dgasmd

So I am getting things ready for my trip to Portugal and Spain. I have several friends with hard cases willing to lend them. However, after doing an extensive search here, it seems there are tons of very happy and satisfied people here traveling frequently with their soft cases. The Sci Con seems to get a pretty good reputation, so it is the one I am looking at the most. Its price is not nasty either given this is an item I will get to use rather infrequently. $268 shipping included from Costo.com

One thing I am concerned about though is the fact that my bike has tons of carbon everywhere: wheels, handlebars, stem, cranks, seat, entire frame, fork, etc. The thing that concerns me the most really is the handlebar.

Are you guys using the soft cases also using it with bikes with this many carbon parts? If I had another bike to take or parts to substitute, I would. However, that is not an option here, nor is it to rent a bike there. My main issue with taking a hard case is the amount of assemble/disassembly necessary and the difficulty getting the case in small european cars. Not to mention we tend to walk around to find hotels or use public transportation when traveling. Also, we are going to be moving a lot from town to town there using either trains or buses. Hard case = bigger pain in the arz.

operator

Well do you want a bike you can't trust over 20kph or you want a bike that you can? That's bascially what you have to answer. Carbon bars are a failure for this exact reason.

dgasmd

Thanks for your lack of useful contribution

Darkrider23

This is slightly off topic, but...

Have fun in Portugal man. I've gone to Portugal almost every year since I was 9. My parents are Portuguese and we have a lot of family there. Great places to ride your bike with a lot of hills. Kind of sucks that I only bought my bike now and not before I went to Portugal this year. At least I got to plan my rides for next year. Can't wait!

May I ask what Airline you are going on?

Tapeworm21

Hard case. Airline luggage handlers are apes. Bring the tools necessary for putting the bike together and be done with it.

aicabsolut

I've heard that airlines will be more careful with a soft case, but they won't hesitate to throw a hard case around. Does that mean they really don't throw it around and shove someone's 20kg suitcase on top of it? I have no idea. A friend of mine just flew across the USA with her carbon bike (carbon frame only) in a soft case. I haven't heard from her, so I'm assuming it survived.

botto 

after 12+ years of using the same soft/padded case, i bought a trico when i got my first CF bike.

hrt4me

If you have a full carbon bike, then why skimp on protecting it? Would you have insurance for your bike on this trip?

Texas Doc

Hi,
I am actually debating flying with my bike right now... right now I'm leaning towards a hard case just because I think it would protect the carbon components more.

jsmithepa

Soft case is fine IF it's padded PROPERLY, and I don't mean t-shirts wrapped.

OP, what's your objection against HC?

Surferbruce

lots of foam pipe insulation, fork and dropout spacers, and some styrofoam/cardboard layers and you might be ok. thats said, i do all of the above and use a hardcase.

dgasmd

My main issue with taking a hard case is the amount of assemble/disassembly necessary and the difficulty getting the case in small european cars. Not to mention we tend to walk around to find hotels or use public transportation when traveling. Also, we are going to be moving a lot from town to town there using either trains or buses. Hard case = bigger pain in the arz for mobility purposes.

If I was traveling in the US, this would not be an issue at all. I would simply get the hard case. Europe is a completely different animal. We are going to be there nearly 2 weeks, and biking will be my side gig away from the family early in the morning before our regularly scheduled "vacation time", so I don't want to spend literally hours over the 2 weeks taking the bike apart and putting it together if I can help it otherwise. We will be moving around from town to town if not daily almost every other day, so assembling, carrying a huge case through town and to a train/bus station, to the next place, walking about to a hotel, etc. will get old pretty darn quickly. Again, I am trying to avoid it if I can help it at all, although I do realize it may not be possible. The idea of leaving the bike here has crossed my mind now several times as I am one of those people that hate checking in luggage. Proof is that in the last 20 years with all the traveling I have done I have checked luggage once, and that included spending 3 weeks in Europe when I got married there! However, this seemed like such a good chance to bike there that I would hate not to take advantage of it due to some inconveniences.

carpediemracing 

I don't get how a soft case will save you time. You will still have to take apart a bunch of the bike to move it safely - I take off the wheels, rear der, seat/seatpost (as a unit), stem, bar (the last two separately), pedals, and wrap moving foam sheets around everything. Then I have more foam covering everything.

