Bike Case from Performance Bike

Quoted message said:

Anybody have comments or experience with this bike case?

http://tinyurl.com/2647ut

Please note the weight (26 lbs) and keep that in mind regarding bringing in
a plane. Most airlines have a 50lb weight limit on bikes in boxes now, and
some are even 44lbs. At 50 lbs, you shouldn't have too much trouble as that
gives you 24 lbs to play with. Just remember that you can't stuff it full of
all sorts of other stuff.

Also, most damage I've seen lately hasn't been done by the baggage handlers,
but rather the TSA (security) folk. Make sure you pack things in a way that
makes it easy for them to check things out. Sometimes the things you do to
protect your bike (wrapping it up with all manner of foam & bubble pack) can
work against you as the TSA gorillas tear things apart, thinking you might
be trying to hide something.

Aside from that, I haven't seen one of those cases in real life, but somehow
my bike, and my son's, managed to survive a trip to France, including
multiple trains & planes & automobiles (sounds like a movie) in one of
these- http://www.bikebags.com/travelbag.html

Terribly inconvenient to carry any sort of distance (no wheels and the bag
doesn't hold any real shape) but yet the bikes came through. I didn't trust
my nicest bike to the trip though. We had no choice but to use bags, as the
TGV (French train) won't take bikes in boxes, only in approved (120cm x 90cm
or smaller) bags.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

Thanks, Mike, for your reply.

On Aug 30, 7:46 pm, "Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Please note the weight (26 lbs) and keep that in mind regarding bringing in
a plane. Most airlines have a 50lb weight limit on bikes in boxes now, and
some are even 44lbs. At 50 lbs, you shouldn't have too much trouble as that
gives you 24 lbs to play with. Just remember that you can't stuff it full of
all sorts of other stuff.

Quoted message said:

From my research, the bicycle fee for all the airlines include excess

weight coverage typicall up to 70 lbs. I don't know of any US
carriers that are as restrictive you mention, but that restriction is
typical for the free-baggage allowance. If you can cite a specific
source, I'd like to have a look for myself.

Quoted message said:

Also, most damage I've seen lately hasn't been done by the baggage handlers,
but rather the TSA (security) folk. Make sure you pack things in a way that
makes it easy for them to check things out. Sometimes the things you do to
protect your bike (wrapping it up with all manner of foam & bubble pack) can
work against you as the TSA gorillas tear things apart, thinking you might
be trying to hide something.

Yeah, I had that experience with a bike that arrived off of the
internal fork mounts, loose in the bag along with the TSA "calling
card." Jerks.

Quoted message said:

Aside from that, I haven't seen one of those cases in real life, but somehow
my bike, and my son's, managed to survive a trip to France, including
multiple trains & planes & automobiles (sounds like a movie) in one of
these-http://www.bikebags.com/travelbag.html

The problem with the soft bags is that many airlines will only accept
them on "conditional acceptance," basically giving them an out on any
damage no matter how irresponsible they were. e.g.: "[Continental] is
not liable for damage to Bicycles ... not contained in cardboard
containers [or] hard-sided cases."

--
Daniel

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Please note the weight (26 lbs) and keep that in mind regarding bringing
in
a plane. Most airlines have a 50lb weight limit on bikes in boxes now,
and
some are even 44lbs. At 50 lbs, you shouldn't have too much trouble as
that
gives you 24 lbs to play with. Just remember that you can't stuff it full
of
all sorts of other stuff.

Quoted message said:

From my research, the bicycle fee for all the airlines include excess

weight coverage typicall up to 70 lbs. I don't know of any US
carriers that are as restrictive you mention, but that restriction is
typical for the free-baggage allowance. If you can cite a specific
source, I'd like to have a look for myself.

For International flights, UA is very strict about 50lbs. But the good side
is that, so far, they still aren't charging to carry a bike on International
itineraries. That could change at any moment. For the rest of them, you'll
find out when you get to the airport. Websites are vague beyond belief. Do
not, repeat, do NOT assume that 70lbs is OK. 70lbs was ok for luggage in
general a couple years ago. All weight restrictions are moving downward, as
airlines seek to enhance revenue. Bicycles will not buck that trend. Keep in
mind that we have direct experience with many customers who fly with their
bikes.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Also, most damage I've seen lately hasn't been done by the baggage
handlers,
but rather the TSA (security) folk. Make sure you pack things in a way
that
makes it easy for them to check things out. Sometimes the things you do
to
protect your bike (wrapping it up with all manner of foam & bubble pack)
can
work against you as the TSA gorillas tear things apart, thinking you
might
be trying to hide something.

Yeah, I had that experience with a bike that arrived off of the
internal fork mounts, loose in the bag along with the TSA "calling
card." Jerks.

Quoted message said:

Aside from that, I haven't seen one of those cases in real life, but
somehow
my bike, and my son's, managed to survive a trip to France, including
multiple trains & planes & automobiles (sounds like a movie) in one of
these-http://www.bikebags.com/travelbag.html

The problem with the soft bags is that many airlines will only accept
them on "conditional acceptance," basically giving them an out on any
damage no matter how irresponsible they were. e.g.: "[Continental] is
not liable for damage to Bicycles ... not contained in cardboard
containers [or] hard-sided cases."

Which is exactly how different from what they'd say otherwise? I believe the
max they're required to pay is $400, period. And at our shop, we've seen the
airlines destroy $5000 bikes (doing $3000 damage to a frame) and refuse to
pay more than the $400. The last one was in a plastic case. The outside of
the box showed very little evidence of anything happening to it, and I'll
guess that the chances of recovery diminish when you don't inspect the
contents before leaving the baggage claim area.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

For International flights, UA is very strict about 50lbs.

