Flying to NYC and I’ve got one Felt DA,and a set of 999s. I do not want to carry multiple bags should I pack the wheels with the bike in a Trico Ironcase or take them with me as a carry on in a soft wheelbag?
My only concern is at the gate if they say I can’t take the wheels with me inside…
Do you guys had any problems with race wheels taking in as a carryon? I am flying American Airlines.
Thanks!
Black,
I am afraid that you already know the answer. With this being the height of the summer air travel season, the likelihood is that your wheels will be judged oversize by American anyway, and that they will end up in the cargo hold whether you plan for it or not. Having said that, would you rather they go for that cargo-hold-ride protected in your Trico case, or in the soft case?
Hope it helps…
As a stew for american i always allow wheelsets on board and put them in the closet but I’m one of the few and I only work the hawaii flights. Definitely check them as the odds of them being damaged in a soft sided case are huge and american does not cover any damage to gate checked items.
kelli
i’ve packed my 909s in a trico many times with no problems. maybe put a thin pad (aka old race shirt) between the wheels where they overlap but the trico is pretty sturdy.
I’m way late on this thread, but I’ve been carrying on my carbon wheels all summer. That includes inter-island flights where I had to shove them in a coat closet, international flights where they fit in the overhead just fine, and city hoppers around Europe and the midwest where there’s no coat closet and the overhead is too small and the flight attendants don’t speak english (you can usually fit them behind the back row of seats, but it may take flashing a smile and flirting with the flight crew.)
Has anyone used a sci-con soft case with carbon wheels? All the ITU guys I’ve seen use them, and I’m about to buy one, just wanted to know if anyone has used them with a tri-bike (aerobars and bar end shifters).
Oh thanks! I’ve already got a Trico case and made 2 trips alive and well 
Hard to argue with advice from the world champ! I keep wanting to buy a soft case for when we (my wife and I) travel with just one bike. It seems that everyone who has one loves them and never has trouble with them, including pros who travel all the time, plus they seem more likely to get checked for free. On the other hand, from a practical point of view the hard case seems soooooooo much more protective…