Some genereal comments on couplers and cases -
I have three bikes with S&S couplers (just didn't know when to stop)
and I believe completely in the S&S system. I lube them with a couple
of drops of the recommended teflon treatment once a year and they stay
tightly closed. I had a Landshark retrofitted with couplers and could
not feel any difference in ride or handling afterwards. I've never
owned a Ritchey Breakway, but a couple of owners have told me they find
the connectors fiddly, and I'd agree that the lower bracket does not
inspire confidence.
I agree with the previous poster's comments about ti's suitability for
a travel bike - I have a Roark ti that looks as good after 12 trips
around the world as it did when new. No paint to scratch! Other things
do inevitably get scratched in transit so you might want to go easy on
carbon fiber components, whose structural integrity can possibly be
compromised by surface damage. I also recommend that you consider a
compact style frame for slightly easier packing, and slightly
deeper-vee/stronger wheels with a lower spoke count, especially if you
use the S&S hard case (see below). At first I shied away from
threadless headsets, due to concern about adjusting them on the road,
but then I realized if you just left the stem in place no adjustment
should be needed.
A couple of previous posters mentioned they had read positive comments
awhile back about the Ritchey case, and I suspect they may have been
referring to a post I wrote in response to somebody trying to decide
between S&S's hard and soft case.
I have owned TWO S&S hard cases and I hated both of them. The wheels
wobble so badly the case threatens to tip over at any moment. The
latching hardware is s**t - every single clip on my two cases has
turned into a pile of loose hardware at some point in time (usually
when it's least convenient). The typical packing configuration leaves
the cassette sitting upright in the middle of the case where it
threatens to scratch anything near it no matter how much you swaddle it
in padding.
The case barely holds a 700c rim with a deflated tire. I found that I
really needed to remove the tire completely from the upper rim to
comfortably seat the lid of the case. If you don't, the wheel will
stick inside the lid when the case is opened, which pops open the
stress-relief inserts. And I guaranee you the TSA inspectors are not
going to re-set those inserts before they reclose your case. Once I
discovered my wheel was badly taco'd after transit although there was
no visible damage to the case. This is why I suggested deeper-vee rims.
Low spoke count would make it easier to position the stress-relievers
and easier to stuff clothing and small parts through the wheels to
recapture wasted packing space.
By contrast the Ritchey case neatly hides the cassette in a half-round
cup that sticks out the back of the case. The case is just an inch or
two bigger than the S&S case but everything seems to fit MUCH more
easily, including my shorts and jerseys (convenient padding), shoes,
and helmet (try that in an S&S case). There are several handy inner
pockets, and a collapsible plastic wall around the perimeter seems to
keep undue pressure off the goodies inside.
Two negatives on the Ritchey case: It's apparently slightly oversize by
official airline standards (but mine has never been questioned over the
course of 5 round-the-world trips). And it doesn't have wheels. Of
course you could use a standard baggage trolley if you needed to.
Hope this is helpful.
P.S. I have a Bike Friday AirFriday too. Any offers?
