We Traveled With Our Bikes 192 Times In 4 Years. Here’s What We’ve Learned | GCN Tech Show Ep. 353

[@gcntech]

Have you ever traveled with your bike? ✈ What are your “essentials”? Let us know in the comments 💬

[@reecedawson6113]

Love travelling with my own bike, get to skip check-in queues and I can push all of my clothes in it as well

[@TheOkinawaBoy]

Only by car. Do not dare to take it in soft bag, and don't want to hazzle with box.

[@deanb61]

Barcelona ironman every year. Semi-hard case, but as I have an alloy bike it's not as delicate as a carbon bike. My main advice would be to make sure you drop the derailleur hanger. That's probably the most likely item to get damaged.

[@MattRogersdesigns]

Tell us which mini-ratchet tool set that is that you showed in the travel section.

[@davidp1879]

Multiple times traveling in fact I did Monte Grappa from Borso del Grappa. Epic climb. My issue is traveling with a bike that has integrated stem/handlebars. I had to buy a new case, old case doesn’t work with new integrated head.

[@sebbrookhouse]

I hope people are spamming the absolute black mailbox with pictures of the £82.50 Cross bike

[@mitch_smith]

I sent my sons balance bike. being a balance bike, it has no mech.... or chain, or well, anything.

[@oaponanmtb2917]

Boycott AB.

[@carlyuen4360]

or send AB a pic of somebody else's Supernice bike, buy the pulley wheels and put them on a Cross bike.

[@PsyKeks]

​@@oaponanmtb2917There is absolutely no reason to be angry at them. Of course, sure, don't buy it! (if it's not right for you) But no need to call out or not buy their more sensible offerings. Exactly like most of us don't buy luxury watches, clothes, cars, carpets, private jets, whatever and are done with it. They don't harm you. (Well, cars and jets do via pollution, but not via their price tag. So be happy, when the rich people buy bike stuff. 😄 They might even advocate bike friendly infrastructure, then? 🤷)

[@richm.3477]

Coming up soon in the GCN shop: the "Always go hard, never go soft" T-shirt with Ollie's face on the sleeves and "Love you, bye" on the back.

[@238949]

I'd buy one ☺☺

[@ricardosilva-xz1yt]

I would buy 2. 1 4me 1 4 my son!

[@stuartmisfeldt3068]

Don’t forget the comic book style word bubble with Ollie saying lube!

[@dperreno]

Pedal wrench, chain link pliers, and a portable track pump are the tools that I make sure to take with me. My multi-tool is sufficient for any other bolt-tightening that I need to do. And I do bag up my pedals, chain, and any assorted bolts, clamps, etc. that aren't firmly attached to the bike. I do usually remove the rear derailleur and either zip-tie it to the frame in the rear triangle area (cable-actuated) or put it in it's own bag and pack it away (wireless). Make sure to put some brake blocks between your pads in your disc brake calipers.

[@thomaspederson3401]

Now do a video for us that travel with bikes on trains as well! Assuming travel by air feels very 2010 in these days when we need to keep CO2 emissions down. Also, traveling with bike on trains is more challenging and thus more something to talk about!😉 Myself, I am just starting to learn to do it the Japanese Rinko style, as minimalist as it gets.

[@888jhs]

Coincidentally I just finished packing up my TT bike after riding in Ironman 70.3 in Italy on Sunday, just south of where you guys are. Been flying with my bikes since 1988 and no issues with anything being broken. Have used both hard and good soft bags over the years and currently using a soft one. Since I wax, I started removing my chain when I pack up and this allows me to also remove the rear derailleur and put it in a protective bag. This reduces the chance of breaking the hanger. And I agree that good wheels on your bike box are essential and a pain when they wear out. No reason to fear travelling with your bike. But it is getting a lot more expensive than it used to be with charges of USD250 one way from HK to Asia seeming to become the norm unfortunately. There were quite a few people at the race renting bikes, but for an important race I would always prefer my own bike. Good video thanks.

