Suitcase size options

[R]

Hello, fellow Bike Friday owners. I “know” many of you from the RBW and I-Bob forums.  Last year I purchased a used 54 cm ETT pocket rocket.  I’ll be doing a write up shortly to introduce myself and my Pocket Rocket.  

I plan to do more airline travel, mostly on frontier airlines.  They have they do have special pricing for bicycles at $75 each way.  Still if I could get my bike in a standard size and under 40 pound suitcase, I can check the bag and it will cost me nothing, as I’m a “member.”

Before I waste too much time searching and buying the wrong size suitcase (I did do a search on the forum) does anybody think that there’s a suitcase that would be small enough that I can get my bike into so I don’t have to pay the fees?  Or would it just be trial and error buy a bag that is less than 62 inches and put my bike in there and see if I can get it to fit?

I did see some discussions about packing the bike in cardboard, but I’m really looking to put it into a suitcase. 

Thank you so much  

Roberta

Philadelphia

Frontier airline restrictions 

Checked bags must not exceed 62 linear inches (length + width + depth) and must weigh 40 lbs or less. 

Oversize or overweight bags may incur additional fees:

• 41–50 lbs: +$75

• 51–100 lbs: +$100

• Over 100 lbs: Not accepted

• 63–110 linear inches: +$75

[R]

Well I hit the send button before I was finished editing

Here’s a picture of my pocket rocket with new  1 3/8 inch maxxis tires (highly recommended better than the skinnier original tires. Thanks John for the suggestion) and Milano handlebar.  I think everything else is more or less standard.

Roberta 

Philadelphia 

[F6515]

Here's what I got for my New World Tourist

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005SLEEFI?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

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From: rcha...@gmail.com Sent: December 16, 2025 7:25 PM To: y...@bikefriday.com Subject: [yak] Suitcase size options

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[Ray Chong]

That's the one that Bike Friday sells (or did, I have not gotten one recently). F'lite 31 (inches), also known as the Aeris Comfort 82 (cm). I like it a lot. It is sturdy and relatively easy to roll. One thing you'll want to make sure to have is a center support to prevent the case from squishing in when under load (the walls are somewhat flexible). That's the thing with the metal disk in this pic. BF includes one in their travel case kit but you should be able to kluge one from parts at your local hardware store.

-Ray

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[R]

Thanks.  I did see that one during my research, but Frontier airlines is VERY strict and includes the wheels and handles.  F'Lite's overall dimension is 32.67" x 23.48" x 13.77", or 69.92" linear inches, which is oversized.

I might need to buy the travel kit from BF, but would love a slightly smaller overall dimensioned case, if possible.

Roberta

Philadelphia

[F6515]

I think your model might be smaller than mine. On my last trip last month, Alaska let me slide on the way out but dinged me the 100 dollars on the way home for overweight.  It is the suitcase BF recommended. I did get the travel kit. A bit pricey but convenient with labeled felt bags and plastic protectors and the crush protector. Although i had to reinforce the protectors flanges with wraps of gorilla tape 

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From: rcha...@gmail.com Sent: December 17, 2025 6:24 AM To: y...@bikefriday.com Cc: fjk...@gmail.com; rcha...@gmail.com Subject: Re: [yak] Suitcase size options

[Scott McMahon]

Hi Roberta,

Fear not.  There are suitcases for your situation.  

My wife and I have pocket Rocket pros.  We've flown with them many times, but not with Frontier.  We purchased our bikes with travel cases in the late 90's or early 00's.  At that time BF was providing Carleton brand suitcases, and I think they would probably comply with Frontier's specs.  They are kind of barebones plastic clamshell affairs that come in a variety of colors (ours are yellow).  I measured mine the other day and it was 29" High X 23" Wide X 10" Deep, (exterior dimensions, including wheels.) 

The suitcase has two wheels and you drag it around the airport in the upright position while holding the towing handle up off the ground on one end (and bearing half of the weight) while the wheels, on the other end follow.  A much less pleasant experience, unfortunately, than you would have with a 4 wheeler that can stand up on it's own, bear all it's own weight on the wheels and be pushed in any direction, but it's workable.  

The bikes fit inside nicely, although we can't just throw them in any old way, I had to play around a bit until I figured it out, and when I did, I took photos to get it right thereafter.  (I'll attach a couple of my photos to this post.)  We have drop bars and always bring rear racks and panniers.  Looks like you have flat bars and no rack, so packing might be a little less fussy for you.  In any case, I wouldn't worry about getting your bike in a suticase of this size.  The bike was, literally, made for it.

Your bigger problem may be the weight limit.  Most airlines allow 50 lb suitcases, some 44 (20 kg).  Frontier is unique in my experience in limiting you to 40.  Our Carletons weight 11.4 lbs empty.  You can weigh your bike and do the math.  Your bike should be under 28.6 lbs, but you won't be able to put much else in the suitcase with your bike, (like bike shoes or bags or what have you.)

