I packed an S&S bike on a tour for someone who had to leave on short notice. He had photos in the case which made all the difference in the world, showing the packing sequence. I just deflated the 700c tires to get some more wiggle room. Never having done this before, it took well over an hour but I was also extra careful. The bike survived my efforts.
Regarding cardboard boxes, I always hold my breath until I open one. I've gotten a dented top tube. Friends have had bent forks, tweaked wheels, bent RD hangers, bent large chainring teeth, etc. It's a rough world out there. When ordering my Atlantis, I was thinking about the S&S system & sometimes regret not having gone for it. I'll probably re-visit the idea when it's time to re-paint. dougP On Sep 19, 2:00 pm, cyclotourist <cyclotour...@gmail.com> wrote: > Quite a jigsaw puzzle! I can't imagine packing a bike with 700C X 35mm > tires and fenders! I'm sure it has been done, but those 650B tires (Nifty > Swifty?) barely fit! > > > > > > On Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 12:25 PM, Lynne Fitz <fitzb...@comcast.net> wrote: > > I don't find the Bleriot particularly easy to pack - the 135mm rear > > spacing makes it "fat" in the case, if you know what i mean. takes a > > lot of wiggling. Plus the Nitto stem - have to do some amazing > > handlebar wiggling, because I can't remove the stem. Can't speak to > > the height issue. Granted, my Bleriot frame is 51cm. It isn't the > > wheels that are the problem, although I do have to tip the front wheel > > to get the case to close. I deflate them; they wouldn't fit > > otherwise. > > >http://www.flickr.com/photos/lynnefitz/881020020/in/set-7215760022302... > > > Sweetpea also has couplers. As I've only had it a month, it hasn't > > had a chance to get packed. I'll leave that until I do have to go > > somewhere. > > > On Sep 17, 11:53 pm, cyclotourist <cyclotour...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > What hasn't been mentioned is tire size. Both Lynne's bikes are 650b > > > bikes. I'm presuming 650B and 26"/559 wheeled bikes are MUCH easier to > > pack > > > than 700C bikes, especially if you're talking touring width (35mm and > > above) > > > tires and fenders. > > > > The world is out to get the tall people yet once again... > > > > :-) > > > > On Fri, Sep 17, 2010 at 10:26 PM, Lynne Fitz <fitzb...@comcast.net> > > wrote: > > > > All my destination reassembly has been inside, usually in the hotel > > > > room. I've assembled it in Prague, St George UT, Histon (UK), > > > > Budapest, our summer place... I have a sheet of plastic that I put > > > > underneath. No mess. No misplaced bits. > > > > > Disassembly got a lot faster once I got a wireless computer :-) A LOT > > > > faster. I have a bin at home for the parts that come off that are > > > > staying home. The travel parts live in the S&S travel case when they > > > > aren't being used. > > > > > I also have "travel fenders" - Planet Bike Speedez. The Honjos stay > > > > home, as do the racks, and the generator hub front wheel.. My > > > > Carradice Barley is plenty roomy enough for the riding I do on > > > > vacations. So far :-) > > > > > I can reassemble it in about 45 minutes, and disassemble it to return > > > > home in about the same amount of time. However, the combination of > > > > Honjo fenders and front rack and Silver brakes makes home > > > > (dis)assembly a bit more complex, requiring about 5 hands. :-) I can > > > > take fewer tools to the summer place - I keep some basic ones there, > > > > as well as chain lube. > > > > > On Sep 17, 9:10 am, eflayer <eddie.fla...@att.net> wrote: > > > > > on my last two week trip with coupled Rambouillet, I did the > > > > > reassemble on the lawn in front of my hotel. That took about 45 > > > > > minutes and I had stuff strewn all over the lawn. Lot's of parts, > > > > > pads, tools, etc. This was a typical assembly location. When the > > > > > trip was over, I was offered the use of a conference room inside the > > > > > hotel as the location to do the disassemble and packing. Indoors > > with > > > > > no distractions and a banquet table is my preferred venue. All was > > > > > smooth, quiet and having a place to put tools and lean the bike can > > > > > make a subtle difference. > > > > > > On Sep 17, 8:35 am, GeorgeS <chobur...