[@MggW]

My top tip for travelling is to take a photo of your bike when it's packed in the box. Then you have a reference for the way it fits for the next trip.

[@lindfielddoghoarders3628]

rule 1: use the tools you take with you to pull apart the bike to get it in the box. also... the bike bag checkin/weighin at the counter is usually some distance from the oversized baggage chute. There is an opportunity to repack after the weighin ;)

[@jasonh1485]

One tip is DON’T put tools in your carry on luggage. Despite helping to cheat the weight limits of your checked luggage, airport security at some airports don’t like it and confiscate them. Ask me how I know!

[@jackzagorski7897]

I lost a heavy combo lock which I forgot to pack in my bike box and put into hand luggage. Passed the scan at Melbourne but got taken at the stopover in Singapore.

[@MM-44-44]

I fell for this. Travelled to multiple places with my PB Swiss keys, but this summer Nice airport had an issue with every key bigger than 6mm! I wasn't giving up on them so committed the extra hour queuing to bag drop and security again. Perhaps they thought I was going to take the plane apart...

[@PsyKeks]

​@@MM-44-44 Looking at this year's news: More realistic would have been you start putting the plane back together.

[@hahagager]

Deadmou5 wrapped his Ferrari in a Nyan Cat livery and called it the Purrari. He then got sued for it, sold the Ferrari, and did it to a Lamborghini instead. He named that one the Purracan!

[@shrinkingshrimp]

Deadmau5, the famous rapper rnb style guy 😂

[@MAbild7]

You forgot about the Meowclaren!

[@trothaksharkpuncher1059]

The Purrari was pretty sweet. IMO the whole thing was a PR loss for Ferrari.

[@neillgowans4350]

Shrimp, The fact that you think Deadmau5 is a rapper is even more hilarious. Or were you being funny and meant wrapper?!

[@winterwatson6437]

shrimp was quoting the video in jest 18:25

[@michaelberenzweig6096]

You guys are great! How about a video on bike boxes? Different types? How much of the bike needs to be disassembled? I would love to travel with my bike, but I'm always concerned about getting the bike put back together! Thanks again for everything you guys do, on all the GCN channels!

[@richm.3477]

Some random travel tips: A friend left his thru axles at home when packing his bike. Either put them right back in the frame, or into your small parts bag immediately. If you're a retrogrouch like me and still using traditional QR skewers for a rim brake bike, put a spacer block between the dropouts to protect the fork or rear triangle from getting crunched. Either unscrew the rear derailleur from the hanger, or shift it into the lowest gear position so it is as far inboard as possible. Consider a protective case for your helmet so it doesn't get beat up in transit. I wouldn't bother with a mini floor pump. It just adds extra weight and takes up space. The issue with pumping up your tires with the mini frame pump is hopefully only an issue when you arrive. After that, you're just topping up the pressure day to day..

[@juanchobeluga]

Imagine Ollie looking directly to your eyes: "i always go hard"... that give me a chill 😅

[@dexmcluskey4832]

So with the stupid expensive pulleys for stupid rich people, you don’t actually need a fancy bike - just a photo of one. Blag it by sending in a pic of a swanky Pinarello, then stick it on your second hand Walmart hybrid.

[@james.ainsworth]

If you are travelling overseas be sure to check that your head unit has the maps installed that cover your destination. Another challenge when travelling overseas are the connecting flights and the constant worry if your bike makes it to your next plane. My last trip from Vancouver Island to Venice consisted of four planes. Having a tracker can put you at ease that your bike has made it each step of the way. I couldn't travel without one now. I also got myself a mini torque set to make sure that everything is built back up to the correct tightness. Some airports that don't have x-rays big enough for your bike box may ask you to open the box for inspection before you can check it in. When packing your box, make sure it is done in a way that you can easily open and close it on demand.

[@kaidean]

My first "good" bike was a Giant Contend AR (all road) 1. I have since upgraded to a more road centric bike but I have now converted my Giant into a full blown gravel bike (albeit with only 40mm tyres). It is great and now I have a decent winter and a good summer setup. All-road bikes are the future!

