Great Western Coffee Shop

I’ve recently purchased myself a bike, this morning I cycled to Looe to burn off last night.
I’m not yet fit enough to cycle back so used the train, but it got me thinking how complex cycling by train can be. Irrelevant to the Looe branch but on the Cornish mainline I can turn up on go on some services and others I need to book in advance. I can work it out which services are 150/153 operates from the lack of 1st class marker on the timetable, but would a general passenger know this? I’m fortunate to know enough to plan around non hst/voyager services with my bike.
It’s rather a tight fit getting my bike into a 153 though, the doors being very narrow with a tight turn needed to access the bike rack but I got there

I think the info is all out there if one isn't afraid to check, rather than simply assume trains carry bikes.

In theory it should be indicated in the timetable. It isn't always. (Such as the time not too long ago when I tried to take my bike on the service which the timetable said would be a reservation-free Turbo, but a 180 turned up. The guard did eventually let me on, but not without a sternly-delivered lecture.)

Sadly taking full-size bikes on GWR has become such a palaver these days that, nine times out of ten, I now take my folder. I'm lucky in that I have a folder capable of long-distance rides (https://www.bikefriday.com/folding-bikes/bikes/new-world-tourist-folding-touring-bike/), but most folding bikes aren't really suitable for country leisure cycling - think Bromptons with their three-speed Sturmey-Archer gears.

On the online journey planner I can see no indication at all.

Hmmm ... for many people, it come from knowing how to check, which is not obvious!  [noting Rickwarwicker's follow up - not on the journey planner so you need to find the .pdf timetable online.    Simples??]


I'm noting that an HST is running one diagram of Taunton to Cardiff today (odd when there should be more 166s about?) and so I expect there will be similar issues there is the train manager is a "Jobsworth".

This issue of cycle reservations was brought home to me at Chippenham a in the autumn.    Passenger with cycle waiting to travel on the 17:53 to Trowbridge ... 17:53 cancelled and he had to rush over to the booking office to get a cycle reservation - although it was announced that tickets "via Melksham" would be honoured via Bath Spa, no such concession is offered for people with cycles who plan to travel on units that are cancelled and fall back to HSTs!

Surely the newbie cyclist taking their bike for the first time wiuld either ask at a ticket office and/or the National Rail/TOC (if they knew which one) website. I certainly wouldn't expect the online planner to tell you directly. Trains generally carry people, not cycles per se

The bike situation appears to be deteriorating, less bike spaces marked on SWR now.
Glad for a Brompton, and with the six gears (hub and derailleur) it gets me where I want, only weak pint is the ageing legs. Otherpeople must be thinking the same way, I am regularly questioned about the details of the Brompton and how to buy one.

 I've noticed an increase of cycle rack provision at some stations in Devon.
 
 So when we get our new 'express trains', I assume the provision for cycles will be the same as
 Cross-Country services, which is limited.
 Also I believe luggage and cycles have to 'fight it out' for limited space available.
 At Totnes a XC service at 0750 usually has more than it's fair share of cycles, but some of the
 Train Manager's, bar one, are quite accommodating.

 Hence I assume the new cycle racks are their for this reason .

Also on the XTC going to Southampton when there is a cruise ship due to leave you can expect all the bike spaces to stacked with luggage.

They might be, but if they're intended to reduce demand for cycle spaces on trains, I don't know they'll work. The only way I can see that would work is by persuading people who commute at each end by bike and take their bike on the train, to leave a bike at each end instead; or to walk, bus or whatever at one end, leaving their bike at the station. I'm not sure how successful it would be in persuading people to do this, as it relies on people wanting to do so now but being put off by lack of bike parking at one or both ends. And it won't affect the demand from people who want to take their bike somewhere (on holiday or whatever).