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pascalo
___freddie
@Jingle_Jangle
So, now back in the UK, and I took the frame out of the bag and re-assembled it at the weekend.
Unfortunately, on the return trip it sustained more damage:
For me, the soft case isn't a practical solution to travelling with a bicycle, which is a great shame because the compactness of a bicycle built with couplers makes it a lot easier to handle through airports. When I landed at Gatwick, there were about 4 riders returning from L'eroica, and they were obviously struggling (as I usually do) to manouvre their luggage as well as a traditional bike box.
I've just been looking at the hard case at SJS Cycles. It's £420.00, which is a big investment given that I would be likely to use it less than once per year.
Overall then, looking at the cost / benefit / aggro involved with building your own frame with S&S Couplers, I'd say it's probably not worth it. Having said that, I did enjoy the process, and I had a lovely time riding my frame around lake Garda.
On the subject of building a frame with couplers, I did make a small error with the build. The front cable guide for the rear brake needs to be slotted, so that the cable can be removed from the frame with the handle bars. I failed to do this which means every time I remove the cable I effectively have to fit a new one. Not a great expense, but a pain in the arse. In the unlikely event that I ever get this frame re-sprayed, I'll take the opportunity to cut the slot:
Anyway, that's the 2019 frame built, painted, built up, ridden and reported on. Time to start looking forward to project 2020.