[@stvaldr]

ROLF PRIMA wheels are made in Eugene, Oregon, USA. They are no longer part of the Trek family. White Industries Hubs recently purchased them, but still runs the business independently.

[@FollowThomas]

You guys are right people are missing out on not traveling with their bikes. I always travel with my bike wherever I go. Great episode! 👍

[@Benemax]

Hi Ollie, good to see you are in my old stamping ground of Bassano del Grappa. I lived there for 12yrs running a cycling B&B and during my time doing guided rides did the Grappa over 100 times. I did the Bravetto del Grappa over a six month period but the thought of doing them all in one ride is insane! Looking forward to seeing you tackle what I thought were the three hardest ascents. First was the ascent from Seren, 2nd the Strada del Alpini and the Salto della Capra. All brutal, not that the other 7 are easy 😆. Good luck fella...you'll need it.

[@martinsteele6853]

I have a Lezyne mini floor pump , absolutely worth all the money I spent on it . I save it just for trips abroad

[@tiktak22]

Just back from a holiday in Sicily. They have a tree there which drops branches which very sharp thorns. That plus the usual road rubbish meant several punctures a day. - choose puncture resistance over speed for your tyres - fill your sealant - take a tube and patches in case it goes pear shaped - invest in a quality mini pump and practise using it at home - don’t be afraid to hunt down a bike shop - if it goes completely down the pan, cadge a lift. Most people are willing to help for free. So carry a bit of spare cash or a wee gift.

[@brianrichards350]

Triggered. Absolute Black can stick those pulley wheels up where there is no solar radiation. And Ceramic Speed has finally achieved the ultimate in marginal gain per gram....at zero grams.

[@kwachuone]

Ollie is always going hard. Never soft! That's a lesson ;)

[@mstieber79]

We've successfully flown with our Ritchey BreakAway (2-part coupled frame, no oversized case) road & gravel bikes half a dozen times. SRAM wireless makes for one less complication.

[@bikeskimawk670]

When I have traveled and rented/hired a bike I have brought my own pedals and saddle. Of course checking before hand that they will fit the bike. One of the best bike tech yet. Thank you.

[@tjb8841]

How would pedals or a saddle not fit?

[@bikeskimawk670]

@@tjb8841 Seat post can be different in shape or how they connect to the frame.

[@tjb8841]

@ but we aren’t talking about the post. We are talking about the saddle.

[@SiegA776]

spare hanger, spare batteries, spare seatpost clamp, spare tyre, waxed chain, spare valve and sealant and some basic tools

[@zedaprime]

I make a list and pack twice. First a week ahead that gives me time to think about forgotten things and examine the gear. No more 2am packing the night before.

[@Cycle.every.day.]

We've been saying for a long time gcn presenters are often overseas , now we have the stats to reassure us it wasn't just commenters moaning.

[@yellowglider]

Writing from Reno, Nevada. Bassano was one of my playgrounds when I was young, and I do have a Basso bought directly from the factory…. Thanks for the memories!

[@peterknight9873]

Between £10 and £20 you can buy a rear mech, chain and front mech cover. Sometimes I place cycling clothes wrapped around the frame for protection. Have several hotel plastic shower caps to cover rear cassette…

[@fleurdelispens]

Wonder if that Absolute Black OSPW still has plastic bearings

[@jakebrakebill]

hearing you talk about the 70-year-old down tube shifter guy, I'm 68 and have been riding for 35 years. I bought a new 08 specialized enduro and been riding it ever since, thinking nothing could be better. well, I just broke down and got an e-fat tire with electric shift "mac" and I'm going thru the Matrix now.

[@mommamooney]

The cathedral bells for super nice bikes was a great touch

[@denispozzan]

... So "brevetto del grappa" in one push... It's gonna be epic!!! I can feel the pain right now!

[@Local.hero.1983]

Rear mechs function at their best with their factory fitted cage and jockeys , trust Sram/Shimano/Campag over the aftermarket companies.

