Does anyone leave a bike in Europe for touring each Summer, etc?

[treydavis]

I've done two self-guided Euro bike tours so far and I'm planning on another one later this year (summer '24). I did not like the experience of flying with a bike (tear down, packaging, schlepping the box, trying to get it through the airports, and putting it together all over again. The worst part was worrying about them being lost. On the first trip they did get lost, luckily it was on the return trip. I've thought about buying a bike in Europe and leaving it there this time, perhaps in Zurich or somewhere fairly central where I can take a .5-1 day train ride on the first day with my bike fully assembled and with stress and failure points at a minimum. Anyone have experience with this or have a completely different suggestion? I will be going to Europe at least 1x per year for the next 20 years, health permitting.

 

[All uphill]

I've not tried flying with my bike; it just seems to be a huge faff, but then I don't like the whole airport/flight thing at the best of times. My solution is two fold:

I use trains and ferry to get to the Netherlands or France. It's a bit time consuming but enjoyable, I find. The cycle across London has become a part of the tour.

The other thing is that I have a bike that 'lives' in the Netherlands; easy for me because my son lives there.

If you need to fly is it worth trying to find a bike shop that will sell you a bike and then store it?

 

[Ridgeway]

I've done two self-guided Euro bike tours so far and I'm planning on another one later this year (summer '24). I did not like the experience of flying with a bike (tear down, packaging, schlepping the box, trying to get it through the airports, and putting it together all over again. The worst part was worrying about them being lost. On the first trip they did get lost, luckily it was on the return trip. I've thought about buying a bike in Europe and leaving it there this time, perhaps in Zurich or somewhere fairly central where I can take a .5-1 day train ride on the first day with my bike fully assembled and with stress and failure points at a minimum. Anyone have experience with this or have a completely different suggestion? I will be going to Europe at least 1x per year for the next 20 years, health permitting.

Bike storage in Zurich for a year would likely cost about the same as the bike😂 not the cheapest place to store anything…

However you can leave a bike in my barn near Lausanne as long as you want, price a coffee or a beer 👍🏻

 

[Jameshow]

Bike storage in Zurich for a year would likely cost about the same as the bike😂 not the cheapest place to store anything…

However you can leave a bike in my barn near Lausanne as long as you want, price a coffee or a beer 👍🏻

I'm on my way!!

 

[ColinJ]

How long is each trip going to be? If only a couple of weeks, why not just rent a bike each time when you get there?

I haven't been abroad for years but having experienced stress and bike damage in the past when taking a bike to Spain, I promised myself to rent a bike there instead if I ever went again.

I have the equivalent of @Ridgeway's barn storage at my sister's cottage in Devon. I go down for 4 or 5 one week holidays a year and keep a bike locked up there. It is so much nicer not having to mess about getting bikes on and off packed trains every time I visit.

 

[Julia9054]

Why not take your bike on a ferry (I've done this loads of times) and then jump on a train with it to the bit of Europe you want to cycle in?
Most European countries are light years ahead of the UK when it comes to sticking bikes on trains.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I've done two self-guided Euro bike tours so far and I'm planning on another one later this year (summer '24). I did not like the experience of flying with a bike (tear down, packaging, schlepping the box, trying to get it through the airports, and putting it together all over again. The worst part was worrying about them being lost. On the first trip they did get lost, luckily it was on the return trip. I've thought about buying a bike in Europe and leaving it there this time, perhaps in Zurich or somewhere fairly central where I can take a .5-1 day train ride on the first day with my bike fully assembled and with stress and failure points at a minimum. Anyone have experience with this or have a completely different suggestion? I will be going to Europe at least 1x per year for the next 20 years, health permitting.

Hi Trey & welcome. Maybe you could let us know where you're based? If in the UK then ferry and train is the way to go.

The idea of leaving a bike "parked" somewhere else is something I've come across before and nearly did myself once - by necessity, not choice.

If you're coming from far away the notion of the mother of all bike tours comes to mind. Arrive, cycle, leave bike in situ, come back next year and continue from new place. A slowly, slowly cover-all-of-Europe tour. (I understand that's not what you're thinking of but I could imagine that 20 years of heading off from Zurich could get old quite quickly).

The problem is going to be getting a secure place to store it. Anyone I've come across doing such a thing is leaving it with friends/family. Leaving a bike for 12 months is a big ask! Not sure how good it would be for the bike either?

If you are seriously contemplating 20 years of air travel have you considered either a folding bike or an S&S coupling (allows a full size bike to fold). Either option offers up the option of a hard case for transport - but there's still the "lost in transit" problem. Mind you, it also makes public transport more manageable within Europe extending your range. There's still all the building up and breaking down too but it should be more manageable.
Here are the journals on CGOAB for folding bikes.

Of course, you could just say "feck it!" and move over. Then you could ride in Europe every day!

 

[Gillstay]

My chum in Australia keeps a bike in my shed and has done for years. Custom fit so no use to me either as he is built like a silverback.