[pullquote] There is no such thing as the best bike case. There is one that is best suited to your needs. [/ Pullquote]

There are several things in the world that I do not understand. Despite 8 years of study, mathematical analysis remains a mystery to me. I do not know how it happens that the plane flies - it is so heavy. I can not figure out why the chain is wiping me when the equipment was on the site. The most wonder in the world, however, is: why traveling with a bicycle is so difficult ?!

The entry was made in cooperation with the store Chain Reaction Cycles (and I also use it here), which helped to complete the trunks for comparison.

Cycling is better in places that we do not know or know from television and the Internet. Bad luck wants that all these places are always away from us. Especially if you live in Warsaw. If we're going to the Giant Mountains, the Beskids or the Tatras - there is no problem. A few hours and we are a car on the spot. With the Garda, the Alps, or the Dolomites, the matter is dubious, but these dozens of hours will probably somehow be sought after the wheel. 15 hours driving at 130km / h (because bikes on the roof) is not the most pleasant moments of life, but the goal is worth it. Worse if you want to go to Calpe, Pyrenees or NOT-DAJ-GOD in the Canary Islands. In principle, only the plane leaves us.

Life in the XXI. the age is great: 50-ton machines fly unloaded by people. The costs, with a little luck, are also funny. To Bergamo, from which the beret is the best, cycling spots of the world (and many of us quickly get there from the train), the ticket, which hits the promotion, costs max. 100 zloty. Two hours and from Modlin, which is 15 ° C less - we are a pizza country. ONLY KU # $% A THIS BIKE .... You pay PLN 200 for tickets, bike PLN 500. They do not seem to be translated as a family member and can be put on the seat side by side to make it cheaper. So there is no choice if we are not an unemployed or a pensioner - we have to fly by plane as a time saving. This begs the question: HOW TO TRANSFER EQUIPMENT?

 1. Send it by bus.

Recently, as we flew to the place by plane, and 9 bikes (and with 2 tons of food) we sent with two bus pals - we lost somewhere 4 bicycle wheels. They stayed in the parking lot while packing ;-) Besides, the solution is optimal, because not only that we have something to move around on the spot, but the bicycles ride comfortably and safely. The problem is that you need to pick up a bus and two from somewhere bream colleagues who will go there with him.

2. Send by courier

If we sleep in a well-tested accommodation that will not disappear overnight, a good chance that the hosts (or hotel) will be happy to pick up the package with our equipment. We pack the bike in cardboard boxes and send. You can say that fear, but exactly the same bike came to us or to the store. The difference is that if the store or to us comes scratched or bent, we can blame the distributor who has badly packed it and replaced. As we will discover in Calpe after 2 days of collecting the package that the hook has broken, not only we will lose a piece of leave, it is a big chance that nobody will compensate us.

3. Rent a bicycle on site

In popular places, the rental is full (maybe except for the Bergamo-Como area, I never succeeded there). On the example of Canary Islands, the rental company will even give us bicycles to our place of residence and pick it up. Price? From 15 euros for carbon to 105 to 36 euros for a new ace dura. It is worth noting that this is the price when the bike is taken for two weeks - in the case of one-day rental, the price increases from 15 to 24 and from 36 to 45. Renting a bike on vacation to save a bit like talking to a girl: "Hey, listen, maybe stay at home, and I'll borrow someone else for this one day (night)". Regardless whether under the pretext of testing, cost reduction or simply convenience - there is something wrong with that.

4. Take with you, like a civilized man

Here we go to the merits - what to pack a bike to remove it in the same state in which it was inserted? There are hundreds of online tutorials and most are quite sensible.

El Kapitano wrote recently guide.
DC Rainmaker he admitted himself oncethat they are flying with a soft suitcase.
Wheels Toczy he approached the subject from the traveler's side, which I will probably never stay.

Instead of generalities, let's look at the options I saw with my own eyes:

Pack everything that you can find at hand

for example, stretch. Stretch and bubble wrap are almost like trititics / zips - useful for everything.