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > > I have a Surly Traveler's Check which is the Cross Check with S&S > > > > > > couplers. It has been absolutely one of my best purchases ever. > > No > > > > > > problem with the airlines. No big bulky bike box with the threat > > of > > > > > > enormous fees and/or outright rejection hanging over the trip. No > > > > > > danger of severe damage or loss of pieces coming out of the box. > > The > > > > > > peace of mind in traveling, for me, is priceless. That's why the > > cost > > > > > > effective argument doesn't make sense. One may be willing to live > > > > > > with the downsides of airline travel with the bike in a card board > > box > > > > > > rather than pay the admittedly high cost of couplers and case. > > That's > > > > > > a matter of personal preference. But what one cannot do is obtain > > the > > > > > > advantages of a coupled bike for less money than the cost of > > couplers > > > > > > and a hard case. There is also the assembly/disassembly problem. > > It > > > > > > takes me approximately one hour to unpack and get the bike ready to > > > > > > ride and a little more time to disassemble and pack the bike. For > > me, > > > > > > if I'm going for a multi-week trip, the time spent on assembly/ > > > > > > disasembly is insignificant. If the trip is for a couple of days, > > > > > > I'll take the Brompton. Again, it's a matter of what one is > > willing > > > > > > to put up with. If the assembly/disassembly time is so unpleasant > > and > > > > > > frustrating that it threatens to spoil one's vacation, then the > > > > > > couplers are not worth the cost whatever that is. > > > > > > GeorgeS > > > > > > > On Sep 16, 8:11 pm, Lynne Fitz <fitzb...@comcast.net> wrote: > > > > > > > > I sent my Bleriot frame off to Bilenky for S&S couplers before I > > > > built > > > > > > > it up. Bleriot was also, until recently, my randonneuring bike. > > > > > > > Seems to work just fine :-) No problems. It has also been > > packed > > > > and > > > > > > > taken on airplanes many times (Europe twice. Mostly to the > > family > > > > > > > summer place). No problems ever. No extra charge because it was > > a > > > > > > > bicycle, ever. At most, the "piece of luggage" charge. > > > > > > > > I expect I could try to rationalize the cost - I had the > > conversion > > > > > > > done before the S&S price increase. I figured couplers, case, > > and > > > > > > > packing accessories added $1000 to the cost. 10 flights with a > > non- > > > > > > > coupled bike would have been that much in extra luggage charges. > > Or > > > > > > > renting a bike at my destination. Having MY go-to bicycle at my > > > > > > > destination that fits ME... priceless. > > > > >http://www.flickr.com/photos/lynnefitz/sets/72157594509789929/with/32. > > .. > > > > > > > > As it is, my new custom rando bike also has S&S couplers, but I > > > > didn't > > > > > > > have to buy the case and packing accessories, because I've > > already > > > > got > > > > > > > them. > > > > > > > > One of my bikes will be going to Ireland next summer; haven't > > decided > > > > > > > which one. > > > > > > > > Lynne F > > > > > > > > On Sep 15, 7:32 pm, Kip Otteson <kip.otte...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > > I noticed yesterday that my kickstand was sitting at a very > > awkward > > > > > > > > angle. I moved it a little and I could see that my kickstand > > plate > > > > > > > > was ripping off of my frame. I have a Pletscher double > > kickstand > > > > on > > > > > > > > the Bombadil and I think that when it was parked at school > > someone > > > > sat > > > > > > > > on it and bent it all up. Bummer deal. I took off the > > kickstand > > > > and > > > > > > > > now am really old-new school with a bike I have to lean up > > against > > > > > > > > things, like in the old days. I was worried that the > > chainstays > > > > would > > > > > > > > be hammered as well but they look fine. I'll have to wait till > > I'm > > > > > > > > back in the states to get it fixed properly. > > > > > > > > > BTW - I thought that if I was going to get the frame fixed I'd > > be > > > > > > > > looking at sending it to Bilenky Bike Works and getting S and S > > > > > > > > couplers fitted for a more travel friendly machine. Anybody > > out > > > > there > > > > > > > > experienced converting a frame to a travel bike? > > > > > > > > > Kip Otteson > > > > > > > > Chiang Mai, Thailand- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > - Show quoted text - > > > > > -- > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > Groups > > > > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > > > > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com > > . > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<rbw-owners-bunch%2bunsubscrib...@googlegroups.com><rbw-owners-bunch%2Bunsubscrib > > e...@googlegroups.com> > > > > . > > > > For more options, visit this group at > > > >http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > > > > -- > > > Cheers, > > > David > > > Redlands, CA > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bu...@googlegroups.com. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<rbw-owners-bunch%2bunsubscrib...@googlegroups.com> > > . > > For more options, visit this group at > >http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > > -- > Cheers, > David > Redlands, CA- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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