The Orucase B2-R bicycle travel case was born out of the need to get around exorbitant airline baggage fees. Until recently, most airlines charged fees for bicycles, though most have gotten rid of bicycle-specific fees in the last year or two. Still, if your bike case is bigger than the oversize baggage dimensions, you’ll be popped a lot of cash before you leave the check-in counter.
The B2-R’s dimensions slip nicely under the oversize baggage dimensions. So as long as you keep the total weight under 50 pounds (the limit on most airlines), you should be able to travel with your bike without paying extra fees.
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There’s more to a good travel case than fee avoidance, however. It has to have enough space to pack your bike safely, for starters. And it has to be easy to pull around when you’re on your way to and from the airport. If you’ll be driving at your destination, it certainly helps if the case packs up small for storage in the trunk.
The B2-R accomplishes all of that and more. I used it to travel from Colorado to Maine recently. Here’s how it performed.
What I like: New two-wheel design is more stable and user-friendly; bottom of bag has more structure for better durability and control over uneven terrain; and of course, no oversize baggage fees
What I’d change: Bottom handle isn’t super useful; would make the front of the bag a touch taller where the head tube is positioned
My call: If you’re hoping to avoid oversize baggage fees and still keep your bike safe on your next trip, the B2-R is a big upgrade from the original B2 and will save you cash at the airport. It takes some finessing to get it packed properly, however.
Orucase B2-R build and size
Orucase says you can fit up to a 61cm road bike in the B2-R. That size probably comes down a bit if you’ll be traveling with a gravel bike. I traveled with my size 56cm Merlin Extralight Road disc bike. It fits just fine in the B2-R, though you will need to be very careful how you pack your bike regardless of its size. There isn’t much room to spare, and you don’t want hard parts rubbing against each other.
The top of the B2-R features a long zippered access that allows you to open the bag wide. Inside you’ll find two wheel bags. The top flap also has a pocket in which you can stow small parts. I put my rear derailleur in there, but you could also stow your axles or some tools.
The bottom of the B2-R features a rugged, rigid compression-molded base material that gives the bag structure. This comes in handy when you’re lugging the bag through airport parking lots. It’s also a key upgrade from the first version of the B2, which featured a softer fabric on the bottom that could sag and catch on the ground as you rolled it.
The original B2 had four casters that swiveled freely and could lock in place. The updated B2-R only has two wheels. They’re larger and do not swivel. This makes it far easier to control the bag when you’re pulling it. This is another key upgrade that makes the B2-R heads and tails better than its predecessor.
Two aluminum runners are attached to the bottom of the bag, which help you lug the bag over curbs or up stairs. It’s a nice touch that the original version did not have.
There are two handles you can use to tow the bag, both at the front of the B2-R. One is a fabric handle positioned higher up, and a plastic handle positioned lower down toward the base. I found this second handle to be positioned awkwardly, but the upper handle was perfect for towing the bag.
The bag is made from 1680 Denier Ballistic Nylon Exterior throughout to stand up to the rigors of airplane travel. There are stowable padded backpack straps too so you can haul the bag if you prefer. It all packs down to a third of its size for easy storage in the trunk of a car.
Orucase B2-R packing process
Packing the B2-R can be a bit of a tricky process. Your best bet is to watch Orucase’s instructional videos before you start. Since there’s little room to spare in order to keep the dimensions down, you’ll need to take special care to ensure all parts are stowed safely.
You can pack your bike using the ol’ padded pipe insulation method, but I highly recommend spending the extra $129 on Orucase’s frame protection kit. It comes with everything you need to protect every part of your bike, and the pads are super easy to install with the included hook and loop straps. The pads are all conveniently labeled so you know which pad goes where, every time.
It will be necessary to remove the fork from your frame in order to properly pack the B2-R. This isn’t really much of an issue unless you’ve never done it before. If you haven’t, it might be best to head to the local bike shop to have them walk you through it. Also take special care to ensure you don’t kink your brake hoses (if you’re running disc brakes) when you stow the fork.
Traveling with the Orucase B2-R
I traveled with the B2-R from my home in Colorado to my brother’s home in Maine recently. Packing up my bike took about 30 minutes start to finish. I have a small pouch that I include in the case with tools I’ll need to re-build the bike on the other end. That wasn’t an issue this time; I sprained my ankle the first day I was in Maine and never even took the bike out of the bag. Oof.
I took the train from my town to the airport in Denver. Wheeling the B2-R around is vastly easier than it was with the original B2. The larger rear wheels function exactly like other large pieces of luggage with wheels do. It’s fairly stable, though it can wobble due to the height of the bag.
As I mentioned, I found the upper, fabric hand strap much easier to use to pull the bag than the lower-positioned plastic handle. I’m not sure what this lower handle is good for, other than pulling the bag out of the back of my truck.
At the airport, the agents at the check-in counter didn’t even give the B2-R a second glance. It was well underneath the 50-pound weight limit and the agents did not seem concerned that this would exceed the oversize luggage dimensions. To be clear, this is the first time I’ve traveled with a bike and didn’t have to answer a half-dozen questions at check-in.
Unpacking back at home
Since I didn’t unpack the bike in Maine after spraining my ankle, I was seeing the bike for the first time in a week when I unpacked it back home in my garage. That means it went through two airplane trips.
The bike came out mostly unscathed. The handlebars had rubbed a bit against something else, ripping the tape slightly. And one brake hood did get knocked slightly askew. Otherwise, the B2-R did its job admirably, protecting my bike and saving me money.
I absolutely love the Frame Protection Kit and would recommend it even if you don’t buy the B2-R itself. It’s such an easy-to-use system. You have to put almost no thought into it, and it cuts down on packing time considerably.
The final word
The B2-R offers a lot of features the original B2 didn’t have. It’s far more streamlined too, and easier to use. This is an excellent bike case for someone traveling with a road bike or smaller gravel bike, especially if you want to avoid oversize baggage fees. It can be tricky to pack it correctly, and even with my size 56cm bike, it was a tight fit.
If you’ll be traveling with a mountain bike, forget the B2-R. You’ll want to check out the B2-MTB instead. And if you’ve got a larger road bike, be sure to reach out to Orucase before you buy to ensure your bike would fit. (I would recommend this for any bike over 56cm.)
While I would love just a touch more room inside to make packing less complicated, it’s hard to beat the overall package here. The B2-R helps you avoid oversize baggage fees, it’s easy to use in transit, and it protects your bike well.