An option often encountered by serious travelers who can not afford to move with any unnecessary luggage, and even with bicycle shops are not on the way to combine the carton. We unscrew the bike and treat it all with a foil. The solution is hopeless in terms of security, especially if we have a dear and gentle bike, but there is a chance that the airport service, seeing such packaged equipment, will not throw it. What is happening in the luggage compartment remains in the hatch - I would not dare to give my way to mine, but with a pass I could consider it gently.

Pack in a cardboard box for bicycles.

Probably the best option in the price / quality / complexity category. We will get the right carton for free in any bicycle shop. Not only that, for free, they will even be happy to take it. The carton is worth to put some cardboard elements pushing, something on the wheels, something on the saddle with a seatpost, but everything can be replaced by the methods of an ingenious Dobromir and a bit of adhesive tape. The carton, besides being light, provides very good protection. You can of course disagree with it and say that it is much safer in a plastic case, but exactly in this carton your bike came to the store.

The main disadvantage of this solution is the fact that cardboard boxes are extremely uncomfortable to wear, and pulling them behind on a rough surface means that they disappear with each defeated subway. Although here comes as usual the ingenious Dobromir and its self-made wheels, which can be temporarily attached. Resistance to weather conditions and sharp objects also leave a little to be desired.

Some companies even specifically advertise their cardboard boxes as a super safe way of transport. For example, Canyon and their Bike Guard. On their website you will also find a very nice instruction how to pack a road to the carton (direct link to the instructions). The use of cardboard is probably the cheapest and the most sensible (if we fly sporadically and I do not have anyone to borrow a trunk), the transport option.

Spend and buy a bag

e.g. Evoc Bike transport cover (link to the product), almost 3x cheaper B & W Bike Sack (link), Zator Road (link)

Here is a short info - the bag is not used to transport the bike by any other means of transport than the car and possibly the train. Its only advantages (apart from the possibility of large compression when it is not used) is to keep all parts in the pile and protect against abrasion. A big chance that our equipment will not survive the first wave in such a bag. You might as well stick together two or three blue Ikea bags of PLN 2 each. In the price of Evoca, we would have had them ... 332 (link to the IKEA bag).

Invest in a suitcase

Unless we are an advanced trekker, a hardcore traveler - a loner, a bulb, a descendant of the Politarian Dobromir or Adam Słodowy, we really have one sensible option. Attention, here is a huge discovery: for transporting a bicycle the best suitcases are for transporting a bicycle ;-) The case is not cheap, of course, because it starts around 1000 PLN, and ends somewhere around 3500 PLN, but what is not done for your machine!

Manufacturers convince us that the use of suitcases is: the safest, most convenient and the most magnificent. What the reality looks like you could see on a jutut, in our relationship with Gran Canaria (link to youtube). I will only suggest that packing is never as nice as it seems.

The useful accessories here are of course a special axle on the front that prevents the fork from being squeezed, the transport chain tensioner and the plastic that secures the rear derailleur and the hook. It should be added here that none of these suitcases could fit a bicycle with an integrated seatpost. Only after dismantling the saddle I managed to push the 58cm frame into the huge Thule RoundTrip Transition. It was the day when I decided to abandon this system. Each of them also had to remove the bridge with the steering wheel and unscrew the pedals (although the pedals fit into the soft, cardboard and RoundTrip, they unpleasantly push them from side to side). In some cases, you also had to get rid of the rear derailleur.

There remains one more, very important question - since every manufacturer makes the best suitcase, which one to choose? Based on your own experience, the question which is the best, I would exchange the most for which is the least bad.

Soft bicycle case

e.g. Evoc Bike Travel Bag (link) and Evoc Bike Travel Bag Pro (link) or obscenely expensive Thule Round Trip Pro (link)

The EVOC suitcase is one of my favorites. The material and reinforced frame weighs only 8kg (the non-pro version is 1kg heavier) and folds to the size of a small ironing board. Although with this folding (and the whole bag in general) is a bit like a tent - it's nice when it's in the store. You will never be able to repeat such a submission.

