When searching for a travel case that is beginner-friendly, consider a bag that doesn't require extensive bike disassembly when packing. When flying with a road or gravel bike, consider a case that allows you to leave your handlebars, seatpost, and pedals installed. Other important (and often overlooked) things to consider should be the educational resources available for the travel case (video guides, product manuals, step-by-step instructions etc.) and the customer service. Find a brand with knowledgeable and helpful resources and personnel that will enable you to travel with your bike confidently and safely.

Many travel case companies will market their standard road bike travel case as a gravel bike travel case as well, since the frame style and geometries are similar between the two types of bike. That being said, it is important to verify that the wheel pockets, compartments, or bags are compatible with the modern gravel tire specs - many of which easily exceed 45c these days. It is important to take the maximum tire width into consideration when selecting a travel case for a gravel bike, to ensure that you are not forced to deflate or remove your wide gravel tires when traveling. With more and more gravel bikes and riders opting for wider tires, we would recommend selecting a travel case that accommodate (at a minimum) 50x700c tires. The Sentinel and B2 travels cases are designed to accommodate 55mm+ wide tires, so all common gravel tire specs should be compatible.

The vast majority of gravel bike travel cases are not designed with convenient storage or transportation in small cars in mind. This can force additional expenses, such as requiring transport in larger vehicles (bigger rental cars, upgrades to Uber/Lyft XL etc.), or inconveniences, such as storing a giant piece of luggage in a small hotel room/garage/etc., onto those who want to travel with their bike. If the overall size of the bike travel bag is of concern to you, then a 'compact' travel case such as the Orucase B2 would be the ideal solution. The compact nature of the case allows for easy transport in any sedan/smaller car as well as convenient storage while packed with a bike, or while stowed and not in use.

The debate between soft and hard-shell bike travel cases is a longstanding one, and each style of case has its benefits and downsides. Hard-shell travel cases offer the perception of increased protection due to the construction type, but the increased weight, awkward shapes and sizes, and limited handle locations can often lead baggage handlers to treat these items more rough. The closure mechanisms on hard-shell travel bags can be trickier for TSA/customs agents to operate than a more traditional zipper system featured on most soft-sided cases, leading to case damage or the transport while the system is not secured. On the flip side, a fully soft case that features no hard plastic or metal reinforcement may not offer adequate protection to safely transport your prized possession. A hybrid case design, that features some hard plastic or metal components in the vulnerable areas of the case, while utilizing durable and weight-conscious fabric materials in other areas, may be the best of both worlds for offering protection in a lightweight, easy-to-transport travel bag.

The reality of owning a bike travel case is that the vast majority of the time it is not in use, and ease/convenience of storing the case should be a consideration when purchasing. Hard-sided travel cases / bike boxes can be extremely difficult to store when not in use, as they do not have the ability to fold down / collapse in size. If convenient storage is an important factor for you, consider a soft-sided travel case or a bag that can be disassembled and folded down when not in use. Some travel case models, such as the Sentinel and B2 travel cases, have protection components such as the aluminum roll cage frame or side panels that can be removed and completely disassembled/folded down so that the case stows at approx. 1/3 its full size. When folded down, these types of cases can slide underneath a bed/couch, fit into a small closet, or pack into an attic or storage area with ease.

The best way to prevent hydraulic disc brake rub after transporting your bike in a travel case is to either use a protective cover (such as our Disc Rotor Protectors) when packing the wheels, or remove your rotors and pack separately. It doesn't take much of an impact to the disc brake rotor to cause a small bend / defect which can cause brake rub or failure, in extreme cases. Using a protective cover or removing the rotor will prevent this damage from occurring. Another consideration that should be made is with the brake calipers themselves - a brake block / spacer should be inserted between your brake pads when the wheel is removed, to ensure that the pads do not close up while in transit due to the changing air pressure or other conditions when traveling.

If you are looking for one travel case that can be used to transport different styles of bikes, it is important to verify that the case will accommodate the largest bike setup in your quiver. If you are looking for a case that allows you to leave your handlebars installed, make sure that the travel case can accommodate the wide, flared bars featured on your gravel bike. Some travel cases (such as the Sentinel) can accommodate flared handlebars up to 60cm wide, while others are designed to accommodate standard road cockpits only, with a max. bar width of 44cm. As a general rule, travel cases that are marketed as 'gravel bike compatible' should be able to accommodate most, if not all road bike setups. However, 'road bike travel cases' may not be able to accommodate all gravel bike setups.

Train and bus systems will typically have different baggage limitations than what is common for most airlines, so be sure to check the specific regulations posted by your transit provider (Amtrak, Eurail, etc.). Weight is not as much of a concern when traveling by train or bus, but the size of the case is much more important, as luggage holds tend to be significantly smaller on most bus and train systems. Compact travel cases, like the Orucase B2 bike case, are recommended by many riders who frequently go by rail or local transit when traveling with their bikes as the lightweight, compact nature of the case makes the whole travel process a breeze.