Travelers Check Frame

Like a lot of our stuff, the motivation for producing a frame suited for travel sprung from our own experiences and desires. We’ve traveled with our bikes plenty and have wanted something easier to haul around in planes, trains, and automobiles. We dig the folders but wanted a normal bike, something ready for whatever terrain is beneath the wheels.

We chose our Cross Check frame for this platform because of its proven versatility. Already well-known as an excellent do-all frame, friendly with skinny tires or fat, derailleurs or single-speed drive trains, the Cross Check takes just about anything you throw at it and handles it like a champ, on-road or off the beaten path. If you’ve owned one you know. We changed the name and color to distinguish it from a normal Cross Check, but the Travelers Check is otherwise the same animal. Mostly. Brazed into the top and downtubes of the Travelers Check, S&S Machine Company’s BTCs (bicycle torque couplings) are machined stainless steel pieces that allow the bike to be broken into two halves for transport or storage. S&S calls them BTCs but they’re more commonly known as S&S Couplers. Other companies have designed bikes that split in half, but S&S couplers work so well we didn’t feel the need to design anything else. With the couplers installed, each tube end fits to the other via precision-machined teeth covered by a threaded sleeve. Properly lubed and tightened, the teeth resist torque forces while the threaded sleeve holds it together securely. This design allows the frame to retain its ride quality and strength without adding a lot of weight. Installed, the full set of couplers adds only about 8 oz (227g) per frame. They look snazzy too.

One of the main reasons to buy a frame like this is that the resulting bike can be fit into a case small enough that airlines won’t charge you the normal bicycle rate, which tends to be quite pricey. But this brings some responsibilities on your part. You need to know that in order to fit your bike in a case this size you have to do a fair amount of disassembly, which is easy, but when you get to your destination you have to reassemble it, which is not as easy. You will need the basic tools and know-how to safely remove and reinstall your wheels, your handlebar or stem, your pedals, possibly your fork (especially on larger frames). What we’re saying is that there is a minimum level of knowledge required to use a frame like this.

Be sure and visit S&S Machine’s website (sandsmachine.com). Their story, their recommendations for care of your S&S Couplers, and their own reasons for why a frame with S&S Couplers is good for you can all be found there.

Colors: Brownlow, Deep Water Blue