Author Topic: Getting Bike To Europe  (Read 11825 times)

Getting Bike To Europe
« on: 15 June, 2018, 03:09:46 pm »
Hi,

In October, I am going on this www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/cycling-holidays-italy/venice-porec cycling holiday and was wondering how best to get my bike there given I don't drive, anyone have any ideas or a similar experience?

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #1 on: 15 June, 2018, 03:14:46 pm »
Ride there.

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #2 on: 15 June, 2018, 04:00:48 pm »
Fly?  Mestre is where Venice Marco Polo airport is. You can ask the hotel to keep your box/bag pending your return.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #3 on: 16 June, 2018, 07:18:02 am »
Even if you could drive, Venice is a long way. Flying would be by far the most convenient. If you don’t have a bike box, go to a bike shop and ask them for one of the big cardboard boxes new bikes come in. You may need to disassemble your bike a bit (wheels, mudguards, pedals, turn handlebars). The outstanding issue is getting yourself and bike box to/from airport by public transport.

Getting there by ferry and train is doable also but that’s an adventure in itself.
I am often asked, what does YOAV stand for? It stands for Yoav On A Velo

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #4 on: 16 June, 2018, 08:11:43 am »
Venice is actually quite easy by train.
Eurostar to Brussels.
Belgian IC to Welkenraedt
cycle 11km to Aachen Hauptbahnhof
regional train to Cologne
Austrian nighttrain from Cologne to Munich (or Innsbruck)
Austrian daytrain from Munich (or Innsbruck) to Venice.
I would prefer this option.

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #5 on: 16 June, 2018, 09:04:15 am »
Sleeper train from Paris to Venice is also a very pleasant journey.

Torslanda

  • Professional Gobshite
  • Just a tart for retro kit . . .
    • John's Bikes
Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #6 on: 16 June, 2018, 09:06:55 am »
Fly there. Hire a bike.
VELOMANCER

Well that's the more blunt way of putting it but as usual he's dead right.

Phil W

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #7 on: 16 June, 2018, 09:46:09 am »
Cost of taking a bike can be as much as hiring a bike, depending on airline. So bike hire may be best option. Just remember brakes other way round.  You can usually take your iwn pedals and have them fitted. If the seat tube fits you may even be able to take your own saddle with you to fit.

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #8 on: 16 June, 2018, 11:17:52 am »
Sounds a very nice trip btw.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #9 on: 16 June, 2018, 01:27:58 pm »
Venice is actually quite easy by train.
Eurostar to Brussels.
Belgian IC to Welkenraedt
cycle 11km to Aachen Hauptbahnhof
regional train to Cologne
Austrian nighttrain from Cologne to Munich (or Innsbruck)
Austrian daytrain from Munich (or Innsbruck) to Venice.
I would prefer this option.

You can actually do a slightly better version that doesn't require the 11km ride to Aachen.

Take the Eurostar direct to Amsterdam, then from Amsterdam you have a choice of either a train to Arnhem, then the regional train to Dusseldorf for the train to Munich,

Or you can take the Berlin train, and change at Osnabruck, then on to Köln, and follow Ivo's route.

Hmm, thinking about it further. There is one slow train a day from Brussels direct to Basel via Luxembourg. So Eurostar to Brussels, then Brussels to Basel, then Basel to Innsbruck, Innsbruck to Venice. It may work better on timing to get the train from Basel to Zurich, then Zurich to Innsbruck. If you're in no rush, and want to enjoy your journey as much as your destination, between Zurich and Innsbruck get off at "Buchs" and cycle across the border to Liechtenstein. Have a coffee in the Capital Vaduz, then take the fantastic climb into the centre of the country via Steg to Malbune. Have lunch there, then descend back down to Buchs, to continue your journey. Liechtenstein is a fantastic place to visit. It's like a bitesize Switzerland. Does nice wine, which they don't seem to export. (Useless trivia, worlds largest exporter of false teeth...)

Long distance EU trains that accept bikes are not as common as they were, the High speed trains don't like you taking a bike. But there are a few trains each day that do accept bikes. (IC8/9 Hamburg<->Zurich for example). The Bahn.de planner has a useful "bike space required" option, that will only give you routes that accept bikes. Tho it can get a bit confused by some Benelux combos due to NS putting incorrect info in their system. (Officially you can carry a bike on the Brussels<->Amsterdam Slow train, but in the system it's marked as only between Brussels<->Essen, and Rosendaal<->Amsterdam, which confuses the planner).