On a hard case the only difference would be potentially taking off a crank or something if you have a tall bike and the rings don't fit. Otherwise it's about the same amount of disassembly.

My soft case (BikePro copy) is larger than a typical Trico etc when packed. Fits in the back of a Honda Civic (trunk of a sedan, but you gotta squish it some). Trico fits across back seat.

The only time it's smaller is when there is no bike in it (20 lbs, about 5' long, 2' high, 1' wide), but then where would the bike go (?). Or are you just lugging the bike around, built, and the bag around as well?

Trico etc has strap indents. If you bring some of those "strap with rubber pads" roof ski carriers (no crossbar or feet, just a strap with hooks at the end and then rubber pads for the skis), you could potentially strap a hard case to the roof of virtually any car.

Do you have an older bike you can bring?

I haven't flown internationally with a bike for a long time, but I fly somewhat regularly domestically with a bike. My last trip (Feb 08) had me carrying my Cannondale SystemSix (CF front end, including fork), DV46cs (carbon rims, and they would be the "outer edge" of the bag as I pack it). The bars, post, stem, cranks, seat, rear der, front der are so well protected (snugged up to frame, with wheels or other things to their outside) their material is immaterial.

However I was a nervous wreck, as I am each time I fly with my bike, until I got the bike assembled. I usually get to video tape the ground crew loading the bike on the plane, and they seem to be pretty good every time. The rear wheel got whacked out of true on the way back but it's been fine - I've been training and racing on it for the summer.

Airline insurance usually does NOT cover a bike on a plane, unless they forget to make you sign something. You'll have to go through homeowners/renters insurance. Note: for those of you that rent, renter's insurance is very cheap, along the lines of $250/year, and it covers all your stuff plus the insides of your rental place. I didn't get it when I rented back in the day and lost about $1500 of stereo stuff just before I moved. Your bike is usually covered under such insurance, but I'd double check to make sure there is no "budget cap" for the bike.

I'll be flying again this month, and I am debating sending the bike via UPS or carrying it with me (it's time critical for me to have my bike this time, I can't just say "I'll go buy another bike if my bike gets busted"). After talking with an almost 20 year veteran of the UPS crew, I'm thinking of flying with it. Not sure how automated the luggage control is in various airports but UPS relies on extensive conveyer belt type things, and that's where a lot of stuff gets damaged (not when handled by people). Imagine a bike getting stuck on a tight turn and a couple thousand pounds of stuff bumping into it until it forces it through. On the plane they carry bike bags to the belts, load last, off load first, and carry it to the oversize checked luggage area (usually). If they don't carry it inside the conveyer belt for most baggage claims starts off just behind the rubber curtains so the bike only has to go up a conveyer hill.

Finally, carry your shoes, pedals, and any weird things you have on your bike (outdated fit pieces - bars, seat, etc) in your regular luggage. This way if the bike does get demolished you can buy a bike and fit it to your preferences.

cdr

songfta

For what it's worth, I have a full carbon setup and use a Pika Packworks EEP for travel. It's a soft case, but it's built for stout and protects the frame really, really well. This pack was designed by a former pro racer who was tired of lugging around hard cases like the Trico, yet wanted full protection for his custom frames. As a result, the bag is well-suited for its intended use, and has been purchased by pro teams as well as common riders. All of the cases are hand made by the company's owner, and the craftsmanship is top-notch.

It also is light (around 10 lbs.), so the total weight with bike is less than 30 lbs., which works to my advantage with checking the bike (i.e. I've yet to be assessed an oversize fee). It was a marked contrast to my friends with Sci-Con cases, who were charged the fees. Yes, there's a bit more disassembly involved with the EEP compared to the Sci-Con, but I'm willing to put up with it to have a lighter weight package that protects my bike. I've also used a Trico IronCase in the past, and it was fine, but very heavy and tough to stow once I arrived at my destination. The EEP simply rolls up into a fairly compact package.

