Scicon Aerocomfort question

AndyRevill
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Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby AndyRevill » Sun Apr 22, 2018 5:23 pm

Hi All,

We're heading to Scotland in a few months and I'm keen to take the road bike for some highland touring. I'm looking at getting the Aerocomfort 2.0 but I notice that most airlines seem to state that handlebars should be turned parallel to the top tube while the Scicon seems to work with them staying as they are.
So my question is, do people rotate them and if so can you still use the relevant straps or do you just ignore that requirement?

Thanks in advance,

Andy
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biker jk
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Re: Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby biker jk » Sun Apr 22, 2018 5:29 pm

Just use the bag as it's designed. One tip to stop the shifters from potentially being knocked is to use a length of PVC piping across the handlebar (slightly wider than its length and sitting in the recess of the hoods).

Also note that the Aerocomfort 2.0 can not accommodate disc brakes (in case you buy such a bike in future). The Aerocomfort 3.0 can be used with thru-axles.

AndyRevill
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Re: Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby AndyRevill » Sun Apr 22, 2018 6:20 pm

biker jk wrote:Just use the bag as it's designed. One tip to stop the shifters from potentially being knocked is to use a length of PVC piping across the handlebar (slightly wider than its length and sitting in the recess of the hoods).

Also note that the Aerocomfort 2.0 can not accommodate disc brakes (in case you buy such a bike in future). The Aerocomfort 3.0 can be used with thru-axles.
Thanks, my instinct was to do that until told otherwise. Also thanks for the reminder re the pvc, I remember seeing the post a while back. Not sure a new bike is on the horizon :( So will take the cheaper price.

Cheers, Andy
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BugsBunny
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Re: Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby BugsBunny » Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:22 am

I've been on a few bike tours with fellow bikers using the Scicon Aero bag. They all keep the handlebars in their original position. It certainly makes the assembly/disassembly much faster.

As a word of caution, there have been instances where the brake levers get pushed out of alignment due to the protruding nature of the way it fits in the bag, most likely due to poor handling during the air transportation.

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MichaelB
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Re: Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby MichaelB » Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:59 am

biker jk wrote:Just use the bag as it's designed. One tip to stop the shifters from potentially being knocked is to use a length of PVC piping across the handlebar (slightly wider than its length and sitting in the recess of the hoods).

Also note that the Aerocomfort 2.0 can not accommodate disc brakes (in case you buy such a bike in future). The Aerocomfort 3.0 can be used with thru-axles.

Agree with the 1st bit - Qatar airlines never betted an eyelid.

re the 2nd bit, Discs are fine, but they need to be QR (v 2.0 is QR only). The bag worked fine with my Volagi Liscio when I went to Italy in 2016. - See the Review I did here

Note also that Wiggle do a similar bag to the Aerocomfort (actually made by Scicon) - Wiggle dhb Soft wheeled buike bag , but the handlebars need to be rotated (despite the pics), other than that, it's the same, but made to a budget.

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g-boaf
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Re: Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby g-boaf » Wed Jun 13, 2018 2:07 pm

BugsBunny wrote:I've been on a few bike tours with fellow bikers using the Scicon Aero bag. They all keep the handlebars in their original position. It certainly makes the assembly/disassembly much faster.

As a word of caution, there have been instances where the brake levers get pushed out of alignment due to the protruding nature of the way it fits in the bag, most likely due to poor handling during the air transportation.
I had that with a Scicon Aerocomfort last year coming back with Emirates. Somewhere between Venice, Dubai and Sydney they got pushed inwards. Might not have helped that the entire Brazilian football team with all of their stuff was on our flight too.

This year I'm not using a borrowed bag so was going to go for one of these:

https://www.99bikes.com.au/bike-bag-evoc-pro-black

The reason being is that the Scicon bags in my experience behave a bit like evil shopping trolleys and go fish-tailing all over the place, not exactly ideal when you are battling with other stuff as well. However having to disassemble the handlebars is a deterrent.

