Folders and national express east anglia

[bazzadigz C+]

Hi folks,

a quick question, my commute is about to change and on my return leg I have to travel by train from liverpool street to Harold wood every evening. Problem is I'm 17 st and the commute will be around 20 miles in addition to the train. I'm looking for a folder on the ride to work scheme and I am very interested in the Dahon Cadenza 8/XL as I'm not sure if I'll be comfortable on a Brompton

I have looked at the national express east anglia website and it say that full size bikes are banned from 16:30 to 18:30 but there are current not restrictions on folders, the problem is I know dahons are often refered to as half folders but does anyone know if they are restricted like full size bikes during rush hour or are they treated as folders? I will buy the over the shoulder bag to carry the bike while on the train.

Any help or advice on this would be a great help

many thanks in advance

 

[upsidedown]

Hi Bazza, can't help with the trains sorry, but a folder is a folder.
I'm 16 st and had a Cadenza 8, it was a great bike but the folding mechanism was terrible, the joints wore out after about 6 months of daily use. This was the type with the new lockjaw mechanism.
If you're sold on the Cadenza i would look for the older type with the big clamp type joint; i see a few on my commute nd they look pretty indestructible.
Can't see you having a problem on the train if you fold it and remove the bars.
If the 20 miles is each way i would reconsider your choice though

 

[chap]

Perhaps predictable but I would recommend a Brompton. I was heavier than you, and found them no problem. You could possibly find a 2009 model at the cheaper prices.

Although, I would not recommend a Brompton if you are a tinkerer and wish to add many other components onto it, since they do prefer their propriety parts.

 

[TheDoctor]

I'd always go for a Brommie over a Dahon. Brompton have had the same folding mechanism since day 1 - Dahon have about 5 on the go at once and seem to change them every year. This doesn't inspire confidence in me.

 

[Crankarm]

Thought Brompton was the only folder. Anything else is only an imitation .

 

[hackbike 666]

National Express?

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

 

[srw]

Brompton, definitely. I rode one when I was *blush* 20.5 stone. The only effect my excess weight seemed to have was that the seatpost needed replacing about every three years.

And I've never ever seen anyone bother with a bag. Certainly wouldn't recommend a shoulder bag - these things are heavy enough that you want to carry them in your hand, and wheel them when you can.

 

[Origamist]

Bazza, some train companies do not accept 26" folding bikes under their folding bike regs. I'd contact National Express to check their policy and ask if they intend to change it any time soon...

 

[Andy 71]

Hi Bazzadigz,

I travel from Liverpool St to Chelmsford on the same line. The guidance is this:

"
Some trains are very busy, we regret we are unable to carry any cycles:

• on any services south of Broxbourne or Shenfield booked to arrive at Stratford or London Liverpool Street between 0745 and 0945 (except reserved spaces on Intercity services)
• on any services booked to leave Stratford or London Liverpool Street between 1630 and 1830 (except reserved spaces on Intercity services and on any services north of Broxbourne or Shenfield)
• on any services booked to leave Audley End or Ely towards Cambridge between 0745 and 0845."

So, technically you can't take you bike on those services, whether folder or not.

As the owner of 2 Dahons (one bought, one donated), I can only offer you once piece of advice - BUY A BROMPTON, even if 2nd hand. Dahons are a false economy - the frames always go in strategic places. Also, you won't be able to get any bits for them because the importers want you to keep buying new bikes rather than patching up old ones.

Brommies are exactly the opposite. They last forever with the right sort of care and you can get parts in abundance for them. They fold up much neater and smaller than most, and are just a far superior machine.

BTW - I weigh over 18st, and have had no trouble riding Brommies.

 

[ChrisKH]

I've never had a problem taking my Brompton on an outbound Liverpool Street train regardless of time. Mind you I didn't know they had a policy saying you couldn't.....

I also have a Dahon Cadenza but haven't needed to use Liverpool Street with it (yet). I can honestly say I would prefer to use the Dahon in preference to the Brompton for anything over a couple of miles.

 

[Lurker]

According to the usually authoritative atob website, no restrictions apply to folding cycles in this case - see http://www.atob.org.uk/bike-rail.html#Anglia

Also, from National Rail's website:

"Folded cycles

Folding bicycles are carried free of charge and without restriction on all services, subject only to the additional requirements for
specific services set out below:

* c2c and Stansted Express - Folding bicycles should be transported in a protective carrying case
* East Midlands Trains, East Coast and South West Trains - Carried free of charge provided they can be stowed as luggage
* London Overground - Carried free of charge, up to a limit of one per vestibule area at peak times."

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/passenger_services/cyclists.html


Mind you, latest on atob website is that "c2c appears to have dropped the requirement for folding bikes to be enclosed in a container or case."

Useful info about allowable dimensions of luggage, and travelling with a bicycle generally, on atob at http://www.atob.org.uk/Bike_Rail_2.html

 

[SavageHoutkop]

A recent discussion on Brompton Talk centred around someone being thrown off a train with a 'folding bike' (make not yet confirmed). If it's a Brompton, when folded it fits the 'luggage size' regs; but you should cover your bases and make sure you carry a bag with you, as also on the national rail site linked to above it does request you cover the bike. Now, folders are not specifically defined in the conditions of carriage; so you could probably argue the toss either way about whether it's a bike or a bag; but if it's not covered I think it'd be a 'bike' and you could be stuck.