I just went and measured my rockhopper since my epic is still broken.
the overall length is good 23" (verified on specialized website for the epic)
the fork is the longest part, 26" but i can put that sideways in the case easy.
wheels are 26" including the tires.
wow, this might be doable.
I'll have to find or build a 26x26x10 box
save myself a few hundred bucks on my vegas trip over christmas break vs renting a bike
I can't wait to get in trouble for wheeling a mountain bike across the casino floor into the hotel room