I've been looking for more luxurious travel cases (bigger, 4-wheeled) for us to use and have found that there is a surprisingly good selection of used suitcases on Craig's List, so I'd suggest looking there.  If I find what I'm looking for, I'll be sure to put our old cases up for sale, (and try to remember to avoid flying Frontier after that).

The attached photos show my bike packed in with rear rack (unattached to bike) and aero bars.  Sorry I don't have photos of the cases on their own.  Maybe when I get home, (we're away on a Christmas trip and won't be back till new year), I'll get a photo of the outside of the case for you.

Scott McMahon

[Scott McMahon]

Hi again Roberta,

FYI,  I don't usually bother with a lot of the padding that came with the bikes and haven't gotten a lot of scratches.  I have the crush protectors, and use them, although not shown in the photos attached to my last post.  If you don't have them you can use a piece of cardboard, about 10" wide (or whatever matches your suitcase's internal width) and roll it up into a cylinder about 1.5-2" diameter, then run a layer of tape around it to hold it together and prop it up through the spokes and frame to keep the sides of the suitcase from collapsing in the middle (in case a baggage handler sits on it.)  I also usually roll up a similar cardboard cylinder to put between the frame and the suitcase under my front derailleur (see photos for what the derailleur looks like when packed.)  This keeps the derailleur from banging up against the side of the suitcase in transit.  (In the photos, I didn't have the cardboard cylinder there, yet.)

Also, I notice that I have removed the cranks and the rear derailleur on my bike for packing.  Something I've been doing for a long time now.  I find those parts are easy to disassemble and reassemble with minimal tools, and it makes packing much easier and protects those parts from damage, but you shouldn't have to do that to get your bike into the suitcase.  For me, it's as easy to remove the cranks as to remove the pedals, (and if you take off the cranks you no longer have to unscrew the pedals,) but without cranks it packs flatter and the chainrings can't get bent.  Note: I have the kind of cranks that are "self-removing." so a slightly longer than normal 6 mm hex wrench is all I need to bring for the job.  I do use some of the padded pockets the came with the bike to protect the cranks and derailleur from the frame and vice versa.

Also FYI, if you're wondering what that electronic board in my spokes is, it's a set of strobing lights from "Monkeylectric"  that forms light patterns (like flashing hearts) in the wheel, as it spins.

Scott

[John Thurston]

What are the exact Frontier limiting-dimensions?

On 12/17/2025 5:24 AM, R wrote:

F'Lite's overall dimension is 32.67" x 23.48" x 13.77", or 69.92" linear inches, which is oversized.

-- 
John Thurston
Juneau, Alaska

[John Thurston]

Before the Carlton case, Bike Friday used a Samsonite 'Oyster' . When I measure that old case 'box style' (building a virtual box around it, so the faces of the box touch the extreme edges like the wheels and the top of the handle), I get 29x23x10 inches. Summing those, I get 62 inches which meets the limit mentioned at the bottom of your first email. If I were to measure it using a flexible girth-tape along its actual surfaces, it would come in less than 62 inches.

As the ancient Samsonite comes in at 62 inches, I'm not even going to bother pulling the newer/larger Carlton down off the shelf to see what it measures.

I expect your 54cm bike can be made to fit into the ancient Samsonite. But 

1. can you find one?
2. do you want to do the disassembly required to make it fit?

I recently scored an almost-new Samsonite at a local thrift-shop, and bought it as a backup to my 90's vintage case. My sister recently found two more, in good condition, at a thrift-shop. So they are out there, but you must hunt for them.

The 'case spreader' or 'crush protector' is an important piece. It is made from a bit of electrical conduit and two flanges at either end. It looks like a light weight dumbbell. It needs to be made to fit your particular case. You assemble it by dropping one flange loose in the bottom of the case, putting the folded bike on top, and then inserting the other bit down through the bike to mate with the flange you dropped in. The bit of conduit is threaded into the upper flange, and is sanded down to taper-fit into the bottom flange.

My case (original from about '97) is pictured here. My bike is inside, with the tools I want to re-assemble it. This is just as it came off the airplane a couple of months ago. On my digital bathroom scale, it measures a repeatable 40.0 lbs. An annotated picture from a few years ago is available on flickr.

Fitting my bike in is a challenge. I can get the 50mm tires in, but it is tight. Packing 44mm tires is a lot easier. I have un-cut 420mm bars and they just fit. I could not go wider or deeper. When I had cut bars (separable at the center), the packing was easier. I have a 50t chainring, and the crank must be removed for the suitcase (more on that later). When I used a 42t, packing was a lot easier. After arriving once with a bent chain, I now remove the chain when packing for my outbound-journey*. After arriving once with a bent derailleur hanger, I now demount the derailleur for my outbound-journey.

