Author Topic: Cycling UK clear plastic bike bag  (Read 2555 times)

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Cycling UK clear plastic bike bag
« on: 14 February, 2020, 05:15:41 pm »
I'm going to be cycling down to Nice in the late summer and coming back by train. You can't take assembled bikes on the TGVs but several people have suggested taking a bag and partly disassembling the bike (removing the wheels, I guess), so I was having a look at this clear plastic bag from Wiggle.

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/ctc-cycling-uk-plastic-bike-bag/

The reviews are generally favourable. I'm amazed that people trust their bikes to baggage handlers with so little protection, but perhaps the lack of protection helps.  I'd be interested to know if anyone has used these on French trains and whether they had any problems.
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: Cycling UK clear plastic bike bag
« Reply #1 on: 14 February, 2020, 05:54:36 pm »
The TGV jobsworths are very likely to reject a simple clear plastic bag.    The SNCF site says that you need a "housse" - a.k.a. bike bag and has quite mean maximum measurements.   Googling will find a few suppliers.

Something we have used is a sheet of the black "j cloth" membrane you have for stopping weeds in a garden used as wrapping -  remove wheels and cable tie either side of the frame, wrap the package with duct tape.  Just chuck it all away when you reach the destination.   Watch the size - if the bike has mudguards or a rack you'll probably be outside the size limit.

The reasoning behind the CTC clear bag for air travel is that the baggage handlers can see what it is and look after it (or give it an extra bashing, depending on how they feel!)

Rob

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Cycling UK clear plastic bike bag
« Reply #2 on: 14 February, 2020, 06:12:02 pm »
Like he says, the bike basically needs to be disassembled to within the stated dimensions and then covered.  A friend and I used bike rain covers that we bought from the nearest Decathlon and tapped down to size.

Re: Cycling UK clear plastic bike bag
« Reply #3 on: 14 February, 2020, 06:24:47 pm »
I bought a lightweight bag to travel to and from Germany by train last year. The bag had no padding, and would take the bike with wheels removed. It weighed less than 500g I think, and I strapped it to the lower part of the bike’s downtube during the riding.

Within the trains it wouldn’t fit fully in the luggage areas, but it didn’t extend enough to cause any issues.

I’m planning to use it again this year for trips to Switzerland and SW France. I’d say these types of bag are good when you are moving it around onto trains, but I’d be tempted to add some padding to key areas if others will handle it ... bagged up clothing might be suitable. Just be careful not to put too much in, as the bag with bike is hefty to lug around.

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

Regulator

  • That's Councillor Regulator to you...
Re: Cycling UK clear plastic bike bag
« Reply #4 on: 15 February, 2020, 11:06:32 am »
I'm going to be cycling down to Nice in the late summer and coming back by train. You can't take assembled bikes on the TGVs but several people have suggested taking a bag and partly disassembling the bike (removing the wheels, I guess), so I was having a look at this clear plastic bag from Wiggle.

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/ctc-cycling-uk-plastic-bike-bag/

The reviews are generally favourable. I'm amazed that people trust their bikes to baggage handlers with so little protection, but perhaps the lack of protection helps.  I'd be interested to know if anyone has used these on French trains and whether they had any problems.

Have you checked whether your TGV has bike spaces?  Many of them do now - but you have to book. 

https://www.sncf.com/en/passenger-offer/travel-for-everyone/bike-on-board

Map of bike-friendly TGV lines.
Quote from: clarion
I completely agree with Reg.

Green Party Councillor

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Cycling UK clear plastic bike bag
« Reply #5 on: 15 February, 2020, 01:19:02 pm »

Have you checked whether your TGV has bike spaces?  Many of them do now - but you have to book. 

https://www.sncf.com/en/passenger-offer/travel-for-everyone/bike-on-board

Map of bike-friendly TGV lines.

Ooh - that's interesting. I had looked on the SNCF site recently but the impression I had (backed up by reports elsewhere) was that the Nice-Lyon and Lyon-Paris services* would not take assembled bikes.  I shall explore more.

*(I'll be stopping off to see a friend in Lyon for a few days on the way back)
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Cycling UK clear plastic bike bag
« Reply #6 on: 15 February, 2020, 01:29:56 pm »
https://www.seat61.com/bike-by-train.htm#France is useful for bikes on French trains but recent rolling stock and operator changes are making it more difficult to transport assembled bikes in TGVs e.g. getting to Bordeaux seems to have 1 train a day that allows assembled bikes and Ouigo never allows assembled bikes. I couldn’t find any Paris-Lyon train that allowed assembled bikes.

I understand that the new double-deck stock doesn’t have any bike spaces. By the way, you have to travel 2nd class with an assembled bike where bikes are allowed on TGVs. No bike spaces in 1st class TGV ever.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Cycling UK clear plastic bike bag
« Reply #7 on: 15 February, 2020, 02:33:10 pm »

I couldn’t find any Paris-Lyon train that allowed assembled bikes.


I think there may be a combination of local snail services that I can put together which will take bikes but, if not, my back up plan is to leave the bike in Lyon, which will give me an excuse to go cycling around those parts and then back to the UK next summer  :thumbsup:
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Re: Cycling UK clear plastic bike bag
« Reply #8 on: 15 February, 2020, 04:44:16 pm »
There’s a TER service from Paris to Lyon via Dijon that’s not *that* slow. It’s advertised as a through service but I had to change at Dijon. It has normal French train bike hooks in the vestibules.

(Or at least there was a couple of years ago)

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Cycling UK clear plastic bike bag
« Reply #9 on: 15 February, 2020, 04:50:07 pm »
Yes, HK and I used that multi-train option to get to the start of a couple of Flèche Velocio near Dijon (thanks T42) a few years ago.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...