Unicycle Carrying Case?

In Kris Holm's Into the Thunder Dragon (or maybe Unizaba), he and Nathan
Hoover strap unicycles to their backpack. I'm not sure, but I think that
they used those backpacks that can carry snowboards/skateboards.

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I'd like to hear about any hard-shell cases that would fit a uni for
transport on a plane. I have a full sized hybrid bike that has S & S
couplings and it fits in a bag that's within the legal size restrictions
on all airlines. Is there such a thing for a uni? I can't imagine that
it would be possible for a Coker.....I have to flatten my bike tires to
get it into the case that I have. Still, I think it would be even more
fun to travel with a uni than a bike.

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unidaddy said:

*I'd like to hear about any hard-shell cases that would fit a uni for
transport on a plane. I have a full sized hybrid bike that has S & S
couplings and it fits in a bag that's within the legal size
restrictions on all airlines. Is there such a thing for a uni? I
can't imagine that it would be possible for a Coker.....I have to
flatten my bike tires to get it into the case that I have. Still, I
think it would be even more fun to travel with a uni than a bike. *

I have used a hard shell wheel case by Tri All 3 Sports. It's a case
designed to hold two road or MTB wheels. It is sized to fit within the
maximum size limits for airline luggage. I think it's 26.5" x 26.5" x
10". It's right at the max size for standard luggage which is something
like 63 or 64 linear inches (L+W+H). I have to deflate the tire on my
muni to get it to fit in the case. It will fit a 24x3 or a 26x3 muni.

The case I have is a 'Tri All 3 Sports Clam Shell Wheel Safe'
(http://tinyurl.com/6x6lr).

It's made by 'TriAll3Sports.com' (http://www.triall3sports.com) but that
web site isn't working now. That might be just a temporary problem or
the company may be out of business or changed names. I don't know.

The case works, but it's overkill for traveling with a uni. The case by
itself weighs almost 15 pounds empty. Pack a muni in there along with a
few tools and you very quickly get up to about 50 pounds. It's very
easy to pack more than 50 pounds in that case. 50 pounds is the new max
weight to avoid the overweight charge. I've packed two unicycles in the
case (a muni and a trials) but that takes some careful packing so that
you don't end up damaging the unicycles (breaking spokes) because you
have to weave the cranks through the spokes of the other uni.

The airlines have never attempted to charge me extra when traveling with
that case. I do weigh the case at home to make sure it isn't over the
50 pound limit. A couple of times I've hit it right at 49 pounds. The
check in clerks never failed to notice that I was cutting it close. Get
it over 50 pounds and you'll be paying the overweight fee.

The case does not have wheels. It's big and inconvenient to carry
though the airport. I use either a collapsible roller carrier or I rent
a roller carrier at the airport.

I've had my case for about 4 years now. The handle has broken (and
needs to be fixed) and the bottom has started to crack. Both problems
can be repaired. But the case will take a beating after about a dozen
flights.

I don't know if the hard shell case is the best way to go. The fact
that it is a big hard shell case might give the baggage handlers the
idea that they can throw it around. An oddly shaped soft case might get
better treatment.

I have mentioned the wheel case before. A forum search on "tri all 3
sports" will find a couple of threads where it's mentioned.

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The current issue of On One Wheel (Volume 28, Number 1) has an article
by John Foss about how to pack unicycles for airline travel.

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- For anything smaller than a Coker, a really big duffle bag will do
just fine. Cheap too! One with wheels is best, but not required.
- There are plenty of threads on this forum about traveling with a
unicycle. Remember to tell the baggage attendants you have "performance
equipment" in the bag. You don't want them to think you have a bike or
half a bike in the bag. John Foss's article in "On One Wheel" is
great.
- For a Coker you may have to custom-make something out of tough
reinforced canvas. Check airline size regulations.

-Reid

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john_childs said:

*It's made by 'TriAll3Sports.com' (http://www.triall3sports.com) but
that web site isn't working now. That might be just a temporary
problem or the company may be out of business or changed names. I
don't know.*

Ah, the Tri All 3 Sports web site is back up now.

The advantage with the hard shell case is that you don't have to worry
about your unicycle getting crushed by other baggage. With a cardboard
box or a soft style luggage there is the possibility of unicycle getting
crushed if other luggage is stacked on top or if other heavier luggage
falls on it. Possible damage could be broken spokes or a dented/bent
frame. I think John Hooten had a KH muni frame damaged (dented) when it
was packed in a soft duffel bag or Roach bag.

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ParadoX said:

*Its not exactly a carrying case, but is there anything you could make
that would strap onto your back or something? Just a quick thought.

-ParadoX *

Nathan and Kris used snowboard packs by 'Arcteryx'
(http://www.arcteryx.com/) during their expeditions in Unizaba and other
trips. Do a forum search on "arcteryx" to find threads where Nathan and
Kris describe the backpacks.

I'm sure that almost any quality snowboarding backpack would work well
for strapping a unicycle on the back. Arcteryx packs tend to be
expensive. There are other brands that are less expensive.

At the low end you could get a simple knapsack designed to carry a
skateboard. Similar in style to the snowboard backpacks, but not as
sturdy or outdoorsy.

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john_childs said:

I think John Hooten had a KH muni frame damaged (dented) when it
was packed in a soft duffel bag or Roach bag.

Yikes! I managed to put a minor dent in my KH frame, but I had to
run over it with a van. What was the airling doing???

Ken

john_childs said:

I think John Hooten had a KH muni frame damaged (dented) when it
was packed in a soft duffel bag or Roach bag.

Yikes! I managed to put a minor dent in my KH frame, but I had to
run over it with a van. What was the airling doing???

Ken

Ken Cline said:

*"john_childs" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I think John Hooten had a KH muni frame damaged (dented) when it
was packed in a soft duffel bag or Roach bag.

Yikes! I managed to put a minor dent in my KH frame, but I had to
run over it with a van. What was the airling doing???

Ken
*

All it would take is a heavy 50 pound or 70 pound hard shell suitcase to
fall on your unicycle. This could happen during flight when the plane
experiences turbulence. This could happen at the airport if one of the
little baggage trucks looses a load as it's driving up to the plane
(I've seen it happen). There is lots of ways that it could happen.

I think the biggest risk to the unicycle is having a heavy hard shell
suitcase falling on your unicycle during flight or during the loading
and unloading of baggage.

In John Hooten's case the frame required some major frame repair to get
it usable again. Fortunately the KH frames are steel and it is possible
to repair such damage. If it was an aluminum frame the frame would have
been toast.

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john_childs said:

*At the low end you could get a simple knapsack designed to carry a
skateboard. Similar in style to the snowboard backpacks, but not as
sturdy or outdoorsy. *

another low-end option would be to get hold of an old back pack, the
kind that had the external frame and use that, sans bag
u'll just have to get some straps to strap the uni onto the frame

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I've tried that and it does work, but it would probably need a little
more thought than I put in.

I found that it needed a piece of plywood or something between the uni
and your back, or those pedals started to hurt pretty soon. it might be
possible to put the bag on the frame over the unicycle as well,
depending on how long the straps are.

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theamazingmolio said:

*I found that it needed a piece of plywood or something between the
uni and your back, or those pedals started to hurt pretty soon.*

scroll down to the post about 'clip-off' (http://tinyurl.com/4ee7l)
pedals

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they look quite good, though you'd still had the crank digging into your
back, and if you took that off, it would be the hub.

And from a personal point of view, thos pedals qould be worth several
times more than any of the unis I own...

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