How to pack a bike with S&S couplers

My bike has S&S couplers (also known as S and S Machine Bicycle Torque Coupling) that allow it to be broken apart and packed into a normal-sized checked luggage box that flies at no additional charge. Getting it to fit is always a challenge, so I took photos to help me remember.

Your S&S-enabled bike will probably pack in a slightly different configuration, but you can still use this as a starting guide.

Step 1 Disassemble bike

Take off the brakes, the rear deailleurs, the cranks, the handle bars, and fork.

Comments

[BtheBike]

Are there any diy S&S couplers ? those things are Way costly . Love to be able to do that with a similar cheaper pipe connector .

[mwarren_us]

Hopefully the expiration of Steve-Frank Smilanick's patent 5586652 Bicycle torque coupling in 2013 will make these couplers more readily available.  They're extremely clever, but currently apparently only available to qualified bicycle frame builders. Which frame does your bike use?  Also, are the bottom portions of the white supports attached to the bottom of the case somehow?  Thanks for the clear pictures and detailed steps.

[ewilhelm]

My frame is custom-built. The white supports are not attached to the case, they are fit in wherever there's space.

[Yerboogieman]

How do you ship a regular bike?

[ewilhelm]

I've shipped other bikes in large cardboard boxes.

[Yerboogieman]

I've heard by a bunch of people that they treat large cardboard boxes not very nicely and you can end up with something broken.

[ewilhelm]

In fact, once when shipping my bike in a cardboard box on an airline, one of the chainrings got badly bent. Fortunately, it was on the return flight after my bike trip.

[Punkguyta]

Wow, Houdini probably wouldn't be able to fit a bicycle in a luggage bag that well. Good stuff chap. -Punk