From time to time, the bag likes to roll over. Apparently some new rack (bike holder) that can be purchased solves this problem. If we additionally invest in an adapter for road bikes, we have full luxury. If anyone doubts the safety of bicycles, I can cite here a lot of examples of people traveling very far (South Africa) or with very important equipment for world-class competitions that have never had any problems with it. Inside, we'll also stuff the MTB 29 "and some handy lumber (helmet, shoes, etc.) - just as usual, unscrew the wheels, the seatpost (if the saddle is higher than 72cm), the steering wheel and pedals. Importantly, there is no reason to unscrew the rear derailleur. The suitcase is relatively comfortable (for a suitcase of this size) and can be pulled with one hand thanks to the small wheels.

Inside you can add some foam tubes from some Castorama - I do not know if it will somehow help, but it certainly calms down.

I definitely recommend it - it was one of the favorites as a potential purchase.

Bicycle suitcase half-beauty

e.g. Rose Bike Bag (link)

A relatively new invention. It combines defects (but probably also the advantages;)) of hard and soft suitcases. It is as if at 1/3 of a hard suitcase, cut it and attach it with a soft one. In this way, we have a resistant to squeezing (at least partially), and at the same time one that can be folded to a decent size. Well, let's say decent. A very good solution lying somewhere in the middle, because we get both a frame and a reinforced bottom part. I definitely recommend, because looking at the price, you can treat such a solution as compromise and the cheapest-sense.

Bicycle suitcase - hard, but compact

e.g. Scicon AeroTech Evolution or B & W Bike Box II (link)

Hard suitcases are a bit heavier - the weight usually starts at 10 kilograms. In return, we get theoretically 100% certainty that our bike will arrive in its entirety. Theoretically, because I know the cases in which the bag during the air transport could break. Still, cracking the bag and then damaging the bike is an emergency situation. Not only that, in most cases, the airline company will be happy to refund the new cost to us.

We have a special fondness for Scicona. Every time we enter a large room, the floor reminds us of this suitcase. A great patent was applied here for fastening the wheels with a quick-release to the side wall, thanks to which they do not fly inside. It is a pity that the metal shaft can protrude beyond the outline of the suitcase and in the case of tipping it aside or worse, moving it on its side (I would like to cordially greet Jack;)) leaves a huge scratch on the dance floor.

As if that was not enough, the circles are so small that overcoming any obstacles is a murder. There is dangerously many opinions on the Internet about the fact that this suitcase breaks (which I saw with my own eyes) - it is possible that due to its irregular shape, each protruding element is an additional risk. I do not know why to make a trunk, which is not square ... neither it saves space, nor does it make packing or stacking suitcases easier in the car. In order to successfully fit a 55-inch road bike and several nets in it, we had to unscrew the rear derailleur.

compact suitcases have one more disadvantage - bikes usually just put in them and secured with straps. In these full-size frames are attached, often fixed to the ground, which makes life a little easier. 

Despite very flattering reviews on the internet - I would not buy. I do not see the point, unless we calculated that our trunk just houses two such bags, and the big one does not come anymore ...

Suitcase truck: Thule RoundTrip Transition

This bicycle case deserves a separate category. It is THE WORST  BEST THE WORST…. a suitcase of the world! Seriously, it's like you would like to take a big room with you. The specification itself is overwhelming - 15.5 kg and the size of the toi-toi. Inside, equipped with a service stand, which at the same time makes a frame in the middle. I know people who had two highways in it and paid for one bike on holiday. It requires a bit of combining, because you have to give up the frame, but it is possible. Of course, until our bikes in total weigh less than 16.5kg (because the limit of 32kg for luggage at airports is impassable ... formally). We managed to fly with her, when she weighed 37kg with the road and the supply of food, but not return (eh, Norway is a beautiful country).

The suitcase is great, but to fit the bike into it you have to turn it anyway, just like in others. In addition to the bike can fit into it without a problem, all our cycling equipment, but so what - if the suitcase weighs almost 16kg, it stays for yet max. 16kg for a bike and lumber - not much. It turns out that in principle this place is unnecessary.

Pane, it's a massacre!