UA's Contract of Carriage reads "50 lbs." as the limit for their free
carry-on baggage, with a 100-lb limit for checked baggage (with an
excess charge over 50 lbs). They indicate no exception for
international flights, but some foreign countries and/or airports may
have additional restrictions.

Over 50 lbs US might possibly charge $50 excess weight in additional
to the $85 bicycle charge. Most airline's CoCs specifically allow
excess weight for bike's but UA is silent, meaning it's probably the
ticketing agent's call.

UA does generally offer "excess valuation" up to $5000 for a fee, but
they might decline it in some instances.

UA's CoC is here: http://www.united.com/page/article/0,1360,2743,00.html

--
Daniel

As my bike and I have flown to/from Salt Lake on Southwest and to/from
Central Europe on United/Lufthansa - yes, they will take a bag heavier
than 50 lbs. However, you'll have to pay extra for it. I've got an
S&S coupled bike, so the case is within the baggage dimension limits
(I pay no "bicycle fee"😉. But the guy at the counter in Detroit was
annoying, because my bag weighed 48lbs in Budapest, yet, with nothing
additional in it, weighed 51 lbs in Detroit. I transferred the pedals
and chain in to my carry on. Each bag was weighed separately at every
airport.

Daniel Norton said:

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

For International flights, UA is very strict about 50lbs.

UA's Contract of Carriage reads "50 lbs." as the limit for their free
carry-on baggage, with a 100-lb limit for checked baggage (with an
excess charge over 50 lbs). They indicate no exception for
international flights, but some foreign countries and/or airports may
have additional restrictions.

Over 50 lbs US might possibly charge $50 excess weight in additional
to the $85 bicycle charge. Most airline's CoCs specifically allow
excess weight for bike's but UA is silent, meaning it's probably the
ticketing agent's call.

UA does generally offer "excess valuation" up to $5000 for a fee, but
they might decline it in some instances.

UA's CoC is here: http://www.united.com/page/article/0,1360,2743,00.html

--
Daniel

Quoted message said:

Over 50 lbs US might possibly charge $50 excess weight in additional
to the $85 bicycle charge. Most airline's CoCs specifically allow
excess weight for bike's but UA is silent, meaning it's probably the
ticketing agent's call.

You got that right (that it's the agent's call). And you noticed that thc
CoC doesn't mention anything about *not* charging for bikes on International
flights, and yet that remains (for now) the policy. Well, sort of. The
ticket agents don't seem to know; they'll ask a supervisor or co-worker "Are
bikes still free on International flights?" to which the answer, for me, so
far, has been "As far as I know..."

One thing to keep in mind is that, for domestic flights, you're allowed the
bike, after paying the $85 fee (one-way), in addition to, not in place of,
your regular baggage allowance. So it could be worse.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

The best thing I ever did was invest in a Ritchey Break Away. I travel quite a bit and the Break Away comes with it's own case and can be checked in like bagage. The weight at the check in, a couple of weeks ago when flying to Sydney, was 13.2kg. This was for: bike, case, helmet, shoes, 1 bottle, pedals, underseat bag, tyre levers. mini pump (Topeak's Mini Pump fits inside their mid size bag 😄), a couple of spare tubes, patch kit. multitool, Y hex wrench, 1 wheel bag, gloves. It takes me 10 min to take a part and pack and 15 mins to pack.... I love it.

On Aug 31, 8:03 pm, ::dom:: <dom.2w7...@no-

mx.forums.cyclingforums.com said:

The best thing I ever did was invest in a Ritchey Break Away.

Yeah, I'm ready to get those couplings added to my training bike frame
(I know someone who has done it with the same frame.) I'm hoping
someone in Texas can do it (A shop in Wimberley used to do it, but it
has closed.)

More info on the couplings is here:

http://www.sandsmachine.com/

--
Daniel

Daniel Norton said:

On Aug 31, 8:03 pm, ::dom:: <dom.2w7...@no-

mx.forums.cyclingforums.com said:

The best thing I ever did was invest in a Ritchey Break Away.

Yeah, I'm ready to get those couplings added to my training bike frame
(I know someone who has done it with the same frame.) I'm hoping
someone in Texas can do it (A shop in Wimberley used to do it, but it
has closed.)

More info on the couplings is here:

http://www.sandsmachine.com/

--
Daniel

Write to Sands Machine and ask who they'd recommend close to you.
Although there are folks here that do it, I elected to ship my frame
to Bilenky in Philadelphia. They do many, many, many conversions.

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

Doug Norton said:

Over 50 lbs US might possibly charge $50 excess weight in additional
to the $85 bicycle charge. Most airline's CoCs specifically allow
excess weight for bike's but UA is silent, meaning it's probably the
ticketing agent's call.

You got that right (that it's the agent's call). And you noticed that
thc CoC doesn't mention anything about *not* charging for bikes on
International flights, and yet that remains (for now) the policy.
Well, sort of. The ticket agents don't seem to know; they'll ask a
supervisor or co-worker "Are bikes still free on International
flights?" to which the answer, for me, so far, has been "As far as I
know..."

A data point:

I talked to my daughter tonight, who flew United from New York to Shannon,
Ireland for a 10 day bike trip with her new Trek 1000 in August, 2007. She
was charged $100 each way for the bike, She only had 1 small carryon, since
she was going to be on the bike the entire time.

This was a surprise airport charge; she hadn't anticipated United charging
for an international flight.