Its not exactly a carrying case, but is there anything you could make that would strap onto your back or something? Just a quick thought.
-ParadoX
In Kris Holm’s Into the Thunder Dragon (or maybe Unizaba), he and Nathan Hoover strap unicycles to their backpack. I’m not sure, but I think that they used those backpacks that can carry snowboards/skateboards.
I’d like to hear about any hard-shell cases that would fit a uni for transport on a plane. I have a full sized hybrid bike that has S & S couplings and it fits in a bag that’s within the legal size restrictions on all airlines. Is there such a thing for a uni? I can’t imagine that it would be possible for a Coker…I have to flatten my bike tires to get it into the case that I have. Still, I think it would be even more fun to travel with a uni than a bike.
I have used a hard shell wheel case by Tri All 3 Sports. It’s a case designed to hold two road or MTB wheels. It is sized to fit within the maximum size limits for airline luggage. I think it’s 26.5" x 26.5" x 10". It’s right at the max size for standard luggage which is something like 63 or 64 linear inches (L+W+H). I have to deflate the tire on my muni to get it to fit in the case. It will fit a 24x3 or a 26x3 muni.
The case I have is a Tri All 3 Sports Clam Shell Wheel Safe.
It’s made by TriAll3Sports.com but that web site isn’t working now. That might be just a temporary problem or the company may be out of business or changed names. I don’t know.
The case works, but it’s overkill for traveling with a uni. The case by itself weighs almost 15 pounds empty. Pack a muni in there along with a few tools and you very quickly get up to about 50 pounds. It’s very easy to pack more than 50 pounds in that case. 50 pounds is the new max weight to avoid the overweight charge. I’ve packed two unicycles in the case (a muni and a trials) but that takes some careful packing so that you don’t end up damaging the unicycles (breaking spokes) because you have to weave the cranks through the spokes of the other uni.
The airlines have never attempted to charge me extra when traveling with that case. I do weigh the case at home to make sure it isn’t over the 50 pound limit. A couple of times I’ve hit it right at 49 pounds. The check in clerks never failed to notice that I was cutting it close. Get it over 50 pounds and you’ll be paying the overweight fee.
The case does not have wheels. It’s big and inconvenient to carry though the airport. I use either a collapsible roller carrier or I rent a roller carrier at the airport.
I’ve had my case for about 4 years now. The handle has broken (and needs to be fixed) and the bottom has started to crack. Both problems can be repaired. But the case will take a beating after about a dozen flights.
I don’t know if the hard shell case is the best way to go. The fact that it is a big hard shell case might give the baggage handlers the idea that they can throw it around. An oddly shaped soft case might get better treatment.
I have mentioned the wheel case before. A forum search on “tri all 3 sports” will find a couple of threads where it’s mentioned.
The current issue of On One Wheel (Volume 28, Number 1) has an article by John Foss about how to pack unicycles for airline travel.
- For anything smaller than a Coker, a really big duffle bag will do just fine. Cheap too! One with wheels is best, but not required.
- There are plenty of threads on this forum about traveling with a unicycle. Remember to tell the baggage attendants you have “performance equipment” in the bag. You don’t want them to think you have a bike or half a bike in the bag. John Foss’s article in “On One Wheel” is great.
- For a Coker you may have to custom-make something out of tough reinforced canvas. Check airline size regulations.
-Reid
Ah, the Tri All 3 Sports web site is back up now.
The advantage with the hard shell case is that you don’t have to worry about your unicycle getting crushed by other baggage. With a cardboard box or a soft style luggage there is the possibility of unicycle getting crushed if other luggage is stacked on top or if other heavier luggage falls on it. Possible damage could be broken spokes or a dented/bent frame. I think John Hooten had a KH muni frame damaged (dented) when it was packed in a soft duffel bag or Roach bag.
Re: Unicycle Carrying Case?
Nathan and Kris used snowboard packs by Arcteryx during their expeditions in Unizaba and other trips. Do a forum search on “arcteryx” to find threads where Nathan and Kris describe the backpacks.
I’m sure that almost any quality snowboarding backpack would work well for strapping a unicycle on the back. Arcteryx packs tend to be expensive. There are other brands that are less expensive.
At the low end you could get a simple knapsack designed to carry a skateboard. Similar in style to the snowboard backpacks, but not as sturdy or outdoorsy.
Re: Unicycle Carrying Case?
“john_childs” <john_childs@NoEmail.Message.Poster.at.Unicyclist.com> writes:
> I think John Hooten had a KH muni frame damaged (dented) when it
> was packed in a soft duffel bag or Roach bag.
Yikes! I managed to put a minor dent in my KH frame, but I had to
run over it with a van. What was the airling doing???
Ken
Re: Re: Unicycle Carrying Case?
All it would take is a heavy 50 pound or 70 pound hard shell suitcase to fall on your unicycle. This could happen during flight when the plane experiences turbulence. This could happen at the airport if one of the little baggage trucks looses a load as it’s driving up to the plane (I’ve seen it happen). There is lots of ways that it could happen.
I think the biggest risk to the unicycle is having a heavy hard shell suitcase falling on your unicycle during flight or during the loading and unloading of baggage.
In John Hooten’s case the frame required some major frame repair to get it usable again. Fortunately the KH frames are steel and it is possible to repair such damage. If it was an aluminum frame the frame would have been toast.
Re: Re: Unicycle Carrying Case?
another low-end option would be to get hold of an old back pack, the kind that had the external frame and use that, sans bag
u’ll just have to get some straps to strap the uni onto the frame
I’ve tried that and it does work, but it would probably need a little more thought than I put in.
I found that it needed a piece of plywood or something between the uni and your back, or those pedals started to hurt pretty soon. it might be possible to put the bag on the frame over the unicycle as well, depending on how long the straps are.
scroll down to the post about clip-off pedals
they look quite good, though you’d still had the crank digging into your back, and if you took that off, it would be the hub.
And from a personal point of view, thos pedals qould be worth several times more than any of the unis I own…