Advice on retrofit...

[TxDoc]

Hi ladies,
I've been thinking for a little while about installing couplers on my older steel bike. The main purpose would be to travel with a regular sized bike case and avoid the surcharge. My fiance' has a break-away and takes it everywhere, while usually I pay a lot in airline travel for a full-size case, or I just give up and rent a road bike when I get to the destination. Either way, it's at least $200 for a trip - compared to zero if the bike has couplers. Now that makes a difference!
I looked around on bikeforums and on the s&s website, but of course the list of framebuilders that can do a retrofit is like one page long - and I have absolutely no clue how to pick one. A couple of mechanics I know have worked with Waterford, Zinn, and De Salvo before, and said they were all pretty much the same.
Anyone here on TE had a retrofit done, and if yes would you share your experience? Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks!

[DebW]

Triskeliongirl had a retrofit. I had a custom frame made with S&S couplers. I did ask my builder about retrofits, and he said he can't do it on many frames. It's a function of how the frame is butted. You can't put the coupler in a place where the frame internal diameter is changing. In a new build, the framemaker can control where the butts are. I think I understood him to say that older steel frames are more likely to be doable than more modern frames that have more serious butting. But maybe older frames are less worthwhile to convert for other reasons. So I think it's much easier to find a builder to custom build a new S&S frame than to find someone to retrofit couplers.

[Triskeliongirl]

I was very pleased with the work Bilenky did on my retrofit. You can see her here at his webiste (Feronia):
http://www.bilenky.com/Terry_Isis.html

I highly recommend his work. He was recommended to me by Georgena Terry (I sent you a PM with more info.).

As Deb said, it will depend on the tubing whether it can or can't be retrofit. Its the odd shaped or fat tubing that can't be. Its not cheap to do though as it will also require some repainting, so be sure you love your frame first. I have a couple of friends that just completed tours on their break aways that were also really pleased, so if their frame geometry works for you, you can pick up a frame at reasonable cost (close to cost of retrofit). Their cross frame has stays for a rear rack. My friends rigged racks on the road frames and did light touring on them just fine even though they aren't touring frames.

[TxDoc]

Thank you for the info. I saw their website and the work they do is impressive!
I really do love that steel bike: it's a Bianchi Eros frame, fitted with Campy group and wheels, Deda carbon wing bars, carbon stem, seat, cages etc. It's very comfortable and smoking fast!
The Eros has pretty much round tubes all over, so it should be feasible.
I am emailing Bilenky right now, so we will see what they recommend.