The suitcase is very handy ... no. Since it has only two wheels and on the other side a handle that is positioned so that it pulls your fingers, you can be sure that wherever you put it, no one will steal it. The thief would probably sue you for causing permanent damage to your health. Perhaps it would be better - if the circle were 4, it would probably go down by itself, and given its mass and size, it could kill someone. Oh, if you are planning to buy two suitcases for yourself, then there are not two of them in our Superb. Fitting an ordinary and Roundtrip to the trunk is already a big feat.

When leaving the block I have to climb some 14 stairs. In a several-hour journey, this is always the biggest problem - it's great to have it off your head for good morning. It is true that there is a narrow downhill ride for trolleys, but leave the wheels too big, they do not fit.

I could write a lot about the suitcase. Especially about the rehabilitation necessary after each trip, but maybe I will give it away. If you read good opinions about it on the Internet, know that they are probably put out by people who pick up from the house by a taxi driver on the bus (who hates you for that) and then hand it over directly to the airport staff. Otherwise, I can not recommend it.

Unless you like it when everyone is looking at you. Walking with her is like driving a tall Hummer through the parking lot at Auchan. Everyone will watch each other and each child will point his finger.

Hard bicycle suitcase, just (rectangular)

e.g. B & W International Bike Case (link)

Suitcase, which after many more and less successful trips with a bike we decided to buy. I will write on her example, what we were guided during the selection and what I advise to pay attention to. It should be added here that as usual: there is no such thing as the best suitcase. There are at most a suitcase best suited to one's needs.

Secondly, opinions about suitcases on the internet are usually limited to: my suitcase is the best because my bike is still alive and my suitcase is the worst because the airline lost it /broke. These are not opinions that should prejudge the purchase.

Subjective criteria for choosing a suitcase:

 1. Security.

It is known that in a hard case the bike is a bit safer - thousands of flights of different people with soft ones like Evoc show, however, that there is nothing to fear in soft ones. Even the cardboard can do it. Much more important is how we stuff the bicycle with luggage inside. Is everything well secured, there are no loose and wiping elements, etc. In more expensive suitcases it is generally solved slightly better, in cheaper addition of additional foam is not a problem. As for the B & W suitcase, the pretty funny test is on the jutut. I do not know why I should run over it with a digger, but I can imagine how the suitcase falls from a cart pulled by the car at the airport, and the driver, seeing it, pulls back and passes over it: suitcase test (funny link to youtube).

 2. Convenience of use.

If the case is heavy, it must have 4 wheels. It really helps a lot. If it has two, the handle must be the right one - EVOC does it well, Thule in RoundTrip VERY bad. The handle is also useful at the top (EVOC does not have it) - it facilitates moving through stairs and terrain obstacles. The bigger the circles the better. The more rubber - also better (it knows everyone who once used roller skates with plastic wheels).

 3. Shape

The more square the section, the better. I do not know what the designers are doing, creating cross-sections in the shape of a trapezium. It's some kind of place waste! Neither does it help in arranging many suitcases next to each other, neither in the trunk of the car, nor does it help when the saddle in the bike enters you "in contact". To this, the fewer protruding elements, the better - after a fall, it's better when it hits a large surface.

 4. Security 

The suitcase must allow the use of a padlock (as in Thule, not included in the set) or a key lock (as in B & W). Which solution is better? It's hard to say, but a protruding padlock is always one more item to catch on something. On the other hand, with a padlock will go easier when you lose the key.

5. Price

Come on, we will not save on cycling and comfort ;-)

6. Size and weight

If we went bankrupt in point 5, we need to look for savings somewhere else. The ideal suitcase is one with two bicycles, and at the same time it weighs only a few, so that you can put them in a stress-free way with food for a week. Our roads weigh a total of 14kg, adding 13.5kg of suitcase, less than 5kg available - just enough to put two pairs of shoes and helmets and some pasta. I think only in EasyJet regulations I saw that two bicycles can not be carried in one trunk. Beautiful space and budget saving.

We wish everybody the least annoying journeys with a bike - for it will be nice, there is nothing to count on. We are not runners ...