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Submitted by
PeteDate Reviewed: March 2, 2013
Strengths: PortabilityWeaknesses: NoneBottom Line: This is my second Break Away. I've traveled maybe 20 times total with both bikes. For several years my Break Away was my only road bike. I feel there is a slight weight penalty of about 2 pounds vs a carbon frame and a slight stiffness penalty as well, which is only felt is an all-out sprint. I have to replace the frame coupler clamp about once a year to restore the original stiffness. The clamps are said to stretch over time, but what I think actually happens is a reshaping of the inside surfaces, allowing the flanges to move inside the clamp even when it is properly torqued.
What I found works great is to travel with TWO cases. I put all the bike bits except the wheels in a 26x26x10 S&S hard case. There is just enough room for my 58cm frame. I use lots of pipe insulating foam plus about 2.5 inches of foam top and bottom. I use the Ritchey case for the wheels and all the stuff I would normally put in a suitcase, like my clothes, shoes, and other personal effects. Packing goes very quickly and nothing gets scratched, even when TSA has had a look. The loosely-packed Ritchey case will probably last forever, while the S&S case protects all the valuable bits much better than a soft-sided case ever could.
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Submitted by
jake TDate Reviewed: December 12, 2012
Strengths: Absolute portability, ease of travel, simple enough to put together, fast enough to race. Case is lightweight and flexible enough to pack your clothes in, too.Weaknesses: Frame is a little too flexy for sprinting. Back when I was in fast race shape I could notice a definite level of flex when sprinting to the point that it slowed me down. Frame is also a little too lightweight. It does not absorb rough road conditions as well as a slightly heavier steel frame. The Ritchey instructions to pack are terrible and a good way to break your derailleur.Bottom Line: This bike has enabled me to do some amazing rides/races over the years. It gets packed about 4 times a year. I also used it for several months as my regular bike when my main racing bike was kaput. This bike has been to California, Texas, Kansas, Vermont, Florida... I built it up w SRAM Rival, Thompson stem/post and Chris Kind 32h wheels. Total weight is around 17.5lbs with pedals.
Renting a racing bike is extremely expensive ($75/day) and you have to be there when the store is open to rent and return. Traveling with a full size bike is also quite difficult if you every want to use public transit or rent a smaller car. I would sometimes take the bus to work with the bike and then take the train right to the airport. With a full size packed bike you would have to pay considerably more just to get to the airport on top of checked baggage fees.
You need a level of mechanical prowess to put this together. Things go wrong on this bike during packing and they take fixing such as untrue wheels, bent cables... There are a lot of opportunities to make small mistakes putting this together that take some real diagnosis to work out. I pack the bike like a wheel sandwich with the frame in between and the bars laced through the spokes. This has been much more effective than the Ritchey packing method which puts the wheels under terrible stress as well as leads to premature death of the carry case.
The paint will get scratched and it is easy to dent the bike with the crank arms. The white painted areas should have been a darker color to hide the scuffs.
I have only had one issue checking the bike. A Southwest agent told me that because it was a bike, you have to still pay $50 no matter what. I called her on it and brought up the Southwest baggage policy and managed to check it for free.
In the end, this bike has carried me through some of the best rides I have been on in the past few years. It us much easier and more convenient than a full size bike to fly with and generally easier than renting a bike. My rule is if I can get two rides in, I fly with it.
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Submitted by
henrik
a Road RacerDate Reviewed: September 16, 2012
Strengths: It travels! It's beautiful! It works!Weaknesses: Bag, cable splitters bang on frame on cobblestones, not ideal for (very) tall riders - 60" requires a *very* long seatpost for me (I'm 6"4.)Bottom Line: After five years of intensive riding I'm about to buy a second road bike. Need something stiffer, racier, but I still hesitate. I've never loved a bike this much. The Break-Away concept works, and I find myself taking in on most trips longer than two days. I've ridden several continents and been on planes maybe 100times without any trouble and saved LOADS of money. No, it's not a hyper-responsive carbon rig, and no, it's not ultra-light, but it does fine in races (in fact, surprisingly well) and perfectly for everything else. If you travel and love timeless, classic bikes, I cannot recommend the Break-Away enough. The bag could be better; I'm on my second now and will be more careful this time.
Bike Setup: Chris King Wheels (included Ritchey OCRs sucked, broke after 500 miles) and Thomson post, New seat. Everything else pretty much stock.
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Submitted by
BretDate Reviewed: March 7, 2012
Strengths: All - rides like a dream.Weaknesses: The Ritchey case isn't the best, broke down after about 8 flights.Bottom Line: Awesome bike, rides great and you can get on an airplane.
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Submitted by
Bob
a Recreational RiderDate Reviewed: September 8, 2011
Strengths: Makes check-in at airports and travel by train easy.Weaknesses: Cables need frequent adjustmentBottom Line: I travel a lot so this bike just made sense. Very happy with the ride. Comfortable on climbs and very stable on descents, even at high speed.
Favorite Ride: Sassotetto, Marche, Italy
Similar Products Used: none
Bike Setup: Shimano 105. Triple chainring.
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