What bikes work well on trains/buses?

[matticus]

[Sorry, I'm asking as a real pholders philistine! ]

I really like riding "normal" big-wheeled bikes ... but also love the idea of travel/touring where you can put your bike on any bus/train.

Where is the compromise sweet-spot? What's the closest to a "normal" bike that UK trains/buses will welcome?

[IF it helps narrow the discussion: I'm not too worried about folding speed, as I would see this bike as mostly riding, some public transport. So not like a commuting bike.]

 

[Drago]

My intercity Disc 9 has been fine on the train, the packed tube, and the sleeper. Tales of woe, death, explosions and pestilence that Brompton owners throw my way have all failed to materialise.

After all, the difference between me and a normal sized person is far greater than the difference between a folded Brompton and a folded Tern and I don't have any difficulty on a packed tube train.

Best bit is it rides like a proper big bike and not some small wheeled blancmange.

The caveat is that I'm a big lad so toting it about while folded is light work for me. Mind you, if should be fine for any normal mortal, and if your priorty is mostly riding anyway then something of that nature (ie, a Tern type folder) is ideal and swings the needle a little towards the ride side of the balance while still being perfectly manageable on public transport.

 

[Kell]

The bike I had that rode most like a 'normal' bike was a Dahon Matrix. Mine cracked. In fact I had two that cracked (one Lockjaw version and one of the more classic Dahon frames) so I can't really full recommend one - but then I'm a fat knacker. If you're less than 95kg with your luggage, you'd maybe be OK.

Because it rode like a normal bike, it felt like it should be quicker, but in practice, it wasn't any faster than my Brompton. In fact as I rode the same route day after day, I think the Brompton ended up being faster.

Bike Fridays always look good. As do Airnimals and the Montague/Swissbike options with 26" wheels. The front wheel has to come off to fold, which I always felt would make them unsuitable for commuting - you don't really want to be handling wet wheels in the middle of January when your hands are already freezing for example - but for your use could be good.

Dahon Matrix (Lockjaw version):

Swissbike/Montague:

Airnimal Joey Sport

Bike Friday Pocket Rocket

I have no experience of taking a bike (Brompton or otherwise) on a bus.

 

[T4tomo]

if you're travelling on a crowded commuter train into a city like London, then Brompton wins hands down as the fold is much better.

If you're wanting something that folds on a normal uncrowded train then literally anything that folds, will help you avoid any restrictions and save you having to prebook a bike space.

if you are happy to prebook a bike space, or take pot luck that you'll get one of spaces, then most bikes are allowed on trains (some wont take tandems or massive trikes)

Haven't got a clue about buses and coaches

 

[FrankCrank]

Did a few bus journeys back there with a Carerra Intercity (20" wheeled folder) and no issues.
On one occasion, saw a passenger board a bus with a full sized road bike, so all up to driver discretion it seems.
Even this most basic of folders gives a very nice ride, almost comparable to full size, but with the ability to get me to places I would otherwise miss out on. I've no experience of train travel with a bike, will leave that for others to comment

 

[Dan Lotus]

I would have thought a Brompton G line fits the bill perfectly - I am very tempted but have not yet bought one.
Am a member of the related Facebook page, and plenty of people have carried out tours on them, with great success.

 

[All uphill]

I frequently take a full size bike on our local trains without problems. This works for a few reasons:

I'm not close to one of the major cities.

I can avoid rush hour 99 per cent of the time.

I don't worry about getting a space - if I have to wait 30 minutes or an hour that's fine.

In the last 8 years and, I estimate, 100 train journeys I've been refused entry to a train once and asked to leave the train once

 

[matticus]

I frequently take a full size bike on our local trains without problems. This works for a few reasons:

I'm not close to one of the major cities.

I can avoid rush hour 99 per cent of the time.

I don't worry about getting a space - if I have to wait 30 minutes or an hour that's fine.

In the last 8 years and, I estimate, 100 train journeys I've been refused entry to a train once and asked to leave the train once

Well good for you!

 

[biggs682]

My Giant Halfway rides like a big wheeled bike IMHO and they don't cost an arm and leg second hand

 

[All uphill]

Well good for you!

Maybe it could be good for you too?

 

[Drago]

if you're travelling on a crowded commuter train into a city like London, then Brompton wins hands down as the fold is much better.

Bingo! I knew that wouldn't take long.

As aforementioned, I have zero difficulty on busy trains or packed tube with a conventional folder. How does a Brompton improve upon "no problem whatsoever?"

The theory is nice, a slightly smaller (albeit slightly heavier) package, but in reality it doesnt make any practical difference.

 

[matticus]

Maybe it could be good for you too?

Thank you for the positive thoughts

But to be clear:
I have considerable experience with (normal) bikes on UK trains. And a little in France/Nederlands/Switzerland (some pre-planned, some not). Just the one trip on a bus (EMBER - Deeside, Sssshcotland)
I've been on crowded trains where really someone should have had their bike turfed off. I've also worried that I'd be late for something if my gamble for a space failed. (Living in SE-ish England and working regular hours, I can't always pick empty services).
And I've often looked at bus maps and thought - hmm, maybe a folder would work there ...

I'm also thinking of foreign trips, so being able to use untested public transport would be handy.

 

[Kell]

Bingo! I knew that wouldn't take long.

As aforementioned, I have zero difficulty on busy trains or packed tube with a conventional folder. How does a Brompton improve upon "no problem whatsoever?"

The theory is nice, a slightly smaller (albeit slightly heavier) package, but in reality it doesnt make any practical difference.

There were definitely times when I had the Dahon that I would turn up for a train and not be able to get on. While it folded in half, the folded package was not small. So sometimes the Brompton's size was definitely a plus.

However, I do think that any situation where you couldn't get on with yours would 'probably' mean someone with a Brompton would also struggle.

What I would say is that in the 20 plus years of regularly commuting in to London, when you hear a bike crash and fall over on the train, it's never a Brompton - it's always another folder that doesn't have the stability as a folded package.

 

[Baldy]

I've travelled with a loaded mountain bike and my tourer also loaded up with panniers on Scot rail trains. Sometimes on the Oban line you get the special bike train which has half a carriage for bikes, but not always. On other trains you have to hang your bike up in a cupboard, it seems very much pot luck which you get. If you can get on you're on.

 

[mjr]

Did a few bus journeys back there with a Carerra Intercity (20" wheeled folder) and no issues.
On one occasion, saw a passenger board a bus with a full sized road bike, so all up to driver discretion it seems.

Yes, driver discretion on buses and guard and station staff discretion on trains, within reason. The theory on buses, according to cpt (the confederation of passenger transport) some years ago, is folded and bagged bikes should be allowed anywhere there's space, same rules as bulky shopping, but in practice, you hear of both bikes allowed on unbagged and/or unfolded, and the occasional insistance that the bag should be opaque and not identifiable as a bike!