The Evoc bike bag is the best known on the market, and rightly so as Evoc has this bag nailed.
The rigid base, with its relatively wide-set wheels and sturdy plastic runners offers pull-along stability and slide-over slickness for easy portage, while removable poles and struts in the upper give decent structure and make storage easy, when removed.
Zipped wheel bags on the side are a cinch to use with 650b wheels, but plus and 29er riders may need to stuff uninflated tyres in there at times.
With pull handles located high and low there are plenty of pull-along options
Inside there are a few useful pockets on the side and back to stop pedals and tools flying about.
Internal bike holding is good, with a number of frame and handlebar straps that attach to loops within the bag, easily adjustable to fit your needs.
There’s a Velcro-secured box in the bottom, shaped to allow your chainstays to sit on top to protect the bike further and offer stability inside.
On top of that there’s a piece to go around the head of your front triangle with additional handlebar loops to keep them safe. The fork slots into a protected sheath too.
At a shade under 9kg it’s a decent weight for a pretty solid bike bag, and one which with smart packing shouldn’t trouble baggage weight restrictions.
With pull handles located high and low there are plenty of pull-along options, and only the longest tows will leave you wishing for four wheels, rather than two.
If I was being pernickety, I do find the corduroy-like material used in the handles a little rough on those longer car park to check-in desk pulls. I also find that the lack of supports along the top of the bag can leave it sagging a little, although this doesn’t matter hugely in my eyes.
While it’s not got hard case security, I’ve used a number of these bags to fly all over the world and have never had any issues with bike damage, and that has to be a killer recommendation.
Yes, a simple box from a bike shop is cheaper and lighter, but if you fly regularly, then the security and portability of a bag like this is worth the expense.
