Taking a bike on a train

[a.twiddler]

On reflection, since I was travelling well away from London and the south east, there is no "Brompton culture" and the vast majority of travellers would not even recognise it other than to perceive of it as some weird folded contraption in a bin bag. Still, it pays to be careful.

 

[mjr]

Were you sitting nearby and watching it? I would be worried that somebody would pick it up and walk off with it!

As famously happened to a former CEO of Cycling UK.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Were you sitting nearby and watching it? I would be worried that somebody would pick it up and walk off with it!

When I was commuting I'd do either or both of two things.
Put it into the luggage rack then extend the seatpost a bit. This would lock it inside the luggage rack and unless you reached in and dropped the saddle it wouldn't come out. Just so happened that the luggage racks on the service I was using were just the right size for this to work.
Secure it to the luggage rack with one of those little skinny combination cable locks. I normally didn't bother scrambling the numbers, so I only had to press the button to release it.

Plus of course I twitched nervously and looked at it every time anyone moved in the carriage.

 

[mjr]

Secure it to the luggage rack with one of those little skinny combination cable locks. I normally didn't bother scrambling the numbers, so I only had to press the button to release it.

It's probably worth warning people that locking stuff to a UK train technically invalidates your ticket, but I doubt you'd ever meet a guard strict enough to toss you off the train for it. More chance of someone walking off with the bike.

 

[Dogtrousers]

It's probably worth warning people that locking stuff to a UK train technically invalidates your ticket, but I doubt you'd ever meet a guard strict enough to toss you off the train for it. More chance of someone walking off with the bike.

Yes, I was aware of that, but decided to risk it. If anyone had complained (and I doubt anyone even noticed) I'd have removed it.

 

[Oldhippy]

Sounds stupid but I just wheel my bike on at the station whatever the company running it. I never go on busy times and only in the southern half of UK. Got challenged once but after apologies and offering to get off was told don't worry about it.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Sounds stupid but I just wheel my bike on at the station whatever the company running it. I never go on busy times and only in the southern half of UK. Got challenged once but after apologies and offering to get off was told don't worry about it.

On most of the trains round London that I use for my regular rides that works fine for me too. I ride out into Kent or Sussex and get the train home. And in fact there's nothing to challenge. These services alllow bikes and don't take reservations. Some of them have bike carriages, which I use if I can. Rest of the time I just lean my bike in the lobby by the doors.

But these aren't inter city trains at busy times.

 

[T4tomo]

When I was commuting I'd do either or both of two things.
Put it into the luggage rack then extend the seatpost a bit. This would lock it inside the luggage rack and unless you reached in and dropped the saddle it wouldn't come out. Just so happened that the luggage racks on the service I was using were just the right size for this to work.
Secure it to the luggage rack with one of those little skinny combination cable locks. I normally didn't bother scrambling the numbers, so I only had to press the button to release it.

Plus of course I twitched nervously and looked at it every time anyone moved in the carriage.

I'd try to get the aisle seat of the "facing seats" nearest the door lobbies, put the brommie next to it (as that bit was wider so still) room for people too walk thru) and use the saddle as an armrest, but often end up stood in doorway with it between or behind my legs!