Ok, guys…I know I have asked this before, but I am paralyzed with indecision, and I can’t pull the trigger on purchasing a bike case to get my trusty steed to IM Moo. I have it narrowed down to the Trico or Tri All 3. The Trico is cheaper, but it looks like its a lot easier to get a bike into the Tri All 3 case. I was looking at the Serfas, but I saw a previous post where somebody had issues with the wheels coming off. So, lets put it to a vote…Trico or Tri All 3?
Spot
Trico
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A triathlete that I know who is also an airline baggage handler (he posts here sometimes too) recommends the Trico ironcase. I have used one each time that I have flown with my bike and they seem to be the safest/most durable way to transport it.
Trico. If I can pack my bike in it safely then most anyone can. Now putting it back together is an entirely different story…kj
I went through the same dilemma. Both cases are good but I went with the Custom Road. I think the tri all three wins in the protection category. The tri all 3 is also nice because you can get some other gear in there (wheels, pump, shoes, helmet, tools etc.) and still keep it under the airline weight limit. It is really solid with nothing really touching your secured bike other than straps and a little foam. I used the straps that were provided along with a few zip ties to tie up any movement. My bike is like a rock in there. You barely need to disassemble to get (un)packed which is nice if you have ever rebuilt your bike in a hotel room (packed/unpacked in 15 minutes). However the biggest drawback to these pluses is that it is too big to fit inside a regular car trunk. I usually rent a minivan but that may be an issue for some people.
Had both and honestly they are both good … triall3 is easier to pack and also easier to handle in the airport … but the trico case is smaller and sometimes the airlines let you get away with not paying the extra charges. If I had to do it again I would probably pick the trico case.
I bought a Tri all 3 a few years ago. I have not used it very much, but it is really beat up now. I wouldn’t use it any more for shipment via Fed Ex, but I still take a chance and stick it on a plane. It has multiple holes and splits and the butterfly clips don’t stay shut anymore.
I wouldn’t buy another one.
I have a Trico, by buddy has a Tri all 3. I am jealous – the Tri all 3 is WAY better. You clamp the fork in there, you have to remove less, no squishing foam down to get the thing closed. Dude, it’s awesome. Bucks, too. But I think it’s worth not having the hassle.
there are a couple of Tri All 3 cases btw. I have a Trico and would reccomend it highly although it is a bit heavier than the Tri ALL 3 cases and with the new 50lb restrictions that creates a problem at times. The Tri All 3 that you clamp your fork onto is super light and pretty easy to pack but it’s pretty susceptable to cracking if it takes a hard hit. Tri All 3 also makes a similar case to the Trico, a clamshell design with three pieces of foam. The main difference is Trico uses snap straps to hold everything together where Tri All 3 uses these metal butterfly clamping luggage fastener thingies. Anyways the TA3 fasteners are awesome in the beginning but look at anyone’s case that is a year or two old and thier fasteners will be broken.
My solution for compact or most tri bikes 55cm or under, build a small frame box and a wheel box, I don’t pay extra baggage fees anymore. $Delta is $100 each way now for a bike…
depends on what tri all 3…clam shell is a nightmare and the tri co is way better…the other tri all 3’s are good though, just the clam shell we hated
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you can sit on the tri all 3 a lot easier while waiting in line for bike abuse at the airport…
Send it back to TriAll3. Their customer service is great. I am sure they can fix it up to good as new condition for a reasonable cost.
Anyways the TA3 fasteners are awesome in the beginning but look at anyone’s case that is a year or two old and thier fasteners will be broken.
TriAll3 sent me replacement latches and rivets gratis.
Send it back to TriAll3. Their customer service is great. I am sure they can fix it up to good as new condition for a reasonable cost.
Yeah I agree… They are a really fair company with great customer service.
The problem I have with my Trico Ironcase is that my bike (a large frame Cannondale Multisport) has an aero seatpost that extends quite a bit above the crossbar, making the length from top of seatpost to bottom of chainring so long that I have to deform the case a bit to squeeze the frame in. Maybe not a problem for smaller frames or those with the seatpost ending at the crossbar, but something to consider.
Hey…thanks to all of you who gave gave me your thoughts on this. I decided to go with the Tri All 3 custom road case…I went to their website, gave them a call, and found out they have changed the plastic in the case (due to all the complaints about the splitting), and upgraded the latches. Plus, I had a $50 coupon for becoming a USAT member, and they had a deal with Sports Express so that if I bought a case from them, I would get a free bike shipment…a $90 value from Panama City to Madison. The custom road case sounded too good…lower the seat, rotate the aerobars, remove the wheels, and that’s it…I have to split the day after IM Moo, so ease of packing was key for me. Thanks again to all of you who offered advice.
Spot
I have used both the trico and and triall3 but I bought the triall3 compact velo. Both are good but I noticed I had much less fiddling to do with my bike with the triall3 when reassembling. With the Trico I found I had to do more derailer adjustment and tighten loose brake cables when I would get to the race but I haven’t had to do any adjusting to my bike in the triall3. Like another poster mentioned, because the triall3 is a harder plastic it is more susceptable to cracking (I haven’t had any problems with it though and the cases can be repaired.) The nicest aspect of the trico is the price - it is over $100 cheaper.