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A_P
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Re: Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby A_P » Wed Jun 13, 2018 4:24 pm

↑ I have the Evoc, it is seriously easy to wheel around airports.

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g-boaf
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Re: Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby g-boaf » Tue Jun 26, 2018 10:42 am

A_P wrote:↑ I have the Evoc, it is seriously easy to wheel around airports.
I ended up going with Scicon Aerocomfort 3.0 - the version aimed at TT bikes because it was a price too good to pass up.

The wheels on it are a lot better than the older version.

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Derny Driver
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Re: Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby Derny Driver » Tue Jun 26, 2018 12:01 pm

g-boaf wrote:
A_P wrote:↑ I have the Evoc, it is seriously easy to wheel around airports.
I ended up going with Scicon Aerocomfort 3.0 - the version aimed at TT bikes because it was a price too good to pass up.

The wheels on it are a lot better than the older version.
I have an old SciCon bag ... the original wheels were terrible - fragile and easily smashed. I replaced all 4 with heavy duty ones from Bunnings. The front 2 are whopping big castors which rotate, for the rear 2 I used heavy duty fixed non-turning wheels. Solves the problem of the thing wanting to go sideways every time you pull it.

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g-boaf
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Re: Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby g-boaf » Tue Jun 26, 2018 12:32 pm

Derny Driver wrote:
g-boaf wrote:
A_P wrote:↑ I have the Evoc, it is seriously easy to wheel around airports.
I ended up going with Scicon Aerocomfort 3.0 - the version aimed at TT bikes because it was a price too good to pass up.

The wheels on it are a lot better than the older version.
I have an old SciCon bag ... the original wheels were terrible - fragile and easily smashed. I replaced all 4 with heavy duty ones from Bunnings. The front 2 are whopping big castors which rotate, for the rear 2 I used heavy duty fixed non-turning wheels. Solves the problem of the thing wanting to go sideways every time you pull it.
That sideways thing is the bit that drove me mad the most. When you've already got a big trolley bag you are pulling along and a backpack, it's really annoying especially with those narrow winding queues they love to have at airports.

The other thing the old one would do is beach itself (like an F1 car in a gravel trap) on any tactile tiles like what they have on railway station platforms. At least the newer ones have much larger wheels that lift it higher off the ground.

Good suggestion on changing the wheels - much appreciated, I'll see about doing that with mine.

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queequeg
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Re: Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby queequeg » Tue Jun 26, 2018 12:57 pm

g-boaf wrote:
I had that with a Scicon Aerocomfort last year coming back with Emirates. Somewhere between Venice, Dubai and Sydney they got pushed inwards. Might not have helped that the entire Brazilian football team with all of their stuff was on our flight too.

This year I'm not using a borrowed bag so was going to go for one of these:

https://www.99bikes.com.au/bike-bag-evoc-pro-black

The reason being is that the Scicon bags in my experience behave a bit like evil shopping trolleys and go fish-tailing all over the place, not exactly ideal when you are battling with other stuff as well. However having to disassemble the handlebars is a deterrent.
^^^
That's what I got for my aborted Europe trip, instead of the Aerocomfort, which was originally my first choice. However, after seeing far too many pictures of smashed handlebars and broken gear levers, I took the advice of the tour company and went with the Evoc. Maybe one day I'll even get to use it! Doctor gave me the all clear for riding again today, so now I just need to to slowly rebuild.
'11 Lynskey Cooper CX, '00 Hillbrick Steel Racing (Total Rebuild '10), '16 Cervelo R5, '18 Mason BokekTi

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g-boaf
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Re: Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby g-boaf » Tue Jun 26, 2018 1:52 pm

queequeg wrote:
g-boaf wrote:
I had that with a Scicon Aerocomfort last year coming back with Emirates. Somewhere between Venice, Dubai and Sydney they got pushed inwards. Might not have helped that the entire Brazilian football team with all of their stuff was on our flight too.

