Bikes on Trains

newpot
newpot Posts: 34
edited April 2010 in Commuting chat
Taking my expensive ish road bike on the train on Friday, does anyone have any tips as what to do and not to do with while traveling with a bike?

Comments

  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    Ring ahead, check the train companys website etc.

    Don't travel at rush hour or you might not get on but that depends on the what the above says.
  • newpot
    newpot Posts: 34
    iPete wrote:
    Ring ahead, check the train companys website etc.

    Don't travel at rush hour or you might not get on but that depends on the what the above says.

    thanks for the speedy reply, where do you put the bike and do you need to lock it? sorry for simple questions but I live on an island where we don't have any trains
  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    Ah, I'm in central London so I'm sick of the things but not as much as the traffic.

    Find out what train companies your traveling with and get in touch with them. If they are like the trains down here, there are often parts of the train near the toilets that have seats to the side and a large standing area where you can sit with your bike.

    For longer journeys your rail company might have special compartments to leave the bike in. Take a lock with you anyway.
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    newpot wrote:
    iPete wrote:
    Ring ahead, check the train companys website etc.

    Don't travel at rush hour or you might not get on but that depends on the what the above says.

    thanks for the speedy reply, where do you put the bike and do you need to lock it? sorry for simple questions but I live on an island where we don't have any trains

    Depends a lot where you are and hence which TOC (Train Co.) you are using. If your island is in Scotland & you'll be using ScotRail, then you'll probably be fine, unless it's very busy.... elsewhere is likely to be more difficult, but I don'tknow enough to help...

    Cheers,
    W.
  • el_presidente
    el_presidente Posts: 1,963
    newpot wrote:
    Taking my expensive ish road bike on the train on Friday, does anyone have any tips as what to do and not to do with while traveling with a bike?

    There are a huge variety of trains, tell us your journey and then we can hopefully advise
    <a>road</a>
  • newpot
    newpot Posts: 34
    el_presidente wrote:
    newpot wrote:
    Taking my expensive ish road bike on the train on Friday, does anyone have any tips as what to do and not to do with while traveling with a bike?

    There are a huge variety of trains, tell us your journey and then we can hopefully advise

    I am flying into Gatwick, taking a bike in a bike bag to central London, then taking the bike only to Warwick Parkway, then riding it back the next day
  • rupertm1
    rupertm1 Posts: 14
    I regularly get the Gatwick Express at 6pm and have often seen 'regular' bikes on the train (not boxed,folders or bagged) Not sure what the rules are but the guards have never said anything about them. Im normally on the brompton and tend to fold it to get it out of the way of the suitcases although the train has been blissfully empty over the last few days!
  • londonlivvy
    londonlivvy Posts: 644
    Gatwick Express or Southern Trains have space for bike bags and you'll be fine.

    Re the trip to warwick, according to the National rail website, reservations aren't necessary
    http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/tocs_maps ... tails.html
    BUT you can't travel before 7.30pm with a bike (in theory - you may be lucky before then).

    Guards tend to get funny about you locking the bike to the train (something to do with evacuation plans or something) so I just tend to sit near the bike slot area and keep an eye on it. Usually your main issue is with people leaning themselves or heavy luggage on it.
    http://minxcompendium.blogspot.com/
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    londonlivvy wrote:
    .... Usually your main issue is with people leaning themselves or heavy luggage on it.

    My most common problem is with buggies- the bike storage bays seem to be popular parking spots for them and parents often seem very reluctant to give them up...

    Cheers,
    W.
  • W1
    W1 Posts: 2,636
    londonlivvy wrote:
    Gatwick Express or Southern Trains have space for bike bags and you'll be fine.

    Re the trip to warwick, according to the National rail website, reservations aren't necessary
    http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/tocs_maps ... tails.html
    BUT you can't travel before 7.30pm with a bike (in theory - you may be lucky before then).

    Guards tend to get funny about you locking the bike to the train (something to do with evacuation plans or something) so I just tend to sit near the bike slot area and keep an eye on it. Usually your main issue is with people leaning themselves or heavy luggage on it.

    Helps if it's decently covered in road muck/oil....!
  • newpot
    newpot Posts: 34
    Thanks for all the replies really helpful
  • BlackWhite
    BlackWhite Posts: 2
    I regularly travel Warwick - Banbury with a non-foldy bike at normal commuter times (7-8ish and 5-6ish) on the Chiltern service.

    I've never been told I can't take it on, despite the Chiltern terms & conditions, and there is usually space in the bike bit or just against the opposite doors (but the stops I go to have the platforms all on the same side!).
  • newpot
    newpot Posts: 34
    BlackWhite wrote:
    I regularly travel Warwick - Banbury with a non-foldy bike at normal commuter times (7-8ish and 5-6ish) on the Chiltern service.

    I've never been told I can't take it on, despite the Chiltern terms & conditions, and there is usually space in the bike bit or just against the opposite doors (but the stops I go to have the platforms all on the same side!).

    Again stupid question but where is the bike bit
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    newpot wrote:
    ...
    Again stupid question but where is the bike bit

    All the rolling stock I normally use has a door marked with a bike symbol (usually alongside the wheelchair one) to mark the bike bit.
    What you get depends on the Units in question- most of the ones on my lines are DMUs with a bay by the door that has a U-shaped bar projecting from the wall to support your bike. There are some services run by older stock with a long, narrow cupboard that will take a couple of bikes and others that have a hanging space at the end of the carraige for up to six. Most sets have a couple of these bike-bits, so will usually take four bikes, more for a six-car set.
    Irritatingly, the ones that run north through Perthshire at the weekends are two or three car sets that will only take two bikes... makes it well-nigh impossible to plan a group ride involving a train!
    The EMUs on our suburban lines don't seem to have dedicated cycle space. You're still allowed to take your bike but where to load it is a bit hit & miss.
    Check the website for your TOC- there ought to be a section dedicated to cyclists with details of policies and advice on how to use their services. If there isn't, ask them why not and suggest they look to:

    http://www.scotrail.co.uk/travelinfo/cycle-info.html

    For some hints...!

    As the weather warms up the bike-bits get crowded. I've seen cyclists turned away a couple of times by JobsWorth conductors, but mostly they turn a blind eye to three or four bikes in a bay that's supposed to be for two...

    Cheers,
    W.

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