EDresden wrote:
I have been traveling with the Hen House for a couple years now with great success! It is by far the most economical method of travel out there! Tgarson, you are correct you must check two pieces of luggage, but that still equates to a significant savings on most airlines. For example, Delta charges a $200 bike fee each way! I check my Hen House (a total of 2 bags) for $60 each way. In the end I save a total of $280 on one trip, the bag is halfway paid for. Now lets take a less extreme example, I fly United rather frequently. United charges a more reasonable $100 bike fee and I check my Hen House for $60. At the end of the trip I save a total of $80. In this case it would take a bit longer to receive a return on your investment, but the fact of the matter is there is a ROI! What other bike case on the market can say they offer a return on your investment?
I agree, maybe the whole "bikes fly free" thing is a little misleading, but my impression was that they were referring to the fact the the bike itself does fly for "free" because it avoids bike fees. It is generally assumed that you will be checking bags when traveling.
I have been more than pleased with my case over the years. I am excited to see TJ has developed and armored version of the case! The standard case has been great, but I would LOVE those wheels on the frame bag!!! I highly recommend the Hen House! My dollar savings over the past two years has reached nearly $3000!!
Ah, I used to be like you all, lugging my bike to the airport, pretending my bike wasn't a bike at the ticket counter, worrying as my bike got hauled away to be put on the plane, waiting for it at the baggage claim at my destination as it inevitably came out last and at the large items area, hauling it to the rental car area, hauling it into the hotel, and then looking for that dreadful TSA slip inside the bag as I unpacked wondering if they broke or mis-packed the bike back (as they occasionally did).
I hate to sound like an advertisement for bikeflights, but your post sounds like you're being paid-per-word by TJ. Here's my procedure: Go to the bike shop and they're more than happy to give me a cardboard box (the same kind of box that every bike ships in originally from the manufacturer) or just use your own bike box if you already have one, pack up my bike at home, use bikeflights.com to print a fedex label, drop it off at the nearest FedEx location. Usually costs about $40 go to cross-country and it's waiting for me at my hotel or friend's house or whatever when I arrive. Don't have to deal with airlines or hauling the bike four times through the airport and to the hotel. Often the hotel will have the bike box waiting in the room for me.
You pay $60 each way with the airplane and deal with a lot of airport hassle, I pay $40 each way and am able to sail through security with just my backpack as luggage.