I have fitted one-key release bolts to my crank so I don't need to carry a crank extractor. I have trimmed the end of my seatpost and it packs MUCH better. 

My old Llama is a 'right swing' (i.e. the rear wheel swings to the right of the fork during folding). Your newer rocket is probably a 'left swing'. This will protect the derailleur much better, but means the photos of my old bike in the case of of less value.

* When returning home, I may leave these in place as I can easily correct any shipping damage when I'm in my garage.

-- 
John Thurston
Juneau, Alaska

[John Thurston]

oops. I found them 'after the sig' in the original message

"Checked bags must not exceed 62 linear inches (length + width + depth)"

[John Thurston]

And if you are going to travel with it, quick release pedals are nice to have!

This isn't just for fitting into the suitcase. Quick release pedals also make it easier to fit the un-folded bike into a vehicle, or hotel room. It makes it easier to walk alongside while pushing the bike. It also makes it easy to switch among flat/spd/toke-lip pedals.

There are lots of removable pedals out there. In my experience, NONE of the brands play nicely with others. So if you start with quick-release from company A, you are stuck with them. I chose the MKS product, and have them on almost all of my bikes (including the non-folding bikes).

-- 
John Thurston
Juneau, Alaska

[R]

So much great information here!  I'll be pouring over it later tonight.  I'm hopeful this will be possible.  I'll be shopping at CL, "Home Goods" and Thrift stores for a potential case.  CL has been awful lately for selling items, but perhaps that will work in my favor for buying a suitcase.  THANK YOU for instructions on how to make the crush protector.  That item seems like a "must have."

I put MKS foldable pedals on bike to make it easier to deal with car and BF "bag" travel. But, it's nice to see other options if they are still too wide.   I'll have to weigh the bike, but I've tried to keep it as light as possible.  I don't even have a kickstand.  

Roberta

Philadelphia

[Rob MacLeod]

Hi Folks,

I have a case like John’s for my original 1995 PRP but I always found it tippy and clumsy to pull around, especially compared to my 31” contemporary Samsonite case with 4 wheels.  I also had the Carleton for a while and have one of the original Samsonites with two wheels at the corners of the long edge.  We had two but the other one broke at the retractable handle connection and Delta Airlines was kind enough to replace it!  I have never paid to travel with the newest one, which is like the one Ray posted—another advantage of traveling with Delta. 

Best,

Rob

Rob MacLeod, PhD
Salt Lake City, UT 84108
rsma...@gmail.com

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[Squire Black]

I have a friend in Portland who still has two of the Old style Carlton cases, complete with packing materials.  Photo attached.

Regular readers  may recall that I tried to help her sell her tandem here a while back.  We couldn't find a buyer, so ended up donating the Tandem to the Washington School for the Blind.  But she still has the two suitcases, with almost pristine packing materials, in her basement.  Let me know if you are interested, and I'll put you in touch.

As others have said, the wight will be the problem, not the size.  I have the newer Samsonites, which do measure a bit over 62", but this has never been a problem, and my wife and I have been flying with them for 19 years.   I don't think that you will have trouble getting the frames and wheels into the old case; it's fitting all the bits and bobs that's the problem.  I always hit 50 lbs before the case is full.  Small, heavy stuff, like pedals, spare tubes, Cycle computer, go in my carry-on.  Larger, lighter things (sunscreen spray, case for riding glasses, one empty water bottle), go in the bike box.  You will need a scale and a day to experiment.  Things like quick-release pedals sound like a good idea, but they add weight, and will all of the other disassembly that one has to do, save very little time.  (I have a couple of pairs, but don't use them for travel.)

Another alternative to consider is the Orucase Airport Ninja.  This is a soft case designed to take a normal diamond-frame bike.  The frame (fork removed) goes in the middle, one wheel on either side, and the fork around the edge.  It's a bit bigger than 62" linear, but because it's curved, no one seems to notice.  I can wear it like a back-pack, and it's a lot easier getting through an airport than a full-sized hard case, although not as easy as a Bike Friday in a Samsonite.  It will be significantly lighter, I think.  I've never tried to use mine for a Bike Friday, but I don't see why it wouldn't work, and because the Bike Friday frame folds, there would be no need to remove the fork.  (There are plenty of references to the Aiport Ninja on the Orucase website, but it doesn't seem possible to buy one there now.  They were in any case insanely expensive; I bought mine on eBay.)   Bike Friday used to sell a soft-sided case too, but that was really designed for putting your bike into a car, quick-folded, since the bag lacked any padding.