[@MattRogersdesigns]

My Force XPLR mech is doing great with $10 red aluminum bling wheels from Amazon.

[@Paksusuoli95]

​@@MattRogersdesigns see you in a year when the bearings have failed.

[@MattRogersdesigns]

@@Paksusuoli95for $10 a set, I can keep plenty on the shelf, plus the new original ones sit in a bag ready to go. I see no issues with this.

[@Paksusuoli95]

@@MattRogersdesigns doesn't sound sustainable and green but you do you

[@Shadowboost]

I have a guy on my group ride with a Colnago C64 with Campy and an absolute black pulley and his bike makes the shittiest creaking noise out of the saddle. It's a joke. My 100 dollar Madone is silent other than the hum of the chain

[@cruachan1191]

Fairly certain I wouldn't get approval for £839 OPWs when that's £300 more than my bike cost new.

[@clivewoakes6954]

Another great video guys, thanks. Surprised that in a travel edition you didn't mention specific "Travel" bikes. Just a coincidence that I sent a pic of mine last week. Lol. Keep up the good work.

[@philadams9254]

Why are you guys the wrong way round? Ollie being on the left is worse than seeing Dec on the left side of Ant! 😧

[@bikecommuter24]

They are in a country where they drive on the other side of the road so they had to switch sides. 🤣

[@philadams9254]

@@bikecommuter24 Haha! Great comeback 🤣

[@gcntech]

People in Italy drive on the opposite side of the road. "Adapt, survive."

[@pawelcwajna]

You also failed to align the wood (or fake wood?) grain on your tables. Unforgivable.

[@tedjeanmahoney8547]

Both Bikes Are Pretty Special. Each have their own personality

[@KorbinianFischer]

28:55 That’s so funny Ollie, I have had the same exact idea before. Waiting to see your route, maybe I’ll try to beat your time next year:)

[@photooutdoor2574]

5:03 Try to store the hardcase when you want to make a bikepacking trip at your destination!

[@ianp7048]

Full deflation totally unnecessary. I found a set of car keys in my bike bag upon arrival in Canada. Lost in there by an overzealous baggage handler at CDG who decided to remove the last 10psi that I'd left in my tires. Ignorance can be costly.

[@hutchy_4297]

I looked it up and you really don't need to go that low, I leave mine at like 55 or so

[@Jon-lf2dj]

@@hutchy_4297 Given that the difference between atmospheric pressure at sea level and the vacuum of outer space is 16psi, that's the max effective pressure gain tires would ever experience.

[@tjb8841]

@@hutchy_4297 you don’t need to deflate at all. Airplanes are pressurized. To a similar level as a really high mountain pass. Nobody’s tires explode riding over those. The problem is, airline/airport employees don’t know this and don’t think. So they (make you) deflate tires. 🫡

[@MikeCappiello]

I travel to Europe from the US every year for a bike trip and take my bike in a BikeND-helium soft bag. Never had a problem, plus it is very light. Also, you forgot to mention putting an air tag in your bike bag. It is really helpful, especially if the bike does not show up at your destination.

[@dperreno]

Only if you also have an iphone. Just saying.

[@TheOkinawaBoy]

@@MikeCappiello and what you do if your bike delays day or two? Just missing two or more rides?

[@Archiconocido]

Ollie always go hard. Never soft.😅

[@PilotLifeSven]

Pilot speaking here: never! lie about the weight. Never! people don't understand how weight (and balance) can impact not only the flight characteristics but also the safety of the flight. I know a kg or 2 isn't going to make a difference, but you're not the only passanger. Imagine a group of friends doing this... The weight limit on bags is not for the plane though, it's for the handlers. But we as pilots put the exact weight of the cargo in the flight computer to calculate performance (takeoff speeds, landing speeds, cruise speed, fuel burn,... ) So please, for the flight safety AND for the handlers backs, please don't...

[@Papalazapoo]

Also not fully deflating your tyres works fine most of the time as Ollie said, but that’s because the cabin altitude is only about 7000”. If you encountered a decompression, or worst an explosive decompression, the pressure differential between inside and outside your tyre will be much greater. Yes it’s very unlikely to damage anything beyond your bike, but you should know and understand what you’re risking before deciding that because it went fine last time you flew, it’ll be fine this time too.

