.... coat the hook with some rubber-type padding so it doesn't scratch my expensive rims to **** with 6 hours of metal vibrating against metal (there isn't room on the existing hooks to use your own padding)
I usually (when I remember) carry a short section of old inner tube for putting over the hooks. It's not super effective but better than no padding at all. Has been deployed on sleeper trains in the before days.
I used to do that on the older trains with hooks, but on these, believe me, there isn't a spare millimetre if you have fat MTB tyres. Even with road tyres it would be a real struggle due to the hook shape and location.
Can't you just deflate the tyre to get the inner tube cushion in place, I mean you'll be carrying a pump for emergencies in any case surely?
Possibly, just - that doesn't really excuse the terrible design though. In any case, as I said, even with slimmer tyres it's a real PITA to get the wheel in place and so would trying to fit an inner tube sleeve be. Difficult to explain how difficult unless you've experienced it.
Yes - personally I carry a pump at all times, but I'm sure there are many that don't. In any case why the hell should I have to deflate/reflate my tyre every time I get on a train.
I mean, really, it's not as if we're dealing with a legacy product the isn't suitable for today's requirements. These carriages were designed recently and with a design brief to accommodate bicycles. Something has gone very badly wrong*
* Unless of course the brief was to make it a difficult as possible to get a bike on the train, in which case they have succeeded.