Non-standard Bikes on Trains

[Psamathe]

Not very helpful, but at least you are allowed to take your bike on the trains, unlike in my country.

What country is that?

Ian

[mjr]

Not very helpful, but at least you are allowed to take your bike on the trains, unlike in my country.

What country is that?

Canada, if my search is correct.

[Mick F]

I'm in my early 70s, fit and healthy but with little upper body-strenght. Never had much body-strength and I have never been able to do many press-ups despite being strong and fit. Run? Cycle? Easy peasy.

I've just tried to lift my 531c Mercian high enough for the hooks. I can do it ...............but only just.
Mercian 10.6Kg 23lbs 5.9oz

Tried Moulton. Cannot do it!
Moulton 14.2Kg 31lbs 4.9oz

Therefore, being the awkward sod that I am, I'm going to ride Moulton to Exeter, and ask for help to hang, and un-hang. If they can't, it'll be left horizontally.

Give it the right weather-window, and I'll be riding there.
Expect an update to this!

[RickH]

My "trick" for lifting a bike onto a hook is to tip it onto its back wheel, hold the handlebars with both hands and use one thigh against back of the saddle to raise the bike up while using your hands to steer the front wheel onto the hook. Most of the lifting is then done with leg muscles.

Also, if you are bothered about scratching the front wheel on the hook take a piece of old cloth* with you & wrap that round the hook before putting your bike on it. (*such as a 3rd life J cloth that has already been retired from kitchen duties & reaching the end of its life for bike cleaning )

[ChrisF]

Seems like GWR will only accept 'non-standrad' bikes. I downloaded their PDF 'Cycling by train' today:

When making a reservation, please be aware we can only guarantee your bike will fit if it has a tyre width of 7cm or less and a rim diameter of 50cm or less

Hmmm .. all my (fairrly standard) bikes have a rim diameter of somewhat more than 50cm (20 inches).

[scragend]

Seems like GWR will only accept 'non-standrad' bikes. I downloaded their PDF 'Cycling by train' today:

When making a reservation, please be aware we can only guarantee your bike will fit if it has a tyre width of 7cm or less and a rim diameter of 50cm or less

Hmmm .. all my (fairrly standard) bikes have a rim diameter of somewhat more than 50cm (20 inches).

Clearly no one at GWR knows anything about bikes!

I'd love to see a bike with 70mm tyres and 20 inch wheels. Would be an interesting contraption, but at least it would be allowed on a GWR train!!

[Mick F]

We have booked our tickets to Exeter and back for Thursday . Two days time.

I'll be taking Moulton's front wheel and a tape measure. I'll see the actual heights of the hooks and see if the front wheel will fit.
I know Moulton's wheel-base as 42" so I can see where the rear wheel will fit.

Then after getting home, I'll be checking how high I can lift the beast vertically.

I rode to Plymouth yesterday and caught the Gunnislake train home. I arrived at the station a little early, and went to a nearby platform where an intercity GWR train was standing. I photographed the illuminated signs showing the train layout. The three instructions change over too quickly. Ten seconds to do the three. Unless you are familiar with the painted numbers on the platform surface and understand what the illuminated signs are saying, and you can read it all quickly enough and arrive early enough to get your bike to the correct place, you're stuffed!

These are my photos. Now I've seen them and inwardly digested them, I'll be in a better position when (or if) I do this ride to Exeter.

[PH]

Then after getting home, I'll be checking how high I can lift the beast vertically.

Good luck. Fitting bikes into tiny cupboards has to be one of the stupidest design ideas ever. It doesn't have to be a non standard bike to make it so, it isn't an appropriate space for any bike I've ever owned.
For me it isn't so much the lift, as the maneuverability. My bikes hang by the front wheel at home and I have no trouble getting them onto the hook as I have the space, In the confines of a train carriage and those bike cupboards it's a different story. Unless I'm going touring, most of my train travel is now done with an Airnimal Joey, I don't bother booking as I can fold it if I need to, but usually don't have to. With a short rear mudguard it's easy to pivot it onto the back wheel and wheel it around vertically, I do that before boarding the train - Mind the gap - so it's into the cupboard and under the hook before I need to lift. That's as easy as I can make it, it's still a considerable lift from an awkward position. I've attended several manual handling courses, for various employment roles, and this is a lift that you wouldn't be permitted to do at work.

[toontra]

I've attended several manual handling courses, for various employment roles, and this is a lift that you wouldn't be permitted to do at work.

Well indeed. A test legal action by someone who's injured doing this might raise the issue above a few moany cyclists. Whoever was responsible for the commissioning, design and approval of these cubicles needs prosecuting.

Where were the CTC/CUK when this was going through?!

[Mick F]

Hi guys, and good afternoon.

Moulton's front wheel is removed, cleaned, and ready for taking onto the train (s).
Having looked at my photographs, I wonder if it will fit.

Not tried lifting the beast up high enough yet, but it fills me with horror to even consider it.

Just a measure-up reveals that the 20" 406 CR18 rim with 28h and a Son dynamo and laced radially, gives 38mm between adjacent nipples and obviously less as you move up towards the hub.
Presta valve notwithstanding!

28mm Nutrak tyre.

Stand by for a photo or two tomorrow.

[Mick F]

PS:

What happens if you have a bike like this?

[toontra]

PS:

What happens if you have a bike like this?



Screenshot 2024-04-17 at 20.00.18.png

Drill a hole through the fairing

I'm very nervous of hanging my best bike by its carbon wheels.

[Mick F]

Hi guys!

Exeter trip went well and educationally. I now know that I won't bother with GWR Intercity at all.
That's the blunt info.

Story:
Took the train from Gunnislake to Plymouth, carrying a bag with Moulton's front wheel and a tape measure. Got on the Exeter noon train (Coach H) where my booked seat was and with a short walk to the bike stowages.

The train had left Penzance on its way to London Paddington, and was fairly full of passengers.
After we got going - 1st stop was Totnes - I left my seat and went for a shufti at the stowages.
First thing I noticed that both sides were being used for luggage. Starboard side had suitcases, and port side has a walking frame in there.

Way above the entrances into the stowages way above my head-height and not far from the ceiling, were the tell-tales of whether the bike stowages were booked.
Obviously they weren't but it could be very easy to consider that a passenger might not even look up the heavens to see the read-out. In fact, I didn't see them until later when I went to measure up.

I measured up on the port side where the walking frame was.
The top hook on the outboard side was 69" from the deck. I'm 5ft 9ins so it was as high as the top of by head. I have tried, and I cannot lift Moulton that high.

Also I measure the internal width of the hook frame nd it was 2.5ins.
I hung up Moulton's front wheel and it wagged about alarmingly. The system seems to be aimed at strong people who ride wide-tyred bikes. Moulton's wheels are narrow alu and with 28mm tyres. Mercian's are even narrower and with 23mm tyres. The hooks are totally and utterly unsuitable.

Basically, I'm going to knock the whole idea on its head .................... but whilst waiting for my return train at Exeter, I saw the train heading for Okehampton. It's a basic three-car local train and checking earlier, I see that you don't and can't book bikes on, just like you don't on the Gunnislake/Plymouth trains.
Therefore, I could ride to Exeter and take the Okehampton train and then either ride the 20miles home from there, or get Mrs Mick F to pick me up in the car!

Too much trouble we think.

[toontra]

It's depressing, isn't it Mick. I've been dealing with this for 4 years now on GWR and more recently LNER. It's shocking that this is what we have to contend with for decades hence.