I am going to be traveling with my bike quite a bit in the coming year and need a box.
i like the look of this
http://www.akonabiospeed.com/
but something like
http://brandscycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?catalogId=39&id=2265
might be more impact resistant.
i am somewhat concerned with not paying extra for the bike, but that is secondary to it being rideable when i get where i am going.
has anyone had problems with the soft style cases? any other suggestions>?
TIA
Man all I need to do is to look at my luggage when I get it back off the pick up station to know that I’ll never travel with my bikes in a soft case. Hell, a good set of luggage doesn’t last more than a year if you make 4-5 trips a year.
A hard case is more secure but nothing is foolproof.
I tried a soft case once, and showed up a a race with a bent derailleur hanger because of it. I’m sold on the Trico Ironcase now.
My $.02—I’ve flown with my bike quite a bit. Definitely hard case (clamshell style like trico) and be sure to take your rear derailler off and put the skewer like things on your dropouts to prevent crushing/.bending. Also in huge marker or paint write “fragile” and “do not lay flat” —as in don’t lay it flat and put a thousand pounds of luggage on it.
What’s the rules now for locks on baggage including bike cases. Lock them up or leave them unlocked?
Right after 9/11 it seems they were opening everything so I just secured the lock clasps with zip ties (That way I would at least know if they opened it) sure enough they did. Anyone had any issues with locking up their bike cases with real locks?
I would at least consider buying a Ritchey Breakaway. I ride the steel cyclocross version. I bought it thinking it would be my “second” bike, as I have a titanium cyclocross bike and a Kestrel 500. Well, the Ritchey quickly became my first bike, and now pretty much the only bike I ride. It packs and reassembles quickly, and when in the case it travels easily. The hard cases, while the best way to pack a normal bike, are hard to fit into a lot of cars. Not to mention just getting into the airport and hotels is a hastle. Also, the Ritchey rides really well; you don’t know you are on a “travel” bike.
Plus, the Ritchey case is sized within the limits of all current airline guidlines. So, it flies free.
I put on slick tires and a clip on bar, and it is my race bike. I put on knobby tires, and I can ride almost anywhere you would go on a mountain bike. (Lack of suspension makes rocky areas tough.) I have a tripple, and a Deore XT rear derailluer. WHen I know I am riding it alike a mountain bike I put on a 12x32 cassette. When racing I use an 11x23.
If you know you will only ride road, then just get the road bike.
Paul
There are some reasons to go with the soft case. The one I am talking about is the BikePro case, as compared to a hard shell case like Tri All 3.
First of all, it can be shoved into the back seats and trunks of cars that you would never get a simialr sized hard case in, ie a normal taxi or rental car. It can be stored in a smaller space also (wrap a couple of luggage straps around it and it rolls up to about half it’s height.
Second, you need to compare the weights. On some airlines, you only get 50 pounds for the bike unless you want to pay the overweight fee. With the hard case going 35 pounds, you better have a pretty light bike. Other airlines give you like 80 pounds, which is much better.
Third, you can carry the BikePro case with a shoulder strap, rather than having to roll it (assuming you are a fairly sturdy person). This becomes a big deal when you hit some stairs. It has really nice wheels and rolls well also.
As far as protection, the idea of a “soft” case seems a little weak, I agree. However, it is not really soft, it is solid metal on the bottom, and has a plastic liner on the side, so it is really only the zipper area that is “soft”. In practice, it comes down to how well you pack, Properly packed, there is no way your frame can get damaged, I think you could run over it with a truck and have it come out without a scratch. Thin carbon wheels I am more concerned about. The wheels sit between the side and the frame, so I can envision a scenario where a lot of weight is placed on the side of the case, and the wheel is supporting that weight with a small contact area against the frame. So far I have had no problems, but I’m thinking about adding some thick heavy foam to the wheel bags to offer more protection for the wheels. I’ve used some PVC across the width of the case to try and keep any side loads off the wheels if possible, so far so good.
Then there is the durability of the case itself. I’ve seen and heard a lot of stories about cracked hard cases, casters and latches getting tore off, etc. Maybe you don’t hear these stories about the bikepro because it is not as common, but maybe it is just more durable. It sure seems well made.
On the down side, you have no place to attach stickers 
Since I have not owned both, I really can’t say which is best. I just wanted to point out some of the factors to consider. I’m happy with the BikePro and it has not let me down yet.
thanks for all the replies, very helpful. I checked out the breakaway, i think i cant do that as i just got a new road bike partially to take to europe with me and i dont want to leave it here and spend another 2k or more. I think the hard case is probably the answer, i might even UPS it over then travel with it once it arrives.