[@pinjaliina]

@@Papalazapoo You can deflate them to, say one bar (15 PSI). That way even if there were to be an explosive decompression the pressure differential to the thin outside air would still stay below two bars. Any bicycle tyre can take that. A completely flat tyre risks becoming accidentially unseated, which would be a pain in itself, and even worse if the tyre has been set up tubeless.

[@filipruml]

@@Papalazapoo The difference won't be much greater, though. The maximum difference will be less than 1 bar. That's a lot for a human, but not much difference for your bike tyres. Just don't pump them to the limit.

[@Joe-fq6ez]

How can you identify if someones a pilot within 2 seconds of meeting them

[@PilotLifeSven]

@@Joe-fq6ez we'll tell you 😉

[@christianmoore6845]

My biggest concern is how I will get my bike from the airport to wherever I am staying. Will it fit in a rental car/taxi/uber?

[@ericsutherland461]

Exactly - I can cram a soft case into the back seat of a tiny taxi if necessary. It a hard case doesn't fit in a taxi you are screwed.

[@christianmoore6845]

@@ericsutherland461 and not knowing until you get there

[@hcw199]

What you do is cycle whilst pulling the empty hard case next to you. Either that or lock the hard case to a bicycle rack for the duration of your holiday.

[@robbybobbyhobbies]

The red case shown in the video is the one I use (I forget the name). But their website has images of one or more fitting into cars as small as a Fiat 500 (badly) and a Polo (just fine). I used to worry, but it’s never been an issue in real life.

[@tjb8841]

It almost certainly will not fit in a rental car, unless you have a very large SUV and only 2 people, even then 2 bike boxes will be tight.

[@_J.F_]

I think I will email a request for that pulley wheel and attach a photo of a childrens trike for them to study. I bet I will get their approval too 😂

[@ruairidhalexander7631]

Can't go cycle touring or bikepacking with a hard case. Unless you can find somewhere to store it for you. And definitely can't be done if starting and finishing in different places.

[@rolling-along]

There are cardboard bike boxes

[@TiagoVarella-Cid]

Always go hard!

[@AlbertBuckinghamEllison]

I have a 'travel bike' which is essentially an all-rounder and training/winter bike. Ally frame, 105 components, ally wheelset and looks understated. The idea being that it's robust and reliable but not crazy expensive (total about £1500 value) making it easy to insure or replace if no payout is guaranteed or it gets damaged. I still take it in a strong plastic bike box with additional ratchet strap. I also take a pair of gravel tyres incase I want a bit of variety. Just don't do what I did in August and leave your helmet back in England. 😆

[@123moof]

You guys clearly have never dealt with the TSA security gorillas in the states. Your best packing job last right up until these bozos randomly dismantle everything, only to then haphazardly ram everything back in the case and monkey wrench it back closed.

[@clivewoakes6954]

I, if possible, watch them and give helpful instructions. In most cases, no pun intended, the TSA personnel appreciate the feedback.

[@BooklessT]

I was travelling to the US often so invested in a "TSA approved" case with a lock to which they supposedly had a master key. They broke the lock to get in (= throw the pricey case away), but they did leave a note to say that they are not responsible for any damage and suggested that in future I use a "TSA approved" case. Took it to the desk to be met by a shrug and sorry we're not responsible.

[@donjones3558]

I have a travel bike from No22: Ti de-coupler with Dura Ace 9200, Darimo carbon bar/stem/sp… 17lbs. Also have the optional matching Ti fenders. All told the hardshell case is regular checked luggage! I’ve submitted pics to your silly site and you’ve missed it somehow.

[@gcntech]

Me trying to impress the girl in the peloton 👉3:18 ... with my knowledge of travel with bikes, of course!

