Cheaper alternative to S&S couplers

[paredown]

I found these guys by accident while trolling eBay (yet again) for a coupled bike that fit and that I could afford. S&S are a great product, but their price has continued to climb while I have pined for a travel bike.
http://www.groupj.net/bicycle-frame-couplings.html

These use a simpler flange arrangement, and an external Ritchey clamp. I like that they are available with two precut 'lug' shapes and are also available as a kit for the brave DIY-ers.

Not as elegant as the S&S, but they look like they might work.

Anyone seen or used these?

[thirdgenbird]

No comment on the couplers themselves, but I love that bike.

[Anarchist]

Looks like the same principal as the Ritchey Break Away system which I would be happier with given that they usually are on the seat tube.

[thirdgenbird]

It is the same system. The clamps have a ritchey logo on them.

[RonW87]

Same system only on the downtube. For the other separation, a Ritchey breakaway clamps around the seat post in the conventional way, except twice: once with the top tube and once with the seattube. That's what holds the seattube to the top tube. Not a separate clamp.

[thirdgenbird]

Correct. I was only stating the part is shared with a ritchey breakaway. I should have said same clamp, not same system.

[Satellite]

Holly snikies, that design would scare the crap right out of me. No thanks I will take the S&S Couplers any day at any price. Those looks way to flimsy.

I travel a lot to California and ride in the mountains I would NOT trust my life to those couplers. Some where on the forum there is a Thread where the S&S coupler failed it can happen to any system. The fail wasn't catastrophic to the rider the frame was totaled. It looked like the coupler worked it's way loose and finally the tube gave out but the coupler was still held together. I would say operator error I periodically check my coupler even while riding I will see if I can turn the nut by hand. Never once have I experienced a loose nut (haha). This design doesn't seem forgiving, it will either work or fail instantly while bombing down a twisty mountain road at 50 mph. It just has a skimpy screw holding it all together. Doesn't even seem like it would hold the tubes together tightly.

I used to think the S&S Couplers were over priced to until I discovered they Lathe turn the couplers down for an exact fit. There is a lot of labor that goes into the S&S Couplers. Most importantly is frame alignment, do you have an alignment jig as a DIY project? Infinitely more important I trust this system with my life. We had our son really late in life and I feel bad for him, he won't have is parents around like my wife and I (still have all four). If I die early by a Bicycle accident it would be even worse for him. By the time I am ready to retire Nick won't even be in College yet.

Just my $.02 yours may vary.


Satellite

[mistermo]

I've never understood why the Ruster Hen Houses don't get more attention. I've got one, and have never been charged a fee, apart from the typical luggage fee. My 60cm frame size fits fine. With a hen house, you can take whatever bike you own, without having it chopped.

http://rustersports.com/product/hen-house/

[foo_fighter]

Does that count as 2 bags? (A frame bag and a wheel bag) or are both combined under the 62" rule?

I've never understood why the Ruster Hen Houses don't get more attention. I've got one, and have never been charged a fee, apart from the typical luggage fee. My 60cm frame size fits fine. With a hen house, you can take whatever bike you own, without having it chopped.

http://rustersports.com/product/hen-house/

[mistermo]

Yes. It's two bags.

http://rustersports.com/cases/about-the-hen-house/

@Mr. Satellite. I like your style. @$35: $850/35=24 trips to break even. And this excludes the cost of a spare-bike-at-the-ready ala Ironman. Wish'n I had me a cool Ironman case too.

[paredown]

I've never understood why the Ruster Hen Houses don't get more attention. I've got one, and have never been charged a fee, apart from the typical luggage fee. My 60cm frame size fits fine. With a hen house, you can take whatever bike you own, without having it chopped.

http://rustersports.com/product/hen-house/

That's a cool alternative.

Are you saying yes to "combined" or "counts as two bags"--sorry for being dense...

[Satellite]

My S&S Couplers only cost $850 Post Coupled. Everything fits into one bag saving me the extra baggage fee. I have never paid it but isn't it $25 for the first bag and $35 for the second bag. Even at $25 x 2 = $50 the Couplers were paid for in the first 17 trips. Plus if the airline knows it a bike the policy is $85 one way. Assuming United which is who I usually fly on. $85-25=$65 ssavings one way $850/65 mine were paid for in 7 trips. Which I have way exceeded. I have the hard case I started adding the luggage stickers to the inside of the lid to keep a record of my travels with my bike. Plus my S&S bike is my most versatile bike it would be the last bike I keep. I basically have 2 of the same bike VaMoots S&S and an SL I can't tell the difference between the rides. My S&S Bike just waits in the box until I am ready to travel. Its like Ironman 2 when he keeps his suit in the brief case.

[carpediemracing]

Looks like the same principal as the Ritchey Break Away system which I would be happier with given that they usually are on the seat tube.

The Ritchey incorporates a different system on the seat tube, which makes the frame a bit unique, meaning one couldn't retrofit a bike without a lot of work. The biggest thing for me is that the seat post is incorporated as sort of a brace.

The have the actual clamp in question on the downtube. The seat tube is more like two seat tubes clamping onto the same seat post.

I don't think there's such a brace on the Ritchey downtube, meaning no internal plug.

Having two "unbraced" joints, as on that Peugeot, seems a bit iffy? I'm no engineer but somehow the Ritchey set up inspires a bit more confidence.

[carpediemracing]

As far as convenience I think the best is Zinn's bike with all the couplers. I'm guessing that other than removing the pedals, stem, and the seat post I don't think he has to do much else to pack the bike. The stem coupler is great, no adjusting the bar tilt or worrying about it being centered in the stem.

An integrated seat post set up with a coupler at the base would finish it off, no seat post fiddling.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OIrCYr_OP7k/Tm7usGu8reI/AAAAAAAADlQ/ltsbZ6pVpmE/s800/2011-09-12_09-46-36_987.jpg

[livingminimal]

As far as convenience I think the best is Zinn's bike with all the couplers. I'm guessing that other than removing the pedals, stem, and the seat post I don't think he has to do much else to pack the bike. The stem coupler is great, no adjusting the bar tilt or worrying about it being centered in the stem.

An integrated seat post set up with a coupler at the base would finish it off, no seat post fiddling.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OIrCYr_OP7k/Tm7usGu8reI/AAAAAAAADlQ/ltsbZ6pVpmE/s800/2011-09-12_09-46-36_987.jpg

Without knowing a ton (or anything) about engineering principles, I would hazard a guess that that coupler setup actually strengthens/stiffens da fuq out of that frame.

[sandyrs]

As far as convenience I think the best is Zinn's bike with all the couplers. I'm guessing that other than removing the pedals, stem, and the seat post I don't think he has to do much else to pack the bike. The stem coupler is great, no adjusting the bar tilt or worrying about it being centered in the stem.

An integrated seat post set up with a coupler at the base would finish it off, no seat post fiddling.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OIrCYr_OP7k/Tm7usGu8reI/AAAAAAAADlQ/ltsbZ6pVpmE/s800/2011-09-12_09-46-36_987.jpg

I am far from a weight weenie but that's a lot of added weight to save two minutes of adjustment when you rebuild the bike (spoken as the owner of an S&S bike almost as big as Zinn's).