I just bought an Akona Biospeed soft travel case, and am looking forward to its arrival. I’m wondering about providing a bit of extra protection for my bike’s (half carbon) rear triangle and the (carbon) fork.
Does anyone sell a brace that “jams” into the gap in the triangle or fork in which the skewer is normally inserted, to prevent the stays or fork from getting squishedf? Has anyone ever home-made anything like this?
It seems to me like this would provide additional protection in these sensitive areas at a minimal weight cost.
You can do it with piece of threaded rod, four washers, and four wingnuts for the front and the back each. Or stop by your LBS and ask if they have any extra of the plastic spacers that come when they receive bikes/frames…
Pretty much every bike that comes into your LBS comes from the factory with one or two of those… Ask nicely and they’ll probably be happy to give you a couple.
Pretty much every bike that comes into your LBS comes from the factory with one or two of those… Ask nicely and they’ll probably be happy to give you a couple.-
i agree—this is where i got mine. there are different kinds (i’ve had several) and some fit better than others. some fit in well, but pop off easily in transit. i’d go ask the LBS for whatever ones they’d be willing to give to you, and then go with what fits best.
peggy
Just did a search on soft travel cases and this popped up. Since you have had this case for a little bit, how do you like it? If you have a set of race wheels, did you use them in the case as well? Looking forward to your feedback.
Just did a search on soft travel cases and this popped up. Since you have had this case for a little bit, how do you like it? If you have a set of race wheels, did you use them in the case as well? Looking forward to your feedback.
I traveled with my aluminum road bike and training wheels in the Akona case, once, overseas. No damage to anything. I used a spare rear hub and a plastic fork brace that I got from the bike shop to brace the front and rear dropouts during transport. Piece of cake!
Traveling with the case was also cake. It’s very light, and I was not charged in either direction, though both ways they did recognize my case as “oversized.” I was worried they’d charge for being oversized, but I guess they didn’t since the whole package only weighed 36 pounds.
Carrying the bike was relatively painless, though I found that while wearing shorts the case would chafe against my leg a bit (YMMV). Straps and handles are well-designed, and closures are secure.
All in all, this is a great case. If you’re carrying a carbon bike + race wheels, I think you’ll be fine–you may want to wrap all tubing in bubble wrap and protect the race wheels a bit, as well. That’s what I’m going to do for Ironman Wisconsin this year.
Bottom line: one trip and the case has pretty much paid for itself!
Definitely helps, thank you. I’m heading overseas next March for IM Australia and am kinda in the information gathering mode. Seems as though this case would definitely cut it for that. I was thinking the same thing with covering up the tubes, forks and wheels with some sort of wrap just to make sure things go smoothly.
We used a Pika soft case to take Tracy’s bike to Kona last year. I wrapped the frame with pipe insulation and used the plastic spacers between the forks and stays. Put the wheels in wheel bags and stuffed some work and swim towels around them, and packed them securely in the case. Everything was fine.
Like Rahzel mentioned, the case ends up being much smaller and lighter than the plactic cases. Was a little tough carrying it around versus pulling something with wheels. Had there not been 4 other athletes checking in bikes on our flight to Kona, I probably could’ve got away with not paying the bike case fees, too.