[@BTcycle]

"Always go hard never soft" - Ollie

[@vo2maximus177]

Something to note about the weight of your bikebox: most if not all airlines allow you to "pool" your total paid-for luggage weight. So if your box is 1kg over, so long as a case is 1kg under...you get the picture. Pretty sure I've had my bike box weighed before, but normally not.

[@dperreno]

Not true in the states. Here they weigh each piece. Also for international flights I've always had each piece weighed separately and I've had to rearrange stuff to meet the limits.

[@coopaloopmex]

Weight limits have to do with max amount carriers are required to lift. So a 51lb anything requires someone certified to lift that 51 lbs. That's what the fee is for in the US. No allowed to pool weight.

[@livfitz]

I'm surprised you didn't mention eletric bike tyre pumps. They're an absolute game changer when travelling. You can get them with built-in pressure gauges. They're also great if, heaven forbid, you're travelling for a triathlon. You don't need to scrabble around for one of the supplied broken track pumps on race day morning. You don't even need to remove your bike from the rack. One word of warning though, they are loud, and if you pump up your tyres in your hotel room, it will alarm the staff...

[@chrishophoto]

Instead of taking a pump, I bring a rechargeable mini-compressor. I also take several pre-waxed chains (usually two for each week of travel).

[@barryaronson9697]

I tend to be forgetful, so my SOP when travelling with my bike is to do a quick tune-up and clean and lube the chain. I then top up the tires and go for a ride to make sure everything is working right. When finished, everything used to get ready for the ride (pump, etc.) and used on the ride (helmet, computer, water bottles, shoes, etc.) goes in a must-have pile. As I disassemble the bike, any tool I use also goes in the must-have pile. If there is room in the bike case and minding weight issues. everything in the must-have pile goes in the case with the bike. Anything leftover goes immediately into the clothing suitcase. The only thing left to remember is one's cycling clothing.

[@treyschwartz3966]

I travel with steel frames. My travel bikes don’t have rear derailleur hangers. I have both hard and soft travel bags. One road bike, one mountain bike and one fat tire bike. All three are Ritchey. The soft travel bag can be rolled up and stowed away inside the car.

[@likemarksee]

Lezyne travel track pump 👍, wheels with inner tubes, spare derailleur hanger ☑️. I use the Alan box triathlon, which allows the handlebars to stay in place, only the wheels and pedals need to disassembled from the bike. My choice of kit is influenced by ease of use when travelling / racing abroad, it saves a lot of time and stress!

[@SamuelBarrettBikes]

As a person who has a bike bag without wheels the pushability is so underrated

[@t00thygr1n]

I always make sure that the tools I disassemble my bike with are the tools I pack with my bike to travel so I can do everything I need to do to put it back together (plus a torque key).

[@kieranbarry8193]

Travel all over the world and my advice: PostCarry travel case….game changer

[@stevevarga8621]

Here’s a hot tip that applies to a certain type of person: have your bike properly tuned and ready to ride. I can’t tell you how many people come with an out of tune bike or old tires or low brake pads or just something not sorted out. Just assume what can go wrong will go wrong on your trip and when it does you will lose at least one day of riding at your expense. Also pack your bike well in advance so you don’t have any last minute surprises while you’re packing the night before your flight.

[@patrickmohl3723]

When packing your bike, use the tools that you’re going to travel with rather than your home workshop tools. You might find an issue with the tools you were planning to pack, for example the stubby little 5mm hex in your multitool isn’t long enough to reattach your rear derailleur.

[@rocbola]

"people are too scared to travel with their bikes" Wow, i feel that. At this very moment, some people i know are on a bikepacking trip that i chickened out on because i was too scared to travel with my bike by train.

[@wazzup105]

I actually usually leave my fancy bike at home, and travel with my indestructible "old school" hard wired bike. When I'm not there to race, just to have fun and I can do that on any bike.

[@TaichoCyclist]

I travel with a sofe case as contrary to what is recommended on the show. Fortunately, I have no bad experience with it yet (touch wood) and I reinforced the rear derailleur with a guard as it is the easiest to damage part of the bike. Tools are always essential - Allen keys, torx keys that compact to save baggage weight. I have a floor pump packed in to boot and ready to roll upon arrival at destination.

