Evoc bags - worth it...?
- Thread starter Haakon
- Start date
https://nsmb.com/articles/air-canada-destroys-bike/ I'll go with yes.
nzhumpy
Googlemeister who likes bikes and scandal
Haakon
has an accommodating arse
This seems pretty conclusive so far
For the dollars, I would hope this is one of those "the last bag you'll ever need" situations... Happy to absorb the cost over many years and flights.
pink poodle
気が狂っている男
They are a heavy unbalanced heap of shit. They're also awkward to pack a bigger bike into. I fucking hated it and thus only used it once. But they do offer a very neat and tidy package that protects your be well. But I feel that can be achieved with good packing anywhere.
They have advantages and disadvantages. Going on a short trip where you'll fly somewhere and stay in one place? They're great, if you have enough luggage allowance to manage the weight. They are heavy suckers.
Going on a long trip, where you'll build your bike once, then hire a car and do a road trip? Get a cardboard box from your local bike shop. Throw it in the bin once you've built your bike. Get a new box when you head home. Dragging massive empty evoc bags around on a road trip sucks.
Going on a long trip, where you'll build your bike once, then hire a car and do a road trip? Get a cardboard box from your local bike shop. Throw it in the bin once you've built your bike. Get a new box when you head home. Dragging massive empty evoc bags around on a road trip sucks.
cokeonspecialtwodollars
Fartes of Portingale
Biknd Jetpack
ozzybmx
taking a shit with my boobs out
Yes, great bags but expensive. Luckily I have 2 mates with them and borrowed one for a trip back home to Ireland. They protect your bike really well BUT that all depends on how rough the baggage handlers are. I didnt remove my rotors from the wheels and one was bent nearly right angle on my outbound trip, on the way home, all good.
Plenty of people hire them out, so hire one if you are only doing 1 trip, if you are planning to travel with your bike often, buy one.
Plenty of people hire them out, so hire one if you are only doing 1 trip, if you are planning to travel with your bike often, buy one.
downunderdallas
Likes Bikes and Dirt
I have a Ground Effect Tardis and also a soft bag, not a chain reaction bag but the same as one of those. Both worked well on recent trip to Tassie but the Tardis is much more compact basically folds down to an A4 file size. As Rowan mentioned if travelling around a bit this can be a factor, downside is you have to carry the bike as Tardis bike has no wheels. Not sure if most bags wheel that well anyway.
dynamitedread
Likes Dirt
It’s called Qbicle
sane
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Mine has been great & has heaps of FF points. I picked it up off ebay for $200 & easily got my $ worth, at $600 or whatever rrp is you'd have to think twice I guess. Yes it's heavy but for me it comes in at around 27kgs with all my riding gear stuffed in around the bike. Easily under the normal 30kg limit on international flights but the domestic cnuts will stitch you up for $70 per flight. Reckon the Dakine one is worth a look but given it's that much lighter you have to woner how much protection you sacrifice.
My biggest criticism is getting to & from airports. Given I'm normally with the family it means a maxi taxi, & in Au the Evoc bag will not fit in a Falcon/ Commodore/ Kluger etc wagon. It will fit across the back seat of a Mini but if you get a dick organizing the taxis at the airport they will tell you luggage is supposed to be secured away from passengers.
I've had 1 bent rotor in many flights & I expect it to last a lifetime.
Remember though, the Mrs will hate you for the hassle of bringing the bike along.
My biggest criticism is getting to & from airports. Given I'm normally with the family it means a maxi taxi, & in Au the Evoc bag will not fit in a Falcon/ Commodore/ Kluger etc wagon. It will fit across the back seat of a Mini but if you get a dick organizing the taxis at the airport they will tell you luggage is supposed to be secured away from passengers.
I've had 1 bent rotor in many flights & I expect it to last a lifetime.
Remember though, the Mrs will hate you for the hassle of bringing the bike along.
I bought this about six years ago https://www.torpedo7.com.au/product...pedo7-transporter-padded-bike-bag-with-wheels
I've fully lined it with corflute inside and have several anchor points to put bits and pieces. I've been on seven trips overseas with it and it's brilliant BUT it is only as good as the way it is handled by the people you don't see. My advice is to pack the bits that you unbolts (bars, wheels etc) in a place that will not create an impact point when it gets laid on its side and things chucked on top of it. For the record, it weigh 5kg without my liner and 7.5kg with my liner in it.
I actually go pretty full on with disassembly. I take shifters off the bars, I unbolt the derailleur, I take the rotors off, I take the bars in my other bag with my pedals, I barely have anything in the bike bag and put tons of padding between the frame and the tyres then zip tie it all together to reduce the chance of stuff rubbing. Yep, it takes a bit longer to get it unpacked and set up but it's peace of mind and saves me going full hulk on someone for wrecking my stuff.
In regards to Evoc, there's basically a spot at every airport where the guys need to remove the extra parts from their bike bag because it's over the weight limit. Nine out of ten of those guys are Evoc owners. They don't do anything that much better than the rest and are damn expensive plus they chuck the weight up. Well made bag but too heavy for me.
Get creative, make a modification to a lighter bag and feel good knowing it's pretty tip top.
I've fully lined it with corflute inside and have several anchor points to put bits and pieces. I've been on seven trips overseas with it and it's brilliant BUT it is only as good as the way it is handled by the people you don't see. My advice is to pack the bits that you unbolts (bars, wheels etc) in a place that will not create an impact point when it gets laid on its side and things chucked on top of it. For the record, it weigh 5kg without my liner and 7.5kg with my liner in it.
