Eurostar & Bikes

[bairn again]

I've just booked my bike to be transported fully assembled heading London - Paris on 16th Aug and Paris - London 23rd Aug. 

I post here as I wasn't able to get my bike on either service that I'm travelling on (1331 out and 1213 back) and the person I spoke to said they had quite a number of bookings - so if you're  thinking about it, don't hang about. 

So in return for an eye watering £70 charge I wont have to dismantle and box the bike.  I am of course now going to be at the merci of the Euro dispatch staff.  I'm sure that as the event approaches that I will wake up in a cold sweat with the image of a bent rear mech or suchlike in my mind. 

However I'm hoping that come the morning of 23rd August all will have been well and I will be thankful not to have to do anything other than drop the bike off at the Gare du Nord.  Dismantling a bike after PBP is my least fave memory of each of the three Ive done.   

Oh yes and if youre travelling on either service do say hello.  I'm on the sleeper overnight from Edinburgh Thu/Fri (already booked). 


 

[Realslow]

Also booked on those dates.
Reckon £70 is worth it for luxury of being able to wheel on and off.

[SPB]

I don't wish to add to your worry, but the one time I took my bike on Eurostar (fully assembled, Paris to London) it didn't make it on the train despite my having pre-booked and paid the premium for it to be.  The handlers at St Pancras just sort of shrugged.  It turned up on the next one, but I was glad I didn't have far to ride from there or a connection to make.

I have no idea if that was a freak failure of the system or a frequent occurrence.  But if I were doing it again I'd factor a chunk of contingency into my timetable..

[bairn again]

But if I were doing it again I'd factor a chunk of contingency into my timetable..

Aye that was also a concern (and will be until the minute I'm reunited with my bike, especially on the way out).

I'm staying Friday night about a mile from the Gare du Nord so if my bike shows up anytime Friday or even Saturday morning i should be ok (depends on bike check time of course).

On the way home I'm likely to stay over in London for at least one night so again I am hoping there's enough slack.     

[Ian gaggiaport]

I've stopped taking my bike on Eurostar.
The bike boxes supplied are too small for a bike with a rack and mudguards, even a quill stem is too much for the thin cases... They are more like a flight case for a bass guitar than a touring bike.

On a fully assembled bike it's the bikes clashing together on the hooks that will damage the frame.
Especially the paint work. So protect with cardboard.
Especially if you have just forked out on an Argos respray

French porteures will happily pass you your bike from the train rather than wait at eurodispatch.

Shame really because it could be so much better, for no extra cost to the company.

[Jay_70_One]

Last year I had to return hastily from a bike trip through Spain and France due to a family bereavement and the customer services were awful at Paris - my bike was loaded with luggage etc and i had to strip it all down including water bottles and as I had no way of carrying the bags, they gave me a massive bin liner which i then had to strip down further at the security check, only just catching the last train. When I got to London the bars had been bent and it had clearly been forced into a space - just what i needed when i was in such an emotional state. Thats why I'm going eurotunnel this time and driving!