[@rolling-along]

Wheel-ability is critical for your bike bag, and your luggage. If you are fighting to wheel and deal with ANY piece of your travelling accoutrements, ALL of them become a hassle. I notice you use the North Face Explorer Suitcases. I have used these extensively and travelled hundreds of thousands of kms all over the world. Brilliant wheelability and robust. My explorer luggage is still going, looking battered, but still awesome, since 1997

[@iansingleton]

Alex, you rode the Ti Ribble, Olli rode the Carbon, Simon rode the Alu and the chap who rode with you rode the Steel bike. How do I know? I watched the film yesterday! KZbin Autoplay! Thanks for the tips on travelling with bikes. I think you guys should do a more in depth film about whole process. As someone who is planning on travelling with their bike I'm interested in any help. Good show as always!🤙🏻

[@chrishey6891]

Find someone who looks at you how Oli looked at Alex when he remembered the 23rd element on the periodic table 🙂 Eternal happiness!

[@johncontreras2643]

Another tip… Don’t forget anti-slip carbon grease. Disassembling and assembling, my seat-post lost the anti-slip grease, so it kept sliding down.

[@hansschotterradler3772]

take off the chain, unbolt the rear derailleur, bubble wrap it and tape it to the inside of the rear stays; bring a spare quick link. You may also want to remove brake discs is you have disc brakes; it's a PITA if they bend.

[@menthel77]

There are people who's hobby is being annoyed on the internet. Best to just ignore them. 😂

[@bikeskimawk670]

When I have traveled and rented/hired a bike I have brought my own pedals and saddle. Of course checking before hand that they will fit the bike. One of the best bike tech yet. Thank you. Going from halo cycling products to the other end of the spectrum, charity or community bike shops. I would like to see a tech show from a charity/community bike shop.

[@christianwirth6965]

Always go hard. Always.

[@Csapi007]

Scicon soft case here, out of 10+ flights the only problem was that the seat post was cracked in half once. To my biggest surprise, WizzAir paid for a new one without any issue. Never deflated my tire, didn't event remove CO2, never got stopped or called back.

[@giuseppecicoria573]

😂😂 Ollie said “ hard”!! And I’m not a high school kid 😂

[@hbrameus]

Gold - yes!

[@randygravel2057]

I’m 1992 went from California to Benidorm Spain to see The Worlds 🌈. Was Armstrongs first pro race. Took my Klein mountain bike with first gen Rock Shock fork. These freddies/kooks weren’t even born yet. The bike blew euro minds.

[@coopaloopmex]

I've done 15 INT'L and domestic trips in the last 14 months, and I love my EVOC Soft case. I do prefer to take non-stop trips. I hate finding my bike case didn't make a connection But I keep it simple. Removing and waxing chains is just so long of time that I don't have between trips. The less I have to take off and put back on, the easier. Remove, wheels, remove headset, lower seat, and boom; it pops into the EVOC bag that I have. No problem. Also, getting out of the airport is important. My soft case fits laterally across most all 4-door backseats, so even if an XL taxi isn't available, it always fits. A Large Hard Case is no good if the taxi refuses to drive you to your hotel.

[@wspmjw]

No offense to Connor, he MAY have been an exceptional pro. That's historical and worthy of respect.

[@Doktor_Al]

Ollie: i never go soft, always hard. **licks his lips**. Scarred for life.

[@Pretre69]

Disagree re hard cases - if nothing else Alex isn’t travelling with one in the video!!! - but I've used semi-soft bags for 20 years or so & never had any issues. Also, in many places you will stay they won't accept hard cases, due to space constraints.

[@66mikkim]

The case is IN my room, so the space concern is my own, and non of the hotels buisness.

[@CG-99]

I've travelled for many years with a hard bike case - I have never had a hotel who cared about me travelling with this. And of my friends who have had bike damage from travelling, every one of them has been using a soft bike bag. I can't see any logic in using a soft bike bag.

