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Hi All
For years i've travelled to and from USA for the last 20 years with a very basic Bike bag - no skateboard wheels but quite nice thick padded side walls,and lite weight - with no damage to my bikes (Vintage pic of bag...)
Recently I with what with hindsight made a mistake and bought a Evoc Bike bag as an upgrade to it , and found the the only really plus for the bag was the wheels for pulling it around airport , other than that its really heavy and make its very difficult if not impossible to get bike bag to 23KG in weight without putting various bike bit in another suitcase, and doesn't really pack down that well for when you are travelling around , and as i found on my last trip is not very resistant to punctures through side walls i.e.
Even though i had pipe lagging round fork stanchions whatever went through the side of the bag went though that and then gouged a deep hole in my fork stanchion
So its a Thumbs down from me for a Evoc bike Bag
But surprisingly its a Thumbs up For British Airways customer support , i didn't spot the relatively small hole in my bike bag at the airport, and it was only when i got home and unpacked the bike that i spotted the damage to fork. I submitted a claim on their on line portal for damage to bike bag and for forks, they came back to me asking for quote to repair or replace the forks. I manged to find some fox 36 factory at almost half price same fit 2 as i had and sent them the details - and within a few weeks they sent me the money for them !!!!
I'll be using my old bike bag from now on - although i am looking at getting some 40mmm plumbing pipe, and using it to go round stanchions in addition to pipe lagging.
Not really sure the Evoc bag is at fault there, whatever did that damage would surely have done the same in your old bag? The Evoc bag is definitely a compromise (between the ultimate protection of a hard shell box and the low weight of a cardboard box/thin bag), I went with it as I didn't want the added bulk and weight of a hard shell and it's served me well for several trips.
If I was buying again I'd probably go hard shell just for added piece of mind, I really don't understand why you'd go back to your old bag in your situation though.
Not really sure the Evoc bag is at fault there, whatever did that damage would surely have done the same in your old bag?
+1 - I think you've just been unlucky there.
As a counterpoint I've done 30+ flights with a first gen Evoc bag, mainly with a delicate road bike, and had no issues whatsoever.
Still, props to BA! Glad you got this resolved.
One one of my trips the bike didn't turn up (probably Heathrow). I was standing at the lost luggage desk starting a report when two aircrew turned up dragging it. They'd been coming back from the plane and found it lying on the route back to the terminal.
I'm confused by your comments of struggle to get the evoc bag under 23kg. I could have sworn that bike/sports equipment carriage had a higher limit. Regardless we've always shoved plenty of extra in with our bikes, not had to carry parts of the bike in a different bag. Maybe it's a BA thing, we've only flown with cheapy/charter flight companies
Bags aside, that's a lovely Ellsworth Epiphany. Had a Truth back in the day....must be getting on for 20 years ago, blimey!
So its a Thumbs down from me for a Evoc bike Bag
Since you say you are switching back to the old bag I would suggest experimenting with what exactly is needed to punch through the new one.
As per others that looks like a serious effort from something and most bags would have failed.
I'm confused by your comments of struggle to get the evoc bag under 23kg
Maybe I'm misunderstanding baggage rules, but I work on the assumption that if I book a flight with a checked baggage limit of 23kg, then I don't get "extra" because I've chosen to take a bike/bike bag as my luggage...
And I guess in reality it depends on the specific check-in agent for your specific flight as most airlines rules are (deliberately?) ambiguous
Having said that, my recent flight with Evoc Bike Bag plus my gravel bike plus some tools was 25kg and the check in agent didn't complain....
I'm confused by your comments of struggle to get the evoc bag under 23kg
Maybe I'm misunderstanding baggage rules, but I work on the assumption that if I book a flight with a checked baggage limit of 23kg, then I don't get "extra" because I've chosen to take a bike/bike bag as my luggage...
And I guess in reality it depends on the specific check-in agent for your specific flight as most airlines rules are (deliberately?) ambiguous
Having said that, my recent flight with Evoc Bike Bag plus my gravel bike plus some tools was 25kg and the check in agent didn't complain....
When you book a bike on a flight it usually has its own specific weight limit, usually 32kg,but some airline do set them lower.
Just checked and ba do appear to have a 23kg limit for bikes unless you pay the overweight luggage charge of 65quid and then you get 32kg, most of the cheap short haul airline have 32kg limit, but you have to pay for it specifically anyway.
It's been a while.. but from memory I think on BA you can use one of your included 23KG baggage allowance for a bike rather than paying extra for a specific bike / sports bag (but it has to be under the lower weight limit).
I'm with the other posters as well here. Exactly what miracle material are you expecting this theoretical sub 8kg bag to be made from that stops sharp spikes which pass through x layers of bag, pipe lagging and still manage to gouge a chunk like that out of a hardened suspension fork?
BA are good, but a funny one when it comes to bike pricing. Last time it worked out cheaper to go business class as that bumps up the luggage allowance.
As others have said, I think you were unlucky. I just Evic bike bags without too much bother. I'd love a Buxum bike box but I couldn't get my enduro bike in one of those and keep it under 32kg
Ah. I'd never thought of carrying the bike as just an extra normal bag, I'd assumed it always had to be added as a specific "I'm taking a bike" item. Micheal O'Leary and stelios have me trained well 😂
Cos unless you live in West London and use London’s flag carrier it’s usually Mike and Stellios taking you to the fun places