Full disclosure: I'm simply a happy customer of Pika Packworks.

botto 

it's exactly the same amount as with a soft case.

ummm... i don't get your logic on that one.

NoGaBiker

Not true. At least not with the SciCon, which the OP specified as the case he is considering. The difference in disassembly is marked.

botto 

incorrect.

fair enough.

with CF bars?

orcanova

carbon bike, soft case, lots of travel, no problems. Ten minutes pack and un-pack. No dis-assembly just loosen a few bolts. Many more benefits. Can't type: stitches in finger...read my PM, OP

patentcad

I've been using my Athalon soft case for nearly 20 years. Big foam rubber on either side, zippered compartments on the outside for the wheels. I always bubble wrap the vital parts on my bike (derailleurs, Brifters, top of the seat tube, seat and post, BB and crankset. But the bubble wrap is probably overkill. No problems whatsoever. Nothing even close to damage, and that bike has been hurled onto baggage carousels from here to Athens to London.

I have CF handlebars. How are CF handlebars a 'failure' I wonder? I've been using them on my road bikes for 3.5 years and a ton of miles. Love them.

Don't worry so friggin much.

carpediemracing 

I use a 13 or 14 cm stem and it ends up sticking out too far for me to feel comfy. The easiest solution when trying to pack my bike is to remove the stem. I keep a bunch of (CF) spacers in the bike bag to act as the stem so the fork/headset doesn't bounce around.

dgasmd

The soft cases I have considered all have a small frame inside to bolt the fork and the rear for the frame. All you need to do in those is to loosen up the handlebars, turn them down, and take the wheels off. Far less than having to disassemble a ton of parts like in other cases. Again, if I was going to ride for a day or 2 or if I was staying in the same place, none of this would be an issue.

Given the feedback I am getting from people that actually use these frequently even with high end carbon everything bikes, I am feeling a bit more confident with the soft case.

orcanova

That is a great price for the Sci-Con at Costco...about $100 less than most people have it for. Unlike a squared off hard case, it is contoured to the bike, so it fits easily into midsized trunks and rear seats of economy cars. Maybe even in economy trunks, which I have not tried. If no, take the bike, nnot the wheels, out the case and put the bike in the taxi back seat, the bag and wheels in the trunk. Maybe even shove the whole thing in the backseat, again, I haven't tried an economy car, but no problems with those Mercedes taxis all over Europe.

You rotate the handlebars down and under the top tube so they are well protected. I just throw an old mattress pad over the frame to prevent the wheels from scratching the frame, and some foam pipe insulation pieces over sections of the main tubes and the drive chain side chain stay...that is all. Never get even a scratch and it has been thrown in trucks full of network TV hard cases.

If you take the seat and seat post off, you can possibly cajole a cooperative airline counter employee that it is within dimensions allowed, if you measure the most narrow parts. Awesome case, never had a problem, and I highly recommend it for your needs. It also rolls up and stashes away in your home very nicely, even on a closet shelf. Literally 10 minutes to pack and unpack and be ride ready.

rcams

I don't know about a soft case..... I fly an average of twice a month for business and based on the stuff I see coming out on the belts....I wouldn't even think about putting a CF bike in a soft case. Get a hard case and enjoy sleeping on the flight instead of looking out the window at the baggage boys hurling your stuff.

gregf83 

Make sure you get insurance. A young pro came on our group ride today on his backup bike as his main one was cracked during transport after a recent race. I don't know exactly what type of case it was - some combination of soft with hard pieces.

orcanova

Your speculation doesn't match up to people who have had experience with both hard and soft cases. Like I said, we all know how baggage is handled so you aren't imparting anything new. My soft case has been tossed in trucks with heavy hard cases with loads of TV equipment, which is much more severe than passenger luggage. Again, not a scratch, and I do it all the time with my soft case. I sold my hard case, because it is much more limited. In fact, the hard case compressed the rear stays of my steel bike. Between that and scratches on the frame from all the disassembling required with a hard case, the only damage I have ever seen was from my hard case, never from my soft case.