This is my primary reason for my new bike being an S&S coupled bike. Means I can box it up and get on an ICE train, makes travel a lot easier.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #10 on: 17 June, 2018, 10:30:06 am »
As I said, getting there by train is an (enjoyable) adventure by itself.
I am often asked, what does YOAV stand for? It stands for Yoav On A Velo

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #11 on: 17 June, 2018, 10:37:06 am »
You don’t really need to get S&S couplings if it’s just travel by train. Some friends of mine got a couple of ‘bike bags’ made from lightweight nylon into which they put their bikes into when on the train, which then fold up and go into their panniers once on the road.
I am often asked, what does YOAV stand for? It stands for Yoav On A Velo

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #12 on: 17 June, 2018, 10:55:43 am »
It is very difficult to get a normal-sized bike into a Eurostar-sized (max. 85cm length) package. It is pretty easy to do so with S&S couplers, Ritchey Breakaway or a Moulton.

TGVs and other European trains are easier to pack for (max. 120x90cm bag) but mudguards still have to come off unless you have S&S couplers.

We regularly travel to various parts of France by train with bikes and still have to select how we get to Hamburg in August. Using the Thalys means that bagging is needed even if you spend the money to put your bike on Eurostar ready-to-ride. Some TGVs and sleeper trains accept ready-to-ride bikes.

https://www.seat61.com/Italy.htm and https://www.seat61.com/bike-by-train.htm are useful if you don't want to fly. I'd tend to fly to Italy, given the time and cost needed to get there by surface travel.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

LMT

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #13 on: 17 June, 2018, 12:00:10 pm »
Hire a bike box and fly. When I went to GC last year I hired a box for £60 and flew there. No hassle or dramas, takes about 20 minutes to put the bike together/take it apart.


Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #14 on: 18 June, 2018, 04:30:43 pm »
Remove the wheels and pedals, turn the handlebars, and get the bike shrink wrapped for 12.50.

https://www.heathrow.com/airport-guide/terminal-facilities-and-services/bag-wrapping

You'll need some bubble wrap to pack the wheels against the bike before shrink wrapping.

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #15 on: 18 June, 2018, 08:03:33 pm »
Remove the wheels and pedals, turn the handlebars, and get the bike shrink wrapped for 12.50.

https://www.heathrow.com/airport-guide/terminal-facilities-and-services/bag-wrapping

You'll need some bubble wrap to pack the wheels against the bike before shrink wrapping.

But make sure you can do the same thing for the return trip from Venice or you could end up looking a bit silly. When I organised a little welsh tour for the RCTL (8 years ago) one of the chief worries that could have scuppered the ride was making sure we had storage for our bike boxes for the return trip.

On the subject of boxes from cycle shops make sure they fit under the oversize scanner. Ours came from Decathlon and needed shortening to go through the system at Liverpool. One had not been shortened and the scanner operator very kindly hand-inspected it but that involved opening it up and the tape for reclosing it was in another box that had already gone through the system.
Bike boxes can be carried a certain distance to suitable storage folded into three and slung over the back with long luggage straps. I think the record for this is over 50kms (but that's Dominic and Lucien, they're a bit "special")

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #16 on: 18 June, 2018, 09:29:57 pm »
Remove the wheels and pedals, turn the handlebars, and get the bike shrink wrapped for 12.50.

https://www.heathrow.com/airport-guide/terminal-facilities-and-services/bag-wrapping

You'll need some bubble wrap to pack the wheels against the bike before shrink wrapping.

But make sure you can do the same thing for the return trip from Venice or you could end up looking a bit silly.

Also shrink wrapping leaves the rear mech vulnerable unless removed and taped inside frame, and dropouts need spacers.  Oh and baggage handlers. Hire a proper bike box.

ETA you can leave the box at the airport.

http://www.veniceairport.it/en/at-the-airport/left-luggage-and-porter-service.html
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #17 on: 18 June, 2018, 09:42:22 pm »
It's a linear your so how does he get a proper box from one end to the other?
I've traveled plenty with cardboard boxes and always been fine, bit then I tend to do a bit more packing than the norm: I remove and tape the rear mech, and fit something between the dropouts.

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #18 on: 18 June, 2018, 10:05:07 pm »
At Heathrow:

Charges
Left luggage prices
Duration    Price per item
0 - 3 hours    £7.50
3 - 24 hours    £12.50
24 - 48 hours    £20
48 - 72 hours    £27.50
72 hours plus    an additional £5 for each 24 hours thereafter

Martin

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #19 on: 18 June, 2018, 10:39:15 pm »
Gatwick- Venice return on easyjet, get a cardboard bike box from a bike shop free at each end (£70 return for the bike); done this sort of thing many times


otherwise just get completely in the machine and hire one of their bikes?

