I prefer mountain bike style SPD pedals on this bike so that I can use shoes that are easier for walking. Also, it’s easier to just remove the front brake from the fork than to disconnect the front brake cable. I find it easier to remove the handlebars from a two-bolt Thomson stem than it would be to remove the stem from the fork. With the frame couplers still together but finger tight, I remove the water bottle cages, seatpost and saddle, pedals, front brake, and the handlebars. Note the white grease – S&S recommends Finish Line Extreme Flouro grease. Under the sleeve are interlocking stainless steel teeth that form a tight joint when pressed together by the threads. I leave the couplings finger tight while I work on dismantling the rest of the bike. I suppose an old school bottom bracket lockring tool could be used in a pinch. I ordered two extras in case I lose this one. For packing I like to give myself a half hour, though the addition of the Ritchey Zeta II rear wheel has made packing the bike vastly easier and means that a half hour is a generous estimate for packing time.įirst, I unscrew the sleeves that bind the couplings, using this special tool that came with the bike. I can easily build it up and ride it in 20 minutes without rushing. It takes less time, and is less stressful, to build the bike out of the case than it does to pack it into the case. When not in use the S&S case packs flat and folds up remarkably small. The Ritchey soft case is slightly larger than official airline maximum dimensions and it’s a bit bulkier than the S&S soft case. leaving little extra weight for equipment. The hard case when empty weights almost 20 pounds compared to just 3.5 pounds for the soft case. I’ve tried the S&S hard case and the Ritchey soft case as well, but I prefer the S&S soft case. This is what the bike looks like fully packed in the soft case along with helmet, shoes, and cycling clothing. I’d use this bike for any ride or race and I never feel compromised by it.
The oversized titanium tubing and the stainless steel couplings make it pretty stiff overall, especially for a titanium bike.
My travel bike is a Seven Axiom with optional S&S couplings. S&S couplings allow the bike frame to be separated into two pieces and packed into a suitcase the size of a bike wheel – 26″x26″x10″, which allows the bike to travel as normal checked baggage. Airlines gouge you on a whim and traditional bike bags are cumbersome. Traveling with a bike is notoriously frustrating. The bike packs into an airline-checkable case with the dimensions of a bike wheel.
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