sanks suggests. Might be able to help you ID an LBS, where do you live? 

btw, the both of these pack down really small and will fit under your bed, unless you've already got half your apartment under that! 

Jonathan Brown

Hey Scott,

So I have been reading lots about soft shell cases and traveling via FedEx.  From what most people say its not advice.  Thoughts?

Also have you done travel via flight?  did you get away with regular baggage fees?  or did you encounter the $150 per flight fee?

Jonathan Brown

FYI, i really appreciate the help all..  Also, I have ZERO idea of where i am going to store any of this in my apartment.  I looked at renting a hard case but that is about the same as buying one.

scott dinhofer

@Jonathan Brown - sending you a PM with phone #, feel free to ping me a time to call over the weekend.
for the group knowledge base, I bought the biospeed based on this article from DC Rainmaker. I always followed his instructions and it was a roll of the dice as to if you go nailed for the bike fee. 

I then did the hen house. I am a good wrench (you need to take your fork off, but it was difficult with the Di2 on my road bike, hence why I don't use it any more. 

I now have the Scicon Aero 2.0. This is a great case, i only have to take of wheels, though I also take off the pedals. With this bag you are paying bike fees, but I feel it's ok since I show up, don't have to do much to ride. one note is that I Only use these for events that Tribike Transport doesn't service. If I can send my bike to an event tuned by LBS and ready to go, that's my preference. 

As for the soft case issue. I have had two. the downtube of my 29er was cracked when i got it back from the Austin Rattler. I flew it down and fedexed it back with BikeFlights. I honestly don't know if it happened in transport or prior and went unnoticed. at any rate, had the bike flights insurance and had calfee to the repair. Bike looks and acts Brand new. Calfee is the gold standard in repairs.

on another trip, i had the sidewall of a reynolds carbon wheel get cracked because it was pressing on the top of the seat post of the frame. this was 100% my error in packing, however bike flights covered it and Reynolds has a replacement program. I took the $ combined the good wheel with a friend's matching one and sold it. 

A little negotiation with bikeflights was required. they wanted me to use some outfit they deal with for repairs, I insisted on Calfee. They tried to say the wheel was repairable, thankfully their repair shop said it wasn't. 

Paul Hough

@Johnathon - take a look at the Thule Roundtrip Pro XT.  It has a hard bottom w 2 wheels, and ingenious built in work stand and semi-rigid side inserts - so it's a like a hybrid soft/hard case.  But more to the point is that it folds up for storage.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4TzqGmIFNE&t=137s

Jonathan Brown

So i ended up buying a hard case from someone on slowtwitch.  I figure it is going to be better when i ship my baby via BikeFlight.  So there was a lot of thinking about this all.  I can ship it or fly with it.  I ended up thinking about packing the living hell out of it to ensure its safety.. and then go from there.

Scott Alexander

Jonathan Brown said:

So i ended up buying a hard case from someone on slowtwitch.  I figure it is going to be better when i ship my baby via BikeFlight.  So there was a lot of thinking about this all.  I can ship it or fly with it.  I ended up thinking about packing the living hell out of it to ensure its safety.. and then go from there.

Shipping domestic in my experience isn't too difficult, especially with pre-determined delivery times and guarantees.
I've never shipped internationally, where I hear that the customs process can impact delivery dates with unknown timeframes. I've always flown with it or rented internationally. Just an FYI.

Paul Hough

Shipping a bike internationally is prohibitively expensive.  Just take it on the plane with you.

Jonathan Brown

@Scott Alexander @Paul Hough THis is great to know.  I am lucky to be traveling to Louisville.  HMMM, not sure if it is lucky or not yet.  So it will be shipping in the US.  Worst case, and not that bad, i can use some American Airline Credits that i have to pay for the airline fee.

Leslie Sedlak

I have the biospeed (Can def ship to you if you want - I won't need it until next season)  and I have traveled a couple times with it as baggage on the plane, with no issues.  I purchased foam pip covering and bubble wrap my bike in it.  I have done both with and without detaching the rear derailed.  Would do Either.

Jonathan Brown

@Leslie Sedlak . Thank you for the offer.  I bought a hard case from slowtwitch the other week.  For $300, i can resell it or keep it at my brother's in the basement. I am not sure what race i am goign to do next year.  And since i do not have a car, its easier for me to ship a bike and fly than to drive anywhere.