Mountain Bike Travel Bag/Case Roundup
Sponsored By Competitive Cyclist
When driving your vehicle to a bike riding destination isn’t possible, boxing your mountain bike up is the only way to bring your trusty steed along for the journey. We’ve done everything from shove our bikes in hockey gear bags to cardboard boxes and now we’re here to test some of the most popular mountain bike travel bags for traveling with your bike.
As part of our Bike Park Review Tour, we decided to hit the East Coast to explore some new bike parks and downhill bike terrain that we’d been hearing about for way too long. Thanks to our friends at Competitivecyclist.com we were able to get some brand new mountain bike travel bags to test out and make this video.
We shipped these bikes across the country twice and drug them all over the East Coast too. During our tour we normally drive to our locations but due to summer’s rapid end we decided to fly and save ourselves some time. We teamed up with Bike Flights to ship our bikes so we could avoid the ridiculous and uncertain baggage fees that come with flying your bike. By using bikeflights.com we were able to ensure our bikes for the full amount they’re worth, avoid dragging large bike bags through the airport and save money on a rental car by having the bikes delivered right to our hotel.
So, how did the mountain bike travel cases do at protecting our cherished steeds? Give a watch and find out which bag is our favorite and which ones left our bike with scratches and a damaged linkage.
Be sure to use LOAMWOLF15 for 15% off any applicable items at competitivecyclist.com
DOUCHEBAGS
THE SAVAGE BIKE TRAVEL BAG
Don’t rely on a flimsy triple-used cardboard box to ensure the safe arrival of your pride and joy during long-distance travels. The DB Savage Bike Travel Bag secures your frame with impressive stability within an aluminum frame and pads it like you’re shipping precious china. The recipient of the 2019 Design and Innovation Award begins with a patented Roll Cage that gives the bag its full shape and rigidity. It protects like a hard-case bag but reduces the weight and effort of hauling it around by using a softshell exterior.
Packing the bike doesn’t require back-breaking work either, as initial prep is done outside of the bag. Secure the fork and bottom bracket to stabilizers and pad the frame and handlebars with included protectors. Then you’ll be able to insert the protected bike into the frame and complete the packing. Secure lashing immobilizes the bike within the aluminum frame for transport and keeps your bike from shifting anywhere near the bag’s sides.
Interior pockets for your pedals and wheels reduce clanging and boost the organization. The Savage fits mountain bike frames up to 130mm in length and will accommodate plus-size tires. With an included Road Bike Handlebar Adapter, you’ll be able to secure your skinny tire ride as well.
- Protective, durable travel bag for your pride and joy
- Designed around the DB Roll Cage to prioritize stability and protection
- Easy rolling for long airport walks
- Fits any size of mountain bike (plus size as well), up to 130cm in length
- Included road bike adapter for road bike fitting
- Integrated wheel compartments for unique protection and organization
- Prepare the bike outside of the bag for convenience before packing up
- Internal pockets for securing hard goods like pedals
Price: $599.99
Website: Douchebags.com
EVOC
BIKE TRAVEL BAG
The Mountain Bike Travel Bag from EVOC solves most of these traveling snafus starting with its unique construction. Evoc carefully studied the levels of protection offered by hard cases versus soft cases, and unless heavy objects were loaded atop the case, not typically encountered in airline travel, the decision to use a soft case means move maneuverability, lighter weight, and easier storing.
To pack the EVOC mountain bike travel case, you simply remove the wheels, loosen the stem, and turn the handlebars. Padded straps hold the frame and fork in place, and separate wheel pockets, integrated into the case, hold the wheels. The Bike Travel Bag also features a variety of handles at intelligent locations to make hefting and moving the bag easier, and the inline skate wheels let you roll the case while you’re running through the airport to your gate in a rush to make your flight. The EVOC Bike Travel Case will hold 29-inch mountain bikes, TT and tri bikes, road bikes, and cyclocross bikes with ease. EVOC recommends using its Road Bike Adapter, sold separately if packing a skinny-tire bike.
- Soft shell case for traveling with your bike
- Simply remove wheels, turn handlebars, and you’re ready to go
- Inline skate wheels allow for easy rolling
- Reinforced fork mount keeps the bike secure
- Separate wheel compartments keep items safe
Price: $550
Website: EVOCusa.com
EVOC
BIKE TRAVEL BAG XL
Just because your trusty steed is a little on the plus size doesn’t mean it should stay at home when you’re traveling the world. Sure, most frame bags aren’t so accommodating to fat tires, but with the EVOC Bike Travel Bag XL you can take your big rig with you to the end of the world, and back again. This sturdy bag is built similarly to the standard EVOC Bike Travel Bag, but with some careful thought put into its design, enabling it to be loaded up with fat and plus bikes. It starts construction with 600D tarpaulin that holds up to abrasion and abuse from airports and grumpy TSA agents, and features strategic padding and support to ensure your ride stays safe from point A to B and beyond.
The inside of the bag features a padded zone for securing your handlebars and fork for travel, and a raised block in back to lift your bottom bracket off of the base for a more supported and secure fit. There are assorted straps to hold your frame in place, preventing jarring bumps and drops from causing parts to bounce around. Externally, you’ll find two large, padded compartments for storing your wheels. Once zipped up, these pockets sit inwards, helping keep your bike snug inside. If you’re a little wary about traveling without the maximum padding possible, you can combine the bag with EVOC’s Frame Pad 2.0 for a second layer of protection against harsh baggage tosses and cramped cargo spaces. The bag is equipped with an assortment of handles for easy carrying in nearly any way imaginable, plus two wheels that make transport through busy airports a breeze.
Traveling around the world with your bike has its benefits, but finding space for a bike box in your hotel room isn’t one of them, so designers at EVOC made the Bike Travel Bag XL collapsible. When you’ve unloaded the bag, you can fold it down to stash in your closet or under your bed to keep it out of the way, maximizing your space for bedside yoga, handstand contests, or whatever other ideas your jet-lagged self might entertain.
- A lofty bag for traveling with your fat or plus bike
- Huge internal space fits most plus and fat tired bikes
- Separate wheel compartments protect rims and rotors
- Carry it any way you like with assorted handles
- 2 wheels make for easy rolling through airports
- Folds down to a small enough size to stow out of the way in a closet
Price: $580
Website: EVOCusa.com
DAKINE
BIKE ROLLER BAG
Getting your bike to its destination safely, this sturdy bag is ready to roll through airports and train stations alike, with ample space for downhill, trail, 29ers, or road bikes. It comes equipped with internal padded bags for protecting your wheels, fork, and rear triangle, and extra-heavy-duty external padding shields your bike from blows during travel.
- Burly bike bag for traveling safely with your steed
- Accommodates DH, MTB, and road bikes
- Internal pads protect your wheels, fork, and rear triangle
- Heavy-duty external pads shield your frame from abuse
- Bag rolls up to pack away in the closet in your hotel room
- Tough urethane wheels make rolling through airports a breeze
Price: $420
Website: Dakine.com