Bike bags for disc brake bikes?

[g-boaf]

Previously my overseas travel with bikes has been with simple rim brake bikes and with this Scicon bag:

https://sciconsports.com/au_en/aerocomf ... p053105013

What are people using with disc brake bikes?

I don't want to have to disassemble the bike too much either, it's rather complicated at the front end.

[biker jk]

Previously my overseas travel with bikes has been with simple rim brake bikes and with this Scicon bag:

https://sciconsports.com/au_en/aerocomf ... p053105013

What are people using with disc brake bikes?

I don't want to have to disassemble the bike too much either, it's rather complicated at the front end.

That bag is suitable for disc brakes. You probably have version 1 like me which is rim brake only.

[g-boaf]

Previously my overseas travel with bikes has been with simple rim brake bikes and with this Scicon bag:

https://sciconsports.com/au_en/aerocomf ... p053105013

What are people using with disc brake bikes?

I don't want to have to disassemble the bike too much either, it's rather complicated at the front end.

That bag is suitable for disc brakes. You probably have version 1 like me which is rim brake only.

I think I do. Bah, off to buy another bag.

[baabaa]

Bit different as have a dedicated break down travel bike - A ritchey break-away - but even with its own travel bag I still take the rotors off the wheels and all the brake bolt bits from the frame as I kind like the idea of riding at arrival rather than hunting broken bike and brake bits.
I also take off the rotors when the frame goes into a soft Ground Effect Tardis as they seem sharp and nasty things to have anything rub up with or against....
Is it hydro? - Bags do get thrown around and can end up side down for long periods so the thought of having to drain brake fluid before a trip and then replace at arrival would also put me off so I stick with cable mech.

[g-boaf]

Bit different as have a dedicated break down travel bike - A ritchey break-away - but even with its own travel bag I still take the rotors off the wheels and all the brake bolt bits from the frame as I kind like the idea of riding at arrival rather than hunting broken bike and brake bits.
I also take off the rotors when the frame goes into a soft Ground Effect Tardis as they seem sharp and nasty things to have anything rub up with or against....
Is it hydro? - Bags do get thrown around and can end up side down for long periods so the thought of having to drain brake fluid before a trip and then replace at arrival would also put me off so I stick with cable mech.

Yeah it is hydraulic disc brakes, it's a Cervelo S5 2020 with SRAM Red AXS and hydraulic brakes.

I can use my other Canyon with rim brakes but this time I'd prefer to have disc brakes.

Flights are booked...

[LateStarter]

".... when the frame goes into a soft Ground Effect Tardis ....."

I was going to get a Tardis but I see its long dimension is 135cm, ok for planes but research indicates trains like EuroStar and French TGV have a max biggest dimension of 80 - 90 cm, anyone with experience on this? Maybe I would have to take slower trains and ferrys or ride / swim?

[trailgumby]

Travel tips:
* Remove rotors from wheels. This is why the Shimano centrelock standard is preferred over 6-bolt IS.
* Remove the rear derailleur from the hanger. The Italian bike shop that shipped me my SuperSix Evo missed this, and as a consequence when the box was evidently dropped on its side, momentum and the weight of the derailleur and chain did a nice job on the rear dropout.
* Remove pedals
* Fit the OEM plastic pad spacers into the calipers. This will stop accidental lever depression forcing the pistons out of the calipers.
* Install thru axles into the frame, and put in spacers to brace forks and rear triangle against side impacts. I have made up some braces from plastic water pipe with a 12.1mm hole that are 100mm and 142mm in length.
* Take a few PSI out of tyres, but don't fully deflate - especially if tubeless with sealant. Air pressure at sea level is 15psi. If it goes to zero in the plane you're all gonna die, so as long as you're more than 15psi under the max specified for the tyre, I foresee no risks.

[g-boaf]

I got the newer disc brake version of the Scicon bag from Pedals Plus in Gordon. The shop still looks like a bomb has exploded, but they are a top place.

* Fit the OEM plastic pad spacers into the calipers. This will stop accidental lever depression forcing the pistons out of the calipers.

Cheers, yes, I haven't lost those.

With all my other bikes I always took the derailleur off, same with pedals.

[queequeg]

Bit different as have a dedicated break down travel bike - A ritchey break-away - but even with its own travel bag I still take the rotors off the wheels and all the brake bolt bits from the frame as I kind like the idea of riding at arrival rather than hunting broken bike and brake bits.
I also take off the rotors when the frame goes into a soft Ground Effect Tardis as they seem sharp and nasty things to have anything rub up with or against....
Is it hydro? - Bags do get thrown around and can end up side down for long periods so the thought of having to drain brake fluid before a trip and then replace at arrival would also put me off so I stick with cable mech.

Yeah it is hydraulic disc brakes, it's a Cervelo S5 2020 with SRAM Red AXS and hydraulic brakes.

I can use my other Canyon with rim brakes but this time I'd prefer to have disc brakes.

Flights are booked...

I have the rim brake version of these for travel, not that I have ever used it as I am yet to travel since my DVT:

https://www.degrandi.com.au/bop-worx-tr ... -protector

[g-boaf]

It's interesting fitting the Cervelo S5 (disc) inside the Scicon bag.

The rear mount for the frame inside the bag has some plastic caps/spacers on the end of it, but the Cervelo / Focus Rapid Axle Technology "skewer" at the back won't fit with both of the spacers in place.

Take one out and it will fit and lock, but then there is about 2mm of side to side movement. Going to try reducing the size of the plastic spacers by taking 1mm off the outer end of each.

[g-boaf]

Looping back on this post travels.

- The Scicon bag worked out fine and the latest ones have much nicer wheels under them, they are much easier to roll through airports, into elevators and the like. They no longer behave like evil supermarket trolleys.

- The RAT (Rapid Axle Technology) skewers (Cervelo/Focus bikes) were a pain to fit. It was necessary to make the plastic spacers slightly smaller so the rear RAT skewer would lock in place. Without this mod, the RAT skewer was not wide enough.

- Rather than using my good RAT skewers for securing the bike inside the bag, I got a spare set (one was worn out) . This is a safe option.

- The bike was protected with plenty of rollbar foam padding cut to size. The handlebars had this foam and PVC plumbing pipe over them, in between the shifters PVC pipe with rollbar foam inside it was fitted to brace them securely (so they couldn't be twisted). These precautions for the bars are really important if your bike has very custom stem/bar arrangement such as the V-stem and aero bars on the Cervelo S5). Pedals were taken off for travel, as usual.

- The wedges supplied with the SRAM E-TAP AXS for putting into the brakes were fitted properly but one of them did come loose on the return journey.

- I took a big torque wrench with me and attachments so I could easily remove the brake discs from the wheels for travel. Also took a track pump. The track pump was stuffed in the bottom of the bike bag along with a bike sock (cover to go underneath the bike). I didn't end up using the bike sock, despite some hotels apparently wanting these. Helmet also went in bottom of the bike bag. The torque wrench went in my checked in luggage. I took two spare tyres with me and spare inner tubes in my checked in luggage.

- With Emirates, it was not possible to take more than 3 CO2 cartridges. I was generally around plenty of bike shops in France. I could get more of these cartridges if needed. I luckily didn't have a single puncture the whole time. Batteries for the derailleurs go in the cabin baggage. Depending on your airline, you should use something like Apple Airtags in your luggage and one on the bike. You cannot trust most airlines these days. The Airtag on the bike came in handy on my last day of riding - one of the shifter batteries failed and I didn't have a spare one by accident. So I raided the Airtag and used the one in that.