This year I'm not using a borrowed bag so was going to go for one of these:

https://www.99bikes.com.au/bike-bag-evoc-pro-black

The reason being is that the Scicon bags in my experience behave a bit like evil shopping trolleys and go fish-tailing all over the place, not exactly ideal when you are battling with other stuff as well. However having to disassemble the handlebars is a deterrent.
^^^
That's what I got for my aborted Europe trip, instead of the Aerocomfort, which was originally my first choice. However, after seeing far too many pictures of smashed handlebars and broken gear levers, I took the advice of the tour company and went with the Evoc. Maybe one day I'll even get to use it! Doctor gave me the all clear for riding again today, so now I just need to to slowly rebuild.
Yeah I read that you got the all clear - that's awesome news. :)

AndyRevill
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Re: Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby AndyRevill » Thu Jul 05, 2018 9:50 pm

By way of a mid-trip update, I ended up with the Aerocomfort 3.0. Packed the bike with a heap of pipe lagging on exposed parts of the frame and a section of cardboard poster tube between the handlebars. All arrived in perfect condition (Etihad). Did an 8 day ride around the west coast of Scotland (highly recommended, especially if you like hills).
Only drama was when putting the bike back in the bag for storage for the rest of the trip I discovered the locking T-piece for the bottom quick release frame (the bit that allows you to adjust the overall length and clamp it in position) had lost the threaded insert from the plastic knob. Contacted Scicon UK and within an hour they had arranged for a free replacement to be sent - DHL from Italy! Can't fault that for worldwide service :D

here's hoping the return trip goes just as well!

Andy
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g-boaf
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Re: Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby g-boaf » Tue Sep 04, 2018 11:25 am

AndyRevill wrote:By way of a mid-trip update, I ended up with the Aerocomfort 3.0. Packed the bike with a heap of pipe lagging on exposed parts of the frame and a section of cardboard poster tube between the handlebars. All arrived in perfect condition (Etihad). Did an 8 day ride around the west coast of Scotland (highly recommended, especially if you like hills).
Only drama was when putting the bike back in the bag for storage for the rest of the trip I discovered the locking T-piece for the bottom quick release frame (the bit that allows you to adjust the overall length and clamp it in position) had lost the threaded insert from the plastic knob. Contacted Scicon UK and within an hour they had arranged for a free replacement to be sent - DHL from Italy! Can't fault that for worldwide service :D

here's hoping the return trip goes just as well!

Andy
That locking piece is a bit finicky on mine as well.

I'd recommend also cutting some PVC pipes to fit over the handlebars as mentioned by someone here earlier. My carbon bars were cracked when I arrived in Geneva. The PVC might take up the impacts. Mavic replaced the bars and let me use their bright yellow and black neutral support bike while mine was under repair. That was interesting in itself.

Another worry is the rear of the frame in the bag, you have to do up that supplied QR skewer very tightly otherwise the bike can come loose from the frame in the bag.

AndyRevill
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Re: Scicon Aerocomfort question

Postby AndyRevill » Fri Sep 07, 2018 6:39 pm

g-boaf wrote:
That locking piece is a bit finicky on mine as well.

I'd recommend also cutting some PVC pipes to fit over the handlebars as mentioned by someone here earlier. My carbon bars were cracked when I arrived in Geneva. The PVC might take up the impacts. Mavic replaced the bars and let me use their bright yellow and black neutral support bike while mine was under repair. That was interesting in itself.

Another worry is the rear of the frame in the bag, you have to do up that supplied QR skewer very tightly otherwise the bike can come loose from the frame in the bag.
I looked at doing something like the PVC suggestions but found it a bit awkward to zip the bag up (maybe larger bike size?) so ended up with a large diameter cardboard poster tube wrapped in bubble wrap between the hoods working on the principle it would provide support and maybe absorb any impact. Don't know if it worked or not but no damage :-)

I agree re the rear QR. I made sure it was tight. Awesome bag though and at Edinburgh airport walked past a couple who had Evoc bags with wheels only at one end and trying to manage luggage - female half berated male half loudly stating "that's the bag we should have got" as I calmly wheeled past them :-)

Cheers,
Andy
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