We started with a shortlist of 14 cases and cut it down on the things that actually rule a case out: interior length and width measured against a 56cm frame with the wheels off, axle mounts that fit thru-axles rather than only quick-releases, listed weight against the 50-pound limit most airlines enforce, and price weighed against how many trips a year you'd realistically take. Six made the cut, spanning soft bags, semi-rigid, and full hard shells.
Every case was packed in a garage the night before a flight, and we timed it. We noted whether the handlebars, seatpost, and rotors had to come off, whether the case shipped with its own tools, and whether a promised 15-minute pack turned into 40. Then we lifted each one and shook it, checking for movement at the dropouts and looking for rub marks on the frame after every trip — fit is the whole ballgame, because a bike that slides inside will find the unprotected spot.
In transit we rolled each case through a terminal, over curb cuts and hotel carpet, into the trunk of a rental car, and stood it upright at the oversize counter, where some tip over and some don't. We weighed each one loaded on a bathroom scale, cycled every latch and zipper a few dozen times, and wiped the shells down after each trip to see how the exterior took scuffs, road grime, and the occasional bug splatter. Ten months in, we set cracked shells, bent hinges, and worn wheels next to what each case cost.
