LNER bike storage update

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pal
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Joined: 22 Mar 2008, 11:49am

LNER bike storage update

Post by pal »

For a while, there have been rumours that LNER was going to try to make its bike storage slightly less impossible to use (for anyone with anything other than a carbon framed, thin rimmed bike…). Exciting news live from Kings Cross is that they’ve now done this on at least one of their trains: the hooks have been lowered, and they’ve installed some mini-ramps to make it easier to lift the bike up. The (always broken?) divider thing in the middle has gone too.

I think it’s an improvement; or at least, I was able to get my bike onto the inside hook with no difficulty (this was generally impossible with the old layout, because the hook was too close to the ceiling, even for my 32mm tyres…). My hunch is that it still probably won’t work too well for fatter tyres and deeper rims, but it’s definitely better than it was.

The train I came south on still had the old-style storage, so I guess they’re rolling this out in stages.

(Pics to follow once I’ve worked out how to upload them!)
Jdsk
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Re: LNER bike storage update

Post by Jdsk »

Thanks.

Let us know if you need help with the photos.

Jonathan
bohrsatom
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Re: LNER bike storage update

Post by bohrsatom »

Sounds promising - would love to see the pictures
pal
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Joined: 22 Mar 2008, 11:49am

Re: LNER bike storage update

Post by pal »

Pictures, as promised: one with the empty space, one with my bike in situ.

(The 'smart' image editor is insistent that the wheels should be on the bottom, and so has auto-rotated the image: does anyone know how to stop this happening?! If not, though, please rotate these pics 90 degrees anti-clockwise in your mind's eye...)
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Photo 09-05-2022, 19 10 48.jpg
Photo 09-05-2022, 19 10 43.jpg
Jdsk
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Re: LNER bike storage update

Post by Jdsk »

Photo 09-05-2022, 19 10 48.jpg
Photo 09-05-2022, 19 10 48.jpg (38.4 KiB) Viewed 1242 times
Photo 09-05-2022, 19 10 43.jpg
Photo 09-05-2022, 19 10 43.jpg (54.59 KiB) Viewed 1242 times
Jdsk
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Re: LNER bike storage update

Post by Jdsk »

Thanks for the photos.

Jonathan
pal
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Re: LNER bike storage update

Post by pal »

And thanks to Jonathan for getting them the right way up! :D
beeb
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Joined: 13 Aug 2014, 6:39pm

Re: LNER bike storage update

Post by beeb »

Thanks, we travel with our thorn ravens from Inverness to Newcastle in a few weeks time. We have big tyres and full mudguards. I have requested assistance as I am not strong enough to hang my bike like that neither is my wife. We shall see?
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pjclinch
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Location: Dundee, Scotland
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Re: LNER bike storage update

Post by pjclinch »

Our 'bents will be travelling from Dundee to Newcastle (and subsequently back up from London) this summer, so any improvement is welcome! Come the time I'll follow up on what a game we had (and also compare and contrast with a trip on Nederlandse Spoorwegen projected as part of the same tour)

Pete.
Often seen riding a bike around Dundee...
beeb
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Joined: 13 Aug 2014, 6:39pm

Re: LNER bike storage update

Post by beeb »

Just looking again at this, would having full mudguards be an issue, might have to try it upside down? Anyone tried?
Steve X
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Joined: 14 Apr 2021, 7:47am

Re: LNER bike storage update

Post by Steve X »

I wonder if at the brainstorming, blue sky thinking session any of the LNER executives thought to try and put a bike in one of the racks they are suggesting.

I can imagine the session consisted of the type of people that one sees on The Apprentice and think that all bikes are Carbon Framed racing bikes, and the leader of team INFINITUM, was chosen because they were the only one to progress beyond the having stabilisers removed. (sorry for my cynicism, :-( )
thirdcrank
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Re: LNER bike storage update

Post by thirdcrank »

All other things being equal, IME it's immeasurably easier to hang a bike up by the back wheel than the front. Above a certain height - not applicable here - I find it impossible to hang a bike by its front wheel because of the waggle. OTOH even quite heavy bikes can be lifted high up if they are gripped by the down tube and head tube a few inched from the headset. I speak as a weakling.
Jdsk
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Re: LNER bike storage update

Post by Jdsk »

beeb wrote: 12 May 2022, 10:19am Just looking again at this, would having full mudguards be an issue, might have to try it upside down? Anyone tried?
I don't think so in that particular carriage. But in several others it's much easier if they don't get in the way when you try to manoeuvre the bike standing up on it's back wheel. That also depends on whether you can do a dead lift.

Jonathan
toontra
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Re: LNER bike storage update

Post by toontra »

thirdcrank wrote: 12 May 2022, 10:51am All other things being equal, IME it's immeasurably easier to hang a bike up by the back wheel than the front. Above a certain height - not applicable here - I find it impossible to hang a bike by its front wheel because of the waggle. OTOH even quite heavy bikes can be lifted high up if they are gripped by the down tube and head tube a few inched from the headset. I speak as a weakling.
My concern about hanging by the back wheel would be stuff on the handlebars (e.g. sti shifters - expensive and fragile) getting damaged by someone hanging a bike next to it by the front wheel. There's more weight swinging about lower down. They would also be more vulnerable to crude (but understandable) attempts to manhandle another bike onto the outer hook.
Jdsk
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Re: LNER bike storage update

Post by Jdsk »

thirdcrank wrote: 12 May 2022, 10:51am All other things being equal, IME it's immeasurably easier to hang a bike up by the back wheel than the front. Above a certain height - not applicable here - I find it impossible to hang a bike by its front wheel because of the waggle. OTOH even quite heavy bikes can be lifted high up if they are gripped by the down tube and head tube a few inched from the headset. I speak as a weakling.
Ease of lifting depends enormously on access.

Last week on the new Caledonian Sleeper I needed to lift each bike to hang it from one wheel on a hook. But at least I could stand in the corridor and lift them short-armed because the storage position was transverse to the train and there wasn't a wall in the way.

But some GW and I think those LNER restrict the access so that you have to work at arm's length. That's much tougher and carries a much greater risk of back injury.

Jonathan
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