Bike bags for travel

OruCase Airport Ninja $399

If you hate shelling out airline bike fees, this is the case for you. Be warned, though – there’s work on your end to pack and unpack your bike with the Airport Ninja. To avoid airline fees the extra packing and unpacking time might be worth it. Made with 1680-denier ballistic nylon, the case is plenty tough, offers lots of protection and, at 12 pounds, is lighter than most bags. With the Airport Ninja you not only have to take off your wheels, seat post, pedals and rear derailleur, you also have to take off the front brake and fork. Everything fits into handy compartments, though, and once you’ve got it all packed, you can throw the Airport Ninja on your back and head to the check-in line.

Biknd Helium V4 $700 ($900 for P5X Version)

Based in Chicoutimi, Que., Biknd has slowly become one of the top-end bike case manufacturers in the world. Cervelo picked the company to design the unique case that is used for the P5X. And for a good reason – when you pack your bike in a Biknd Bag, you can be confident it will get to its destination in one piece. Weighing 9kg, you get lots of protection in a bag that you won’t see hitting the weight limits the next time you check in. Packing your bike in the Helium V4 is a breeze thanks to the generous zippers around the bag that allow the case to open up completely. That said, there’s still some work to be done on your end – wheels, your helmet, pedals, handlebars and seat post will have to come off to get the bike into the bag. There’s room for an extra set of wheels, your helmet, shoes and other essentials. Once you’re all done packing the bike, you fill up specially designed air panels to provide more protection. There are four swivel wheels so that you can negotiate your way around an airport or hotel with ease, and it’s relatively compact, so you shouldn’t struggle to get it into the back of your rental car once you arrive.

SciCon Aerocomfort Triathlon 3.0 TSA Bike Travel Bag $949

There’s a reason you see more of these bags in airports and at races these days. Triathletes hate packing and unpacking their bikes, and the SciCon allows you to get to your destination with the minimum amount of packing and unpacking. Packing the SciCon is a dream – you remove your wheels and clamp the bike into the frame. Because you don’t have to touch your handlebars, you don’t have to worry about doing anything to your electronic shifting. The two sets of wheels allow you to negotiate your way through the airport and, once you’re at your destination, you’ll be ready to go in just a few minutes. Those with larger frames you might find you have to do some adjustments to get their bikes into the SciCon Aerocomfort bag, so it’s worth checking that out with your bike shop before you invest.

Pro Bike Travel Bag Case Mega $780

Thanks to a sturdy alloy frame, the Pro Bike Travel Case allows you to dial in a precise fit for your bike, ensuring you’ll pack it with the confidence that it will get to your destination in one piece. Specially designed pouches wrap around the various components of the bike to provide excellent protection. Concerning the ease of packing, this case is almost as easy as it gets – you can get away with only taking off the wheels, pushing your seat post down and twisting your bars. You then clamp the fork and rear stays into the frame, and you’re almost done. There are two outer zipped pockets for your wheels, and you can easily fit another set inside the case too. There’s lots of room for a couple of sets of wheels and all your equipment: pump, helmet, shoes and more. Moving this case around is a breeze thanks to the four wheels that roll easy.