Bike Wheel Travel Bags

Bike wheel bags are an essential item to have when transporting your wheels. Consisting of a thin hoop of metal or carbon connected to a hub by a bunch of tiny spokes, wheels are fragile by nature. When not attached to the bike, it is important to protect them from the harsh outside world. It’s very easy to accidentally punch out a spoke or knock the wheel out of true if you just throw it on top of your bike in your trunk. This is especially true for road bike wheels which tend to be more fragile than mountain bike wheels. Wheel bags are sold individually or in pairs. An individual bag is commonly used to store a front wheel when the rest of the bike is attached to the car with a roof rack. If a bike is transported in the car itself and both wheels must be removed, then it is a good idea to store both wheels in wheel bags. Also, if your wheels have disc rotors on them, it is a good idea to remove those from the wheels so they don’t get bent. Features common with wheel bags include padded interiors, durable exteriors, carrying handles, a shoulder strap, a PU-board to protect the bag from exposed axle ends, and a small zipper pocket to store quick-release axles. Some also include a clear pocket for a luggage tag or ID. Although wheel bags are designed to protect your wheels during transportation, it is not recommended to use them for airline travel. The bags are not suited to protect from extreme disregard that can occur when being handled by airport luggage personnel. If traveling by air with wheels, it is recommended to store the wheels in a proper bike storage bag or case that offers more protection.