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Anyone got any experience of hanging a fat bike by the rear wheel on a Scotrail train? I fear my rim (65mm internal) may be too wide to fit in - is there a recommended bodge?
On a related note, for the other end of my trip I’ll be departing from a remote station on the Far North line (date/time/station TBC) and hoping for a bike space. Can one be booked even if the ticket cannot be collected from a machine?
Are you sure it hangs? I was on the train to Strathcarron last week and it was on the floor.
Take a strap to wrap round the rim if you're convinced they hang.
As regards booking you can normally collect the ticket from a few larger stations and/or self-service machines. However, given there are few bike spaces, if you've reserved one online and have an email confirmatiom then I reckon you'll be fine.
FWIW I've never been turned away by a guard/conductor, even when not booked.
It’ll hang on the way up (West Highland Line) but I’ll be returning on the Far North line at an unspecified time. The other option is pushing over to Wick as it’s staffed but I guess that will be rammed with Lejog folk
I was on the train from Perth to Inverness last night and the bikes sit on the floor with a rack to tie them to.
The other option is pushing over to Wick as it’s staffed but I guess that will be rammed with Lejog folk
As it's an unmanned I reckon telling the guard that was the other option might just do
Pretty sure all the trains have a rack with straps which you hang the frame on.
I don't hang my bike as the rim can get damaged.
Really? All my bikes hang by their rims in the garage and we hang most of the bikes at work..
maybe its just the shite train I get on my line. The metal hooks are worn and rough.
if the rim is too wide, take something to pad it, so the hook doesn't damage it?
Brought my pugsley back from Fort William to Glasgow on the train. Can't remember what I did but it was not a problem.
Ive seen people use s shaped hooks to hang bikes on trains. Get a padded one that fits your rim and hook the other end to the train hook?
Last time I put my bike on the train at Oban every bike hook was in use. The guard then refused to let a local guy get on the train with his bike despite their being floor space and the guy only going one or two stops.
If possible I'd suggest getting a booking for the return on the Wick line. Even in only for the Wick - Inverness leg. As stated it's popular with the LeJog crowd. At under a £10 for a Wick -Inverness single it wouldn't be a great loss if the booked train was missed and pot luck needed to be taken.
From Inverness douth there are far more trains and getting a bike space on the day not likely to be a problem.