Looking for a travel case

[mtbdreamin]

I have a 2018 Specialized Turbo Levo Carbon Comp large. I want to start traveling with my bike this June, and have been casually searching for some type of hard case. I searched the forums and it looks like there is not even one post that I can find on the subject. I live in the US so though I understand there are all sorts of cases out there, some cases are not available to me unless it is a world reknown brand such as Thule as an example. So far when it comes to a larger case I can only find the Thule RoundTrip Transition --- Thule RoundTrip Transition. The problem is I have never seen an ebike mounted on such a case frame. If you watch the video Thule has some type of mount that bolts on the front fork, and a strap that seems to wrap around the rear part of the frame. This would work great for a standard mountain bike, but for a Specialized eMTB the rear mount may not work on the eMTB as it is very thick so I am not certain it would work. I guess you could rig some velcro, but if I am going to pay $600 US for a case it should work for my bike. Has anyone else looked into cases and even better bought one that works?

 

[ccrdave]

thats a very nice case, I would have thought you just need a longer strap which can be obtained, I did for my bike rack. But more to the point I dont know where you intend to travel but almost all emtb batteries are too big to take on a plane

 

[mtbdreamin]

Good point on the battery. FAA says 100 watt max per battery https://www.faa.gov/about/office_or...fo/media/Airline_passengers_and_batteries.pdf, but I thought I remember it could be carried on. I need to research this more, but if anyone else has input that would be great.

 

[mtbdreamin]

As a follow up I talked to my dealer in Florida, Orange Cycle in Orlando if anyone is interested. They said the battery would have to be shipped ground, and then the bike could be shipped on the flight in a case. I found in the US TSA allows only a maximum of 100kw battery, the 2018 Levo has a 504kw battery, so that obviously exceeds the maximum. :-(

Interestingly since I am in Florida, not Orlando, but St. Augustine Beach, but the dealer said in Brazil the Specialized Turbo Levo's are 3 to 4 times more expensive. So people plan trips to Disney World and buy a Levo here, then have them box up the bikes to have them shipped to Brazil. They sell the bike to pay a good chunk of their vacation. I was like really!?

Anyway, I am going to use my SUV and my bike rack to do a road trip and bring my bike to the trail with my brother instead. :-( Maybe I can plan some extra stops where there are some fun trails and make the best of it.

 

[Surge]

Following-up with the same question as the OP. Has no one air shipped their Turbo Levo?

 

[Al Boneta]

Following-up with the same question as the OP. Has no one air shipped their Turbo Levo?

Once without the battery. Wasn’t worth it, I could have just rented one and saved myself the hassle.

 

[Al Boneta]

As a follow up I talked to my dealer in Florida, Orange Cycle in Orlando if anyone is interested. They said the battery would have to be shipped ground, and then the bike could be shipped on the flight in a case. I found in the US TSA allows only a maximum of 100kw battery, the 2018 Levo has a 504kw battery, so that obviously exceeds the maximum. :-(

Interestingly since I am in Florida, not Orlando, but St. Augustine Beach, but the dealer said in Brazil the Specialized Turbo Levo's are 3 to 4 times more expensive. So people plan trips to Disney World and buy a Levo here, then have them box up the bikes to have them shipped to Brazil. They sell the bike to pay a good chunk of their vacation. I was like really!?

Anyway, I am going to use my SUV and my bike rack to do a road trip and bring my bike to the trail with my brother instead. :-( Maybe I can plan some extra stops where there are some fun trails and make the best of it.

It’s the same for us at Orange Cycle in California. We would get Brazilians wanting us to sell them bikes still in the box. We don’t do it, but we get tourists for Disneyland or people going to conventions like the NAMM show In Anaheim who want us to do it.

 

[Surge]

Once without the battery. Wasn’t worth it, I could have just rented one and saved myself the hassle.

Thanks. But did you use the Thule Roadtrip Transition?

 

[Al Boneta]

Thanks. But did you use the Thule Roadtrip Transition?

No, I have two EVOC travel bags

 

[Gary]

EVOC here too.
all my bikes fit in it (one at a time, mind)

 

[Surge]

Thanks! Airline Weight limit I guess is not an issue without the battery.
Biggest pain is shipping the batt separately, it seems like.

 

[ChrisB NZ]

I use a Biknd Jetpack for my Merida E-One Sixty. Not a hard case but still a very good case which will take an EMTB with plus tyres etc. Haven't flown with it though. Without the battery, the combined weight of the bike and bag is around 30Kg - which is at the limit of what airlines will accept.

I'm intending to ship the bike by road transport and then fly to meet it. Can do that more easily. I guess the alternative would be to fly it without battery and then hire a battery from a friendly LBS.

 

[Surge]

Yes, the battery is not allowed on flights, plus it likely exceeds the weight limit, as you point out. I’m still looking forward to shipping my Levo though!

 

[ChrisB NZ]

Well I figure paying a couple of hundred bucks for road shipping is worth it since (i) you will have your own bike (ii) still cheaper than hiring a bike for more than a day or two. Mind you, in my case, I also need to hire a 4WD to carry the bikes. But hey what wouldn't you do to use your EMTB on new trails.

 

[jwrx]

EVOC Pro