My experience with TSA is that they DO NOT repack what they unpack. It's happenstance and I have arrived with fewer parts than I left with. Therefore, I would recommend the soft case, strictly from the TSA standpoint.

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DFL > DNF > DNS

I've had good luck with a soft case. Unlike many folks, I don't pack the bike bag full of extra stuff. All TSA has to do is unzip both sides, and they can see clear through with a full view of the frame without having to take it off the mounting points. I've heard stories about hard cases getting unpacked, then stuff just sort of tossed back in and getting damaged that way. The way I've seen baggage handlers treat hard cases is shocking - and that's what they were doing in full view of passengers. They're heavy and awkward, so they full on get thrown. I didn't wait to see if they would do that with my soft case... I grabbed it off the conveyor before anyone else could get their mitts on it.

Been using Soft Bags for years.

Never any issues.

Some of the hard cases are a real PIA to pack back up properly - I can't see TSA taking time to do that.

Whereas the soft cases tend to open up easier and, go back together easier. When I pack up for the Soft Case/Bag - all frame members get wrapped in plumbing insulation foam. Wheels are in padded wheel bags, and I even add some extra protection of my own on either side - those micro inflatable camping mattresses as extra padding.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Another vote for soft cases, although the scicon aerocomfort would not be my choice.

I'm also a soft case user but a big fan of the aerocomfort. I've had zero issues with mine (knock-on-wood).

Why not?
I'm interested in a case that doesn't require handlebars to be removed, so the scicon tri cases fit the bill. But I am worried about bars being damaged. Thus been looking at the case made by Premier....bars left on, and its a hard case (I think).

Been traveling with a soft case for the last 6 years. I have recently come to the conclusion that it's not a matter of "if", it's a matter of "when" when you travel with a soft case case.

There will always be a risk when traveling with any bike case.

I'm now using the premier bike hard case. Best case out there IMO because you don't have to take off the base bar and it is not a hinged case like many other hard cases (eg; trico iron). There are wheels at the bottom of the case so you can wheel your bike right side up (not sideways). When TSA goes to look in, the bike will be right side up and they will unzip the hard case and "Y's" out just like a soft case. TSA takes a peek in, then zips it right back up.... (again, just like a soft case).

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blog

Agreed. The Premier Tactical is really a well designed case. It basically checks off many of the advantages of both a hard case and soft case and minimizes both of their disadvantages. It's like the Scicon Aerotech Evolution had sex with the Scicon Aerocomfort Triathlon, and the Premier Tactical was their offspring.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

I have no experience with that bag, but if you will search the forum for all the discussions on bike bags, you should be able to come to the conclusion that the Scicon Aerocomfort is a popular bag (especially for people looking for the least amount of disassembly); that the bag has served the vast majority of people very well; but that the same bag is probably the most frequently mentioned when there is damage. It doesn't matter to me when someone says they love it and haven't had any damage when a good percentage have reported issues.

Just from looking at the Aerocomfort you can see that the bag has an awkward shape for loading, and that by leaving the aerobars on and forward, it presents an obvious point for overloading stress and damage.

From 2008 through 2017, I used a Pika Packwards softside. Zero damage.
This year, I started using the Thule Roundtrip Pro XT (I took it to Norway and South Africa). Also zero damage.

My conclusion from over 10 years of travelling with the bike is that your packing is far more important than the bag. And it might not matter what bag you get if the airline loses it. I just returned from South Africa on Wed 5 Sep and the bag did not make it. I came back to Tampa via Dulles IAP and received a call from JFK yesterday that they had the bag and sent it to me on Delta. I thought my bike was a goner...whew! No damage at all, but who knows where it was the past 7 days.

I know this isn't the right forum, but I've got a pika packworks that I'm considering listing in the classifieds.

PM me if there is any interest before doing so. (I'm located in Chicago, so consider shipping if interested)...

Oh damnit, I was a loser on this flight yesterday from Cabo to LAX - picked up my Scicon 2015 Tri soft bag and noticed the nylon fabric completely ripped away from the base at the back. The agent told me to go directly to the baggage claims office where we opened it to discover that my Cervelo P5-6 is TRASHED. The rear wheel drop insets are sheered off. The rear triangle is broken in half and crushed inwards. The rear bottle cage is sheered off. The front crank was dropped on and now bent.




Alaska Airlines made a report and told me to call their Central Baggage Office. I started the claims procedure after having to re-check the bag (duct taped together) for my final destination. The CGO first line of agent said they only pay $1800 max for an international flight damage to property. But, they pay upwards of $3500 for any damage on domestic flights.

WTF?!!

I'm a very loyal Alaska user. I've taken this bag and bike all over the world for races and never an issue.

Renter's insurance doesn't cover this kind of damage. (If someone had stolen it, I would be golden.)

Credit card that I purchased the flight with covers up to $3000 (just found out -- hurrah!)

Continuing the claims process today.

If anyone has a line on a 51cm 2014 P5-6 frame, please let me know. Otherwise, I'm looking at replacing an entire bike instead of just the frame.

Am devastated.

Very sorry to hear this happened, but certainly not surprised that you have a Scicon softside per my earlier post on this thread.. Too bad your bag wasn't just lost, then your renter's insurance could consider it stolen. Good luck with the claims process and in getting a new ride.

After years of these ST soft bag nightmare threads, to continue to read these stories... just breaks my heart.

If I have a hard case, I would just ship it.

I use the Biknd Helium V4 soft case that has air bag protection. I personally would never get a Scicon bag that you don't remove the handlebars. I have seen over the years at least 10 bikes I know of that have had their handlebars snapped including a pro Ironman. When they pack the cases or big bags on top or throw your bag impacting on bars not removed from your bike they snap... It may be an easy option having not to remove the bars but I'm not going to risk it based on what I've seen.

I have a friend that has two of the ISP cases on this website: https://www.triall3sports.com/cases-bike.php
I've borrowed them to transport multiple bikes with zero issues. The only "extra" I put in the box with the bikes was egg-shell foam in case something got lose.

I've had TSA open the box multiple times, and never had any issues. It comes down to the fact that the bike is still pretty much in one piece without wheels attached (in-box), and the tools that I take are attached to the lid when they take it apart. The only thing they have to shove back in is the foam, and really, it's pretty much impossible to screw that up. The clips that are used to keep the box closed make it pretty easy to close, and even TSA can figure it out.

WHEN I decide to buy a box, I will be purchasing one of these, and will follow my friends solution and purchase the same type of foam.

The things that fly with me as carry-on and don't go in the box:

1. Pedals (they've got a PM)
2. Helmet
3. Kit

The reason for that is, if the bike is ever delayed for any reason, I can still ride wherever I am by renting a steed. I say carry-on, because no matter where I travel, and how long I travel for, I only use carry-on.

I had a friend who had a scicon and watched it fall off the conveyor belt while being loaded and land on the bars....wrecked the shifters ....that convinced me to go with a hard case...I have a bikeboxalan and it is a great case...as an added benefit, my daughter flew out to race nationals this past summer and her xs frame fits without even taking off the seatpost!

A pro just turned up to Malaysia IM with a snapped base bar in a Scicon bag...

Too many peeps turned up in South Africa with broken bikes that had Scion bags. I wouldn't touch one.