[@GregJC]

@@CG-99hard cases are heavier and would push me over the weight limit which would be an additional $150 fee. That adds up

[@CG-99]

@GregJC I have travelled far and wide for 10 years with a BikeBoxAlan plastic box, with a road bike, helmet, pedals, a full size floor pump and some tools inside and never once been over the weight limits. So unless you have a bike heavier than 10kg, then the box weight is really a non issue.

[@alaintallier1956]

Also, the main reason I like my Scicon soft bag is that I don't have to touch the handlebars. Everything stays as us and I only have to remove the wheels. Never had a problem except Heathrow confiscating gift beers at manual security because automatic scanning security wasn't broken.

[@markkabuto]

I feel like you could have dwelt for some time on Grace Brown's bike, it was amazing!

[@ricardosilva-xz1yt]

Regarding travel. Travel several times a year from austria either west to Portugal or East to Bulgária with the family. Would never consider taking my or any bike for that mater with me on a plane. That being said, have just ordered a bike rack to be instaled to my car. Prefer to drive 2 days enjoying the road each way than go through the ordeal and head ache of airport. Regarding the bikes best thing no damage no assembly just riding and that is it...

[@witepa]

I think a good soft case can be equivalent or even more protective than a hard case. My main concern is baggage handlers throwing bags from high distances. Hard cases will do little to dampen impact forces. In a good case, I look for some sort of rigid frame for the bike to mount to. The frame's drop-outs/thru-axles are designed to withstand impact forces.

[@brannmacfinnchad9056]

Please do a ride on that additive Ti bike by Ribble...Super curious about the tech and ride quality.

[@halloweenjack2562]

A pair of those titanuim mudguards should make my bike look like my old R Chopper that I polished with chrome cleaner every Sunday morning.

[@LongJohnHugeDong]

I've been known to go soft and just push it in with my thumb. It's not ideal, but it ends up hard eventually and kind of works out.

[@berniekeene868]

The S and S and other coupling systems make so you can pack your bike in a special large suitcase. No extra baggage fee and easy to put in any taxi. I traveled for years that way either no problems. Friends with large boxes missed out on days of riding because their large boxes missed connecting flights.

[@miroslavcmiko9266]

it made me really happy to see my favorite brand BASSO.

[@AKG77]

On my last overseas bikepacking trip I covered the frame and handlebar with tube foams, abit more foams here and there between the wheels and frame to cushion it better. And instead of any bags I used the rain cover and wrapped with plastic packing wrap. Reason is my trip began and finished at different locations and I needed it to be light and compact to carry along and be reusable for the flight back. Its a thick carbon gravel frame. And its the Yoeleo frame that I won from gcn 😆

[@eduardocarvalhoneto909]

I found that having a small battery operated pump is great for traveling. There are ones small enough for the saddle bag. 7:38

[@MggW]

My bike box has *always* been weighed when travelling. But check total weight with checked bags is below your allowance. I've never seen a weight limit on outsized baggage.

[@williamcroson9102]

Recently I did LEJOG, I took 4 waxed chains with me. Well prepared! :)

[@oOoACFREEMANoOo]

Alex and Oli are building up a great comedic tension in the back ground "Agree to disagree" This episode is like if Alex talked to his ex at a party last night and Oli still up set about it 😂

[@casquilho]

If you want to weigh the bike case filled, you can get really cheap ($35 US) crane scales online. I have one, and it works great for up to 660 lbs.

[@carlyuen4360]

I've flown with a Pinarello Opera in a bikebox - i told them the bike weighs 9kgs. then proceeded to wheel it to oversized luggage and checked it in, making sure I didn't need any staff to help - i had packed the bike, and all my clothes, a few pairs of shoes, etc and the bikebox weighed 45kilos! and it came out the other side just fine!

[@clarklowe5632]

With this talk about traveling with DI2 I think I will stick with traveling with my mechanical groupset bike. 11 speed dura ace Mechanical is good enough for travel.

[@jonsanchez55]

Always Go hard! Never go soft…