It's a linear your so how does he get a proper box from one end to the other?

it's a ferry back from Porec (flying back from Pula on the advertised itinerary sounds improbable but he might as well go all the way back to Gatwick from there if possible as otherwise he's going to be stung another night in Mestre; but they don't fly every day)

you used to be able to get a pretty sturdy compact bike bag from Decathlon; it looked good and went into a small rucksack but prolly didn't give any more protection than the CTC clear version; worth looking for as it can go with you on the bike and gives you instant packing at the airport 10 min from arrival to check in.

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #20 on: 19 June, 2018, 09:45:04 am »
Taking bikes via eurostar is an absolute nightmare. If you don't get one of the extremely limited on board bike storage places you have to get it couriered, and there's no guarantee it'll be at the station when you arrive. They ask you set aside 24 hours before you can get your velo back. And the whole enterprise costs another £50.

It's such a joke, I ended up losing patience with trying to figure it out and just booked a ferry instead. No extra fee, friendly chap on the phone telling me I'll be able to lock it up on board, I'll be the first to roll off the ferry, and it's less than 1/3 the cost of the train. Marvellous.

In your position I'd just treat myself to a Pinarello or Bianchi for the duration of the trip via hire.
YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
https://bit.ly/2Xg8pRD



Ban cars.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #21 on: 19 June, 2018, 10:16:50 am »
We take bikes on Eurostar several times each year. Sometimes we take the ready-to-ride option, occasionally pre-booking but usually potluck. Never had a delay in getting our bikes back (edit - wrong, once when we were on the last train of the day) but you have to hand over the bikes 90 minutes before boarding, which is a pain. Sometimes the bikes are transported on a train before us.

Otherwise we pack our Moultons, S&S bikes or Bromptons into sub-85cm lightweight bags and take them on board with us. We've not yet chosen the dismantle into Eurostar's box option but it doesn't look difficult if you don't have low-rider racks and suchlike fitted.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #22 on: 19 June, 2018, 11:41:31 am »
On the blurb it suggests that the price includes bike hire, although with a city style 3x9 speed bike. Given the distances are relatively short, why not just take your saddle?

Cost of taking a bike can be as much as hiring a bike, depending on airline.

BA consider sports equipment part of your luggage, when travelling I use the CTC clear bag http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ctc-cycling-uk-plastic-bike-bag on the basis that it looks like a bike and will tend to get handled properly, I've never had any damage. It's light enough to carry around with you, so if you have a 13Kg bike you have weight to spare when it comes to luggage, as you can carry on panniers. Normally, 23Kg is enough, if you are carrying everything with you. Again, as these folks seem to move your luggage for you, maybe they can move a bike box? Frankly, most are still more cumbersome than a plastic bag, though.

Only once had random snottiness checking in my panniers as well "Only ONE piece of luggage" but they relented when I said, OK, I'll just carry it on.... I carry light nylon straps to bind the two panniers together making it easier to carry and to check in.

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #23 on: 19 June, 2018, 04:24:40 pm »
I got that snootiness on my flight over the Atlantic with TAP last week.  I ended up running round the airport to get then bound together with plastic (the nearby stall for doing this being closed) and all while already running late due to check-in throwing a 20 minute spasm when I turned up with a US tourist visa rather than an ESTA.  It rather rankled when I'd already had to pay €100 for the bike though my entire luggage setup weighed less then the limit.  Not impressed with TAP!

All the short haul European carriers such as Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2 are fine though.  You have to pay a few quid for the bike but from then on it's a stress-free experience.

Re: Getting Bike To Europe
« Reply #24 on: 19 June, 2018, 08:41:47 pm »
Gatwick- Venice return on easyjet, get a cardboard bike box from a bike shop free at each end (£70 return for the bike); done this sort of thing many times


otherwise just get completely in the machine and hire one of their bikes?

It's a linear your so how does he get a proper box from one end to the other?

it's a ferry back from Porec (flying back from Pula on the advertised itinerary sounds improbable but he might as well go all the way back to Gatwick from there if possible as otherwise he's going to be stung another night in Mestre; but they don't fly every day)

you used to be able to get a pretty sturdy compact bike bag from Decathlon; it looked good and went into a small rucksack but prolly didn't give any more protection than the CTC clear version; worth looking for as it can go with you on the bike and gives you instant packing at the airport 10 min from arrival to check in.

In our experience bike shops don't get delivered every day and most don't have the space to keep large lumps of waste cardboard. Checking which day of the week is delivery day and/or negotiating can be worthwhile activities.