Written by Damian Hancock, co-founder of A’qto Cycling. Since 2015, Damian has led small-group cycling tours across Italy. He shares his experience and recommendations from over 10 years of riding with guests who bring their own bikes from Australia and around the world.
For guests travelling on their first overseas cycling holiday, a common question is: what’s the best bike travel case?
It’s a good question, and one worth getting right. After more than 10 years of running cycling tours in Italy, I’ve seen what happens when riders arrive with the wrong case, and I’ve had plenty of experience with my own. In this post, I’ll share what I’ve learned, what I personally use, and my recommendations on the best bike travel cases for travelling to Italy with your bike.
What to consider when buying a bike travel case
Before I get into the specific cases I recommend, it’s worth knowing what to weigh up when you’re making the decision to purchase a new bike travel case. Everyone’s situation is a little different, and the right case for one rider won’t necessarily be the right one for another.
- Protection: For me, this is the most important priority. The case needs to absorb what airports and airlines throw at it so your bike doesn’t have to.
- Ease of movement: Once you’re at the airport, you’ll be glad the case has solid wheels and a handle that works. If you’re travelling through Italy by train, or navigating cobbled streets this matters more than people expect.
- Weight: Your bike travel case weight counts towards your airline baggage allowance. Some cases are heavier than others, so it’s worth comparing before you buy.
- Price: A good bike travel case is an investment. So it’s worth thinking about how often you’ll use it. That said, a case that is a little bit pricier and saves your bike on one trip has already paid for itself.
Hard case or soft Case?
I’ll start with what I think is the most important decision you’ll make: hard case or soft case?
My recommendation is always a hard case.
I know some riders prefer soft cases for the convenience. Soft cases are often cheaper, lighter and they often fold down for storage.
But hard cases offer far superior protection – they prevent crushing and protect your bike from heavy impact during transport.
Hard cases can also be easier to move around, particularly over cobblestones or on trains, which you’ll inevitably encounter while travelling through Italy.
The way I think about it, is that the pain of arriving with a damaged bike will last far longer than any inconvenience of managing a slightly heavier hard case through an airport.
What we’ve seen go wrong with soft cases
Over the years, we’ve had guests arrive on tour having transported their bike in a soft case and found bent disc brake rotors and bent derailleur hangers. Both of these issues can be genuinely difficult to resolve quickly when you’re in a rural part of Italy, and the tour is about to begin.
With disc brake rotors, there are times you can carefully bend them back into alignment, but it doesn’t take much for things to remain slightly off. Even a small misalignment means a squeak or rub with every rotation, which is not only distracting for the rider, but also breaks the peace for everyone else in the group!
Derailleur hangers are a different challenge. There is no universal standard, so the size varies between bike brands. This means finding a replacement on the road (especially in rural parts of Italy) can be very difficult.
This added stress is not how anyone wants to start their cycling holiday! For this reason, I always advise guests to travel with a spare derailleur hanger that fits their specific bike. It’s a small, light item that takes up no space, and if you ever need it, you’ll be incredibly glad you have it. It’s also again why I would recommend the hard case – both of these issues are far less likely with a well-fitted hard case.
My Top Bike Case Recommendations
The Scicon Aerotech (what I personally use)
I use the Scicon Aerotech personally, and it’s still going strong after 10 years of use.
It’s needed a few repairs along the way – in the first three trips returning home, a different wheel socket needed to be repaired and reinforced with extra fibreglass each time. But the bike was absolutely fine every single time because the case had done its job and the repair cost was covered by the airline.
A few things I love about this case:
- It’s well-built and durable (great protection)
- Accommodates road bikes well and is easy to pack
- Wheels make it easy to move through airports
- It easily available for purchase.
Some considerations
- It is on the pricier side and retails for around $1,100 AUD, depending on the deals.
For riders who want a case they can rely on year after year of international travel, this is the one I’d point you to. Given I’ve been able to use mine for over 10 years, I’d say it’s definitely worth the investment.
Bike Box Alan (what I will purchase next)
The other case I regularly recommend is the Bike Box Alan. It’s a popular choice among serious travelling cyclists.
A few things that stand out about this case:
- It has a strong reputation for durability and protection.
- Good internal fittings that protect the bike during transit.
Some considerations:
- Some cyclists share that its larger size and weight can make it trickier to maneuver.
For Australian guests looking to purchase, buying direct is the only option. You can order through bikeboxalan.com.
Other hard bike cases worth knowing about
While the Scicon Aerotech and Bike Box Alan are my top recommendations, there are a few other hard cases that are well regarded in the cycling community and worth considering.
- Topeak Pakgo: This range offers good protection and rolls on four wheels, which makes it much easier to move around the airport.
- Thule RoundTrip Hard Case: This is another well-regarded hard case option. Sturdy, with good internal protection and a reasonable weight for a hard case. Some community members do share that it requires a bit more work disassembling the bike and can be quite heavy.
- B&W Bike Guard Curv. This is one of the lightest hard cases on the market. It offers good protection and four wheels. It is on the pricier side at around $1,299 AUD.
As with any case, I’d encourage you to check the internal dimensions against your specific bike before purchasing, particularly if you ride with a larger frame or non-standard components.
Ready to start planning your cycling holiday?
If you have any questions about travelling with your bike, we’re always happy to help. Feel free to send us a WhatsApp message.
If you haven’t yet booked your cycling tour, we offer a range of cycling tours across Italy. You can view all of our upcoming Italian cycling tours here.
Note: All recommendations in this post are personal and based on first-hand experience. A’qto is not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned. We recommend you also do your own research to find the best product suited to your individual needs.
