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Hello,
I need to hire a bike bag to go to Madeira in September but struggling to figure out which will fit. have an XL Deviate Highlander 2, which has a wheelbase of 1283mm. The XL or Pro Evoc bags advertised they can take up to 1300, but I recently contacted a hire company who said you'd need to remove the internal bag frame to make it fit, which they do not recommend.
Surely not? Does anyone have any thoughts, or better yet experience of travelling with an XL Highlander or similar?
Thanks
So, I had a similar issue with my XL RM Slayer.
I settled on the Evoc Pro, I removed the shock and rotated the forks 180° and it fitted in the frame, snug, but secure.
If you're close to Leeds you're more than welcome to borrow my bag, save yourself a few quid.
Hi, that's really kind but I'm down in High Wycombe unfortunately.
Did you remove the frame from the bag then? Removing the shock isn't really an option for me, I'm still bewildered by the Highlander's pivot arrangement having gone from an honest Horst Link!
Hi, that's really kind but I'm down in High Wycombe unfortunately.
Did you remove the frame from the bag then? Removing the shock isn't really an option for me, I'm still bewildered by the Highlander's pivot arrangement having gone from an honest Horst Link!
No worries, it only gets used once maybe twice a year so always offer it up in case people need one.
I used the frame, a few tweaks and it all fits.
Another option can be to release the air from the shock and forks.
A mate has an XL Highlander and it goes in an evoc bag, although he doesn’t use the (optional?) metal frame. Forks turned round 180 and that’s about it.
High pivot bikes grow their wheelbase when they compress don’t they? So taking the shock out would actually make things worse?
I thought the frame was mostly for fragile road/gravel bikes, anyway? Never actually seen one used.
Evoc pro. Use the frame but let down your forks. My XXL Hightower fits in an Evoc Pro bag with the frame but after letting all the air out of the forks. I did once travel with it with the forks reversed and no air let out. That was a squeeze.
My XL geometron fits inside my (very) old crc bike bag.
Could you buy an old second hand bike bag and sell it when you are done?
Could you buy an old second hand bike bag and sell it when you are done?
Or get on Facebook Marketplace and see what bags people are renting out, then try for size?
Yeah I'm possibly moving towards buying then selling actually, but preference would be to rent as abroad trips are extremely few and far between.
For those who replied with XL bikes, trust your wheelbase is as big or bigger than the Highlander at 1283?
Re point about the frame - a bike shop renting the bags said they do not recommend removing the frame as it takes away all the structural stiffness in the bag. I don't know if thats correct as I've never used one! Would anyone dispute that?
Dan
1328mm wheelbase on my Hightower according to Santa Cruz. As I said, let down your forks and shock and you shouldn't have any issues with an Evoc Pro bag. It is supposed to be good for bikes up to 1300mm wheelbase and my 1328mm wheelbase bike fits with the fork and shock let down. Doing both really shortens your wheelbase. The bag doesn't need the mounting frame for stiffness but it really helps protect your bike's dropouts and fork by bracing them. I wouldn't remove it for travelling. plus it helps when rebuilding the bike at the other end.
I've got a Stumpjumper Evo in s5 - wheelbase of 1285mm apparently. It goes into an Evoc Pro bag but it's snug and on the limits of the bag's mounting frame. Rear mech removed but didn't do anything to shock or forks (but might let the fork down next time).
High pivot bikes grow their wheelbase when they compress don’t they? So taking the shock out would actually make things worse?
Depends how high the pivot is. Most have a ( shaped axle path
My old v2 Highlander xl fitted with ease in my Chain reaction and wiggle bags .. of which i hire out 🙂
My Aeris 9 with a 1296mm wheelbase fit in an Evoc XL bag with the frame in. Didn’t let air out of the forks either.
Available to be used if you can get to Bristol?
My G1's wheelbase is over 1300 - fits fine in the Evoc Pro
Turning the forks 180 is a winner, removing the shock is a big help too (be careful of your brake hose if you do this, make sure it's not being bent in funny ways - but tbh I don't have to do either, it fits
Thanks for all the responses guys. I think I'm going to bite the bullet, buy the Evoc XL and then perhaps sell it after the trip.