I actually go pretty full on with disassembly. I take shifters off the bars, I unbolt the derailleur, I take the rotors off, I take the bars in my other bag with my pedals, I barely have anything in the bike bag and put tons of padding between the frame and the tyres then zip tie it all together to reduce the chance of stuff rubbing. Yep, it takes a bit longer to get it unpacked and set up but it's peace of mind and saves me going full hulk on someone for wrecking my stuff.
In regards to Evoc, there's basically a spot at every airport where the guys need to remove the extra parts from their bike bag because it's over the weight limit. Nine out of ten of those guys are Evoc owners. They don't do anything that much better than the rest and are damn expensive plus they chuck the weight up. Well made bag but too heavy for me.
Get creative, make a modification to a lighter bag and feel good knowing it's pretty tip top.
rowdyflat
chez le médecin
I should mention that with the Tardis the bike needs to be packed with some thick cardboard,wheel spacers esp front fork , unbolt the handlebars and tape them to top tube , take off rear derailleur with chain attached and tape to rear stay.
Seat, pedals etc goes in suitcase . Only had 1 bent rotor.
Seat, pedals etc goes in suitcase . Only had 1 bent rotor.
Slowman
Likes Dirt
I have a hard case which I used for my triathlon bike for travel to races... you don't want nasty surprises. Used it a couple of times for Xterra world champs too but normally I just go with a cardboard bike box in a soft bike bag for my MTB travels. I did quite a few business trips and assignments with my MTB to NY and San Jose like this, as well as domestically, and never suffered any damage.
The solid box weighed 11kg empty, whereas my current packaging is 4kg, but another reason was every time I arrived in the US the TSA morons would open the box and start moving shit around without the slightest realisation, understanding, or even concern, that it all had to go back in the same place within a few millimetres if the box was to close again. These same Stu Pitcairns also jemmied open the combo lock even though the combination was clearly written ON IT FFS! You had to close the combo lock otherwise the latch was not held. They also smashed through the key locks even though they were not locked. Total fug khans. TSA = totally stupid arseholes! They operate with total impunity too as the act authorises them to use force to open bags/items.
One time going through LAX this fat cow opened the box and was just pulling stuff all over the place. at one stage she nearly had it shut but she didn't understand the edges interlocked and had to be aligned with each other into to do so. I said "you need to align the edges." She misinterpreted me and said "lie it on the edges?" and proceeded to roll my bike box around like it was lucky draw barrel - I was nearly apoplectic. She was having a lot of trouble closing it and I said "let me" and she said I had to stand back, I realised that it could be seen as compromising the secure search she'd just done so I offered to do it nude and started to undress, I did not care I was that furious with this moronic cow. The other guys, her colleagues were simply laughing at the trouble I was having. In the end the stupid cow said "well ahhm not gonna take all day to close it" and just taped it up. I had to just bite my tongue fortunately nothing was damaged even though the box actually relied on being closed because together the interlocked edges provided structural reinforcement and stiffened the whole box. From then on I offered TSA agents and free coaching session on how to open and close my bike box before they searched it. It seemed to convince them all that they didn't need to look any further.
The solid box weighed 11kg empty, whereas my current packaging is 4kg, but another reason was every time I arrived in the US the TSA morons would open the box and start moving shit around without the slightest realisation, understanding, or even concern, that it all had to go back in the same place within a few millimetres if the box was to close again. These same Stu Pitcairns also jemmied open the combo lock even though the combination was clearly written ON IT FFS! You had to close the combo lock otherwise the latch was not held. They also smashed through the key locks even though they were not locked. Total fug khans. TSA = totally stupid arseholes! They operate with total impunity too as the act authorises them to use force to open bags/items.
One time going through LAX this fat cow opened the box and was just pulling stuff all over the place. at one stage she nearly had it shut but she didn't understand the edges interlocked and had to be aligned with each other into to do so. I said "you need to align the edges." She misinterpreted me and said "lie it on the edges?" and proceeded to roll my bike box around like it was lucky draw barrel - I was nearly apoplectic. She was having a lot of trouble closing it and I said "let me" and she said I had to stand back, I realised that it could be seen as compromising the secure search she'd just done so I offered to do it nude and started to undress, I did not care I was that furious with this moronic cow. The other guys, her colleagues were simply laughing at the trouble I was having. In the end the stupid cow said "well ahhm not gonna take all day to close it" and just taped it up. I had to just bite my tongue fortunately nothing was damaged even though the box actually relied on being closed because together the interlocked edges provided structural reinforcement and stiffened the whole box. From then on I offered TSA agents and free coaching session on how to open and close my bike box before they searched it. It seemed to convince them all that they didn't need to look any further.
Haakon
has an accommodating arse
This is essentially what I have now. I have a foam block for the fork legs, and a big foam block for the BB to sit on. Pool noodle stuff for around all the big tubes, tape the bars to the top tube and down tube, remove rear mech and tape it inside the rear triangle. Wheels in their own bags on each side of the bike.
Seems to work well but it feels like a lot of faffing about... Maybe its $500 worth of buggering about though! Have flown domestically 15-20 times without hassle (except the last time coming back from Tassie, rotors put in outwards and bent - my fault there...).
Hmmm. Have a work trip to Norway soon, was going to take my roadie for early morning explores (only a week away, I find it pays to not totally go into sync with local timezones, so I tend to have an hour or two before work for rubbernecking) - I'll give the current one a go on the current setup and see if i get a new bike from the insurers!