roadrash
cycle chatterer
- Location
- sitting on the edge of wigan pier
I bet you could rent a car for a week for the £140 you was quoted for the train
Sending bike ahead with a courier?
- Thread starter KneesUp
- Start date
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OP
OP
KneesUp
Guru
That is true - but it'd cost me the same again in fuel and add 14 hours of driving into the mix.
I really thought the plane solution would be great - I could even do 2/3 of a days work and still be in Inverness at a reasonable hour - in fact I've been thinking today that surely an independent hotel would take delivery and allow collection of the bike for me if I'd booked in for my first and last night, but in thinking that it's occurred to me that I haven't allowed for the cost of returning the bike by courier. Maybe I should add a few days on either side and just ride it there and back
It seems because of the dimensions of a bike you can't get them couriered for much less than the cost of taking them on the plane - but as often happens, what seems like a good idea at the time turns out not to be!
On this subject, don't be fooled into thinking that by sending items such as bikes by "air freight" within the UK will mean that they somehow get better cared for.I use most of the nationals to send out my materials every day but I would not send my own bike using one.The drivers are way stressed out and the box will get thrown from truck to depot to truck, it won't matter how many "Fragile" or "Careful" labels you put it on it, they haven't the time to deal with it any differently to any other "parcel".
I used to drive for a company that transported air freight around the UK on behalf of the airlines ...... by truck. Once the stuff arrives at Heathrow it won't see the inside of another aircraft. It is cheaper to send it to Manchester, Glasgow, Aberdeen etc. by road. Same applies to exports, it all goes to London by road, before being flown out of the country.
Having seen the way "air freight" gets handled, I am very loathe to leave my bike at the mercy of any airline.
Cameronmu917772
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Fife
Why not try uship.co.uk? They bid to take your item so if it's you and a bike you might get a good deal?
Think we are all abit miffed mate. If I was passing I would pick you up. I'm only 20 mins from Perth staition and it's 3 hours on one train from there. Renting a car seems like the best idea? Although I'm sure you can rent a van for a week for around 100 pounds.
Think we are all abit miffed mate. If I was passing I would pick you up. I'm only 20 mins from Perth staition and it's 3 hours on one train from there. Renting a car seems like the best idea? Although I'm sure you can rent a van for a week for around 100 pounds.
Cameronmu917772
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Fife
Hey what about we start a thread to get mr knees up from his home up to Inverness? All we do is offer to put him up, offer him a shower and a hot meal? And then on to the next destination? I would watch that on the tv and what with this great forum I reckon we could do it?
What do we think? @KneesUp you fancy it
What do we think? @KneesUp you fancy it
Ticktockmy
Guru
- Location
- Crawley, West Sussex
From Crewe you would only need to change once in Edinburgh, when you book in advance you book your bike space, easy pezzey. I have travelled to Inverness and Glasgow from down south here many times and have had no problems, that includes having to cycle across London from London bridge Stn to Euston Stn. At least the bike is with you, and not being thrown about in the back of a white van. And lets face the travel to and from the start point is part of the fun.
e-rider
Banned member
- Location
- South West
getting your bike shipped to a hotel (or anywhere) is risky. Once the recipient has signed for it, if it goes 'missing' then that's it - gone! I doubt many hotels, if any would agree to this idea.
shipping your bike by courier is also very risky, both in terms of it arriving several days later than expected, and also arriving damaged. They just literally throw stuff about.
shipping your bike by courier is also very risky, both in terms of it arriving several days later than expected, and also arriving damaged. They just literally throw stuff about.
OP
OP
KneesUp
Guru
I think it's a better idea than my courier oneHey what about we start a thread to get mr knees up from his home up to Inverness? All we do is offer to put him up, offer him a shower and a hot meal? And then on to the next destination? I would watch that on the tv and what with this great forum I reckon we could do it?
What do we think? @KneesUp you fancy it
OP
OP
KneesUp
Guru
It does seem ridiculous that trains are so expensive and booking bikes on to them is so open to problems - and that taking the bike on the plane is so expensive too. It is quite a long way though I suppose. The courier/plane option would be so stress free - roll up at the airport with hand luggage, get on a plane, read a book, arrive in Scotland an hour or so later, get a cab to the hotel, wheel my bike to my room and go to bed, ready to start in the morning. If only it would work!
I tried Shiply the other night just to see what quotes I got - they ranged from £40 to £120, but as others have said, it might turn up broken if it turns up at all.
I like driving, and I've driven to Scotland many times, but I thought there might be a more relaxing way to get there. Perhaps there isn't!
OP
OP
KneesUp
Guru
Sheffield to Crewe on the train involves changing at Stockport and that journey alone takes between 1hr 20 and 1hr 50.
I can get a ticket that has only one change (York) but it still takes over 7 hours compared to 1hr 25 on the plane (plus time to get to Manchester and check-in - say 4 hours in reality) Hmm - maybe the train isn't so bad. Ticket is £55 up and £47 back (why, I don't know!) with one change on the return (Edinburgh). When I looked the other day there were no 1 change options - must have been the times I put in.
How often does a booked bike space fail to be available?
Ticktockmy
Guru
- Location
- Crawley, West Sussex
I always been lucky on the run from Euston to Inverness and to Glasgow, only time I had a small problem was at Glasgow when people who had not book a bike place had grabbed the space, I just made a scene, stamped my feet and had a tantrum, and they got asked to leave. the only other time was at Carlisle Stn, when I turned up without a booking and had to wait a hour for the next train. so overall its not much of a problem If going to Inverness, it if you want to go further north as there is only 3 bike places on each train. It might be of interest, In the summer there is a Bike bus from Inverness to Durness. normally leaves Inverness after the London/Inverness sleeper arrives the Bus station is next to the Rail Stn.
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
It think it is perfectly doable if you have somewherecto send it to. A hotel for your first night stop, for example. Just e mail the hotel and make sure they have a place to put it until you get there.
I have used this site several timeswithout problems.
http://www.shiply.com/
I have even moved 2 motorbikes with this site.
An alternative is to buy a cheap bike in the place you are going to and leave it somewhere handy to be liberated after you have left. We bought 2 road bikes in Carcassone using the local newspaper. We paid less than £30 each for them. They served the purpose and got us everywhere we wanted to go for 2 weeks. All we had to do was take our saddles. It was a gamble but it paid off.
Steve
I have used this site several timeswithout problems.
http://www.shiply.com/
I have even moved 2 motorbikes with this site.
An alternative is to buy a cheap bike in the place you are going to and leave it somewhere handy to be liberated after you have left. We bought 2 road bikes in Carcassone using the local newspaper. We paid less than £30 each for them. They served the purpose and got us everywhere we wanted to go for 2 weeks. All we had to do was take our saddles. It was a gamble but it paid off.
Steve