In the end, you have to decide what you are trying to optimize.  Racing?  Going to a vintage bike show?  The Riding experience?  The Touring experience?  Saving money on airline fees?  Convenience through the airport?   Saving money on equipment?   Simplicity when adding a day's biking to a business trip that you were already taking?   I'm sure that there aer more possibilities.  Because different people will try to maximize different variables on different trips, there are a whole slew of options out there:  renting a bike at your destination, flying with a Brompton or Tikit, Bike Friday in a case, "normal" bike broken down with S+S couplers or Ritchey Breakaway fittings,  normal bike Rinko'd in a Ninja-style case,  or mostly still assembled bike in a full-sized case with wheels.   I've done most of these at one time or another, to meet different needs

Andrew

[John Thurston]

On 12/18/2025 7:03 PM, Squire Black wrote:
> Things like quick-release pedals sound like a good idea, but they add
> weight, and will all of the other disassembly that one has to do, save
> very little time.

For the weight conscious, the MKS coupler adds 30g per pedal. (Measured
on my kitchen scale by comparing the quick-release and threaded version
of the same model MKS pedal.)

[John Thurston]

On 12/19/2025 7:44 AM, Roberta wrote:
> For right now, I'm looking to take the bike on trips to visit family so
> I can have afternoon diversions.   A free to fly bike is more likely to
> come with me.

If your frequent destinations are few, consider stashing a lock at each.
It won't take too many 'oops, your suitcase is overweight. $100 please'
events to justify a few extra locks.

[F6515]

On my first flight with my Friday, he said you are slightly over and is there anything you can remove. I opened and took out my not so light SPD pedals,stuffed them in my fleece pockets and flew that way. On the way back, i left them in the case and waited. No problem i was slightly under. I asked about scale calibration and he said about every three months. One outfit does all the airline scales. So pushing for precision might not be the solution. Just don't push the envelope too much.

This last time i purchased some gifts. I moved clothes to the BF siutcase and paid the penalty for four pounds.

I was not going to go nuts trying to balance everything out. No worth the stress

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  Original Message  

From: y...@thurstons.us
Sent: December 19, 2025 9:48 AM
To: y...@bikefriday.com
Subject: Re: [yak] Suitcase size options

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[Roberta]

ANDREW (abp...@ownmail.net) ---can you please DM me with contact information about your friend's suitcase with the packing materials?  I am interested!!!   Even if my needs/wants change in the future, I have a starting point for 2025.   I'm not able to "reply to author," DM, or see anyone's email addresses, probably because I haven't posted enough on this forum.    

For right now, I'm looking to take the bike on trips to visit family so I can have afternoon diversions.   A free to fly bike is more likely to come with me.   

One thing I hadn't considered is the weight of the Ulocks--they can be heavy.  Still, since I'm a member with Frontier, I can take two bags so might put a lock in my clothes bags.  

Frontier goes non stop to family and I can go round trip from east coast to west coast for $125, or NE to SE for $50, if I'm careful about flight selection, so I put up with them and pack small.  They get you with the bags and seating.  One time the underseat bag that I'd been using for 15 years was too small by 1/4" (the bottom of the wheel didn't fit into the sizer) and they charged me $99.  This is the bag I bought to replace my original: https://takeoffluggage.com/products/personal-item-suitcase-3-0-green-tab 

Someone emailed me about a Facebook page for Bike Fridays and a discussion on this topic there about 9 months ago.  Thank you and I'll check that out too.

Roberta

Philadelphia

[Andrew L]

We always seem to be taking our bags right to the weight limit when we fly. We've had great results with this scale, and it has helped us get to the check-in counter with bags that *just* meet the limit, every time. (Get the version with the strap (aka "tape"), not the hook.) It's small and light enough that we take it with us, so we can tune the packing of our US purchases for the trip home too.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005009887558007.html

I have a big, heavy (over 20# empty!), waterproof Pelican Case (I think it's the model 1650) for my Air Glide, so I'm always having to put a few heavy components in my other luggage...but the bike sure is well protected! :-)

Cheers,

Andrew in Sydney

Bike Friday Air Glide

[Andrew L]

We always seem to be right up against the luggage weight limits when we travel and have found this luggage scale to be indispensable in helping us get to the luggage counter with bags that *just* meet the limits. It's small and light enough that we take it with us, so we're able to get all our US purchases balanced between our bags before the trip home.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005009887558007.html  (get the strap (aka "tape") version; not the hook version)

I have a waterproof, heavy (over 20#, empty!), Pelican Case (I think it's the 1650 model) for my Air Glide, so I'm always having to put a few heavier components in other luggage to meet the 50# airline limit...but the bike sure is well protected! :-)

Cheers,

Andrew in Sydney
Bike Friday Air Glide

On Saturday, December 20, 2025 at 8:03:33 AM UTC+11 Roberta wrote: