I wrote about my experience with a soft bag on the iBOB list last fall:
Here’s a follow-up on our experience with the Ostrich OS-500 soft case. The bottom line is that it worked very well indeed (with caveats), surpassing expectations. The caveats are: adding extra foam padding as described in my initial post, and breaking down the bike a fair amount. In addition to removing the rear derailleur, I also removed the chain, handlebars, front rack, and crankset (and am now a big believer in self-extracting crank bolts). I also installed dummy axles picked up on the cheap at our local used bike co-op. This necessitated traveling with a few extra tools, but that was more than offset by the inherent light weight of the bag. I was struck that Piaw Na was traveling at about the same time, using 32 lb. Trico Ironcases, and still had a problem with a bent tooth on a chainring. My wife’s bike, fully packed and including tools/spares, came in at just under 19 kg (lighter than the checked weight of my BF). The front derailleur needed minor adjustment on arrival, but the bike otherwise was intact. I was pleasantly surprised, and would definitely recommend this bag as a lower-weight, easier-to-stow alternative to hard cases for airline travel.
Jay Lonner Bellingham, WA
Sent from my Atari 400 On Sunday my wife and I leave for Barcelona for a tour that will take us to Lisbon. I’ll be riding my Bike Friday NWT, and she’s opted to take her 2012 Salsa Casseroll. The BF obviously will go in its own suitcase, and for her bike I’ve decided to try out the soft-sided Ostrich OS-500 Airplane Bag that RH sells. (We have access to a hard case, but it’s large and bulky, and this seems like a good opportunity to try out a more minimalist approach.) Does anybody have specific tips to offer regarding packing such a bag? I plan to remove the rear derailer, and will use foam pipe insulation on the frame and fork. I’ve also purchased two yoga mats to line the case for additional protection. This bike is not a looker, so a scratch or two won’t be a problem — mostly I want to take reasonable precautions to ensure that it survives the trip in rideable condition.
Sent from my Atari 400
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/FC5FE97E-1288-4DEE-86FC-F0CF5150BF58%40gmail.com.
|
