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I live in the west of Edinburgh and work in the city centre and have a folding bike.
I'm thinking about cycling to work (4 miles) and taking the train home. (The wind seems to usually blow from west to east!)
I'm just wondering what it's like taking a folding bike on the train at Haymarket at rush hour. I have a feeling it might be a bit of a faff.
If anyone has any experience or tips or anything, I'd love to hear them.
Thanks
Welcome!
Think you will find that there is no problem getting on. Sounds like you will only be going 1 stop and you should be able to leave the folded bike on a luggage rack near the door. Only problem may be 2 carriage trains, but you'll soon learn when they are used.
If you are heading on the Fife Circle, there are also Hogwarts trains with Guard's vans leaving South Gyle ~8.30 and departing Haymarket at ~1710 in the evening. No need to fold the bike then.
Bet it won't be long before you are cycling both ways...
A folding bike should be treated the same as any other item of luggage (unlike normal bikes which are limited a small number per train).
So there shouldn't be much more faff than getting the train at rush hour without a folding bike.
Disclaimer: I don't own a folding bike and rarely get rush hour trains, so maybe don't know what I'm talking about.
I've taken my Brompton on the train a fair bit. Not normally at commuting time but sometimes on the Transpennine Express to Lockerbie which can be absolutely rammed. The Brompton folds up pretty small so if the worst comes to the worst, you can just stand in the vestibule with it - I don't know about other folders. It's easier if you're getting on at Waverley as then you've a chance of getting it into the luggage rack or tucked between the seats (which is possible on some trains)
It's a little bit more awkward than a suitcase, as it has all sorts of knobbly bits and although the worst of drive train is tucked away when folded, there is still a bit of chain exposed. I am not strong enough to carry it up and down stairs without it banging against my leg, so my top tips are to never wear anything but black trousers unless you want them tattooed with chain oil, and be prepared for a collection of small bruises on your legs. Or work on your upper body strength.
Oh and if you work out the magic formula that allows you to take a folding bike, bag AND an unspilled cup of coffee onto the train, let me know
Build up the stamina and based on the fact that you'll spend as much time riding to Haymarket and waiting for the train as riding directly back it'll be faster just to ride the 4 miles.
Heading out of Edinburgh by train I usually go to Waverley, as a) its (almost) all downhill to the trains b) many trains start from Waverley, so you get on more easily. Inbound from the West the E-G timetables allow 7-8 minutes to get in to Waverley from Haymarket outbound the timetables allow 4 minutes, and the current timings mean a near guaranteed 40 minutes fast train time between Queen Street and Haymarket = less than 1 hour to most central venues.
Based on my London practice I'll ride up to 9 miles on the East-West axis (Thames Valley) and much less to the North (Highgate & other hills) unless there is a train departing immediately from an adjacent station or factors such as weather/fatigue are pressing
Urban riding depending on fitness, with no big load should average at around 12mph (as does touring for a fit rider) so 4 miles will take you 20 minutes without major exertion. Stamping down on the pedals might get you up in the 18-20mph range, especially if you can get the drafting effect from traffic on a busy road.
A folding bike will also go on a bus, and I was doing work in Loanhead a while back, which involved getting off the train at Haymarket and cutting over to Newington Road - if I spotted a bus I'd race it to the next stop and get on board to save the time and effort of bresting Liberton Brae, otherwise it took around the same time as waiting for a bus once past Cameron Toll.
I'm just wondering what it's like taking a folding bike on the train at Haymarket at rush hour.
I do this most days.
I have a Brompton.
I get on sometime between 7:42 and 8:30 depending on how quickly I get out of bed or whether I go swimming first. I come back through about 6pm usually.
I've never found it a faff.
I should add that I would appear to have better upper-body strength than sallyhinch as I don't find the B too bad to carry - but I usually unfold it as soon as I can as I find it easier to move/carry unfolded. You obviously have the option to use the lift as well. There's plenty of space to move about - often pausing for a minute to let a crowd clear helps (obviously not if you are rushing for a train!).
@sallyhinch so you can patent it and make your fortune?
@fimm - it's true, I have arms like cooked spaghetti and I'm also too impatient to wait for the lift. I normally just bump it up and down the stairs in its unfolded state, wishing I had the catch that stops the back wheel from flopping
@unhurt, so I never have to drink train coffee ...
@sallyhinch - That's how my Brompton started out. It's an easy upgrade to retrofit the catch.
@sallyhinch: reusable mug with a proper closing lid?
Not that I'm obsessed with travel mugs or anything.
Tips:
" take a folding bike, bag AND an unspilled cup of coffee onto the train"
No bike but -
Just watched woman with rucksack, guitar, dog AND a cup of something (takeaway lid on) get on a train.
Hopefully the dog was moving under its own steam.
Nope, being carried beside the guitar case.
Multi tasking, either you can or you can't? If you can't maybe you need To hire some help or get married?
Married?
Sure you wouldn't just prefer a modern slave??
I've yet to meet a travel cup which is watertight. A small food flask is more pleasant to sip from directly than a wee liquid flask - as long as it's never used for garlic-based foods it would remain fine for coffee.
Got given one of these for my birthday - so far no leaks (except when I left the lid open. Not sure I can blame them for failing to design out that user error).
I'm toying with stitching a loop of fabric onto my Brompton basket as a cupholder. That plus a travel cup should work and should cut down on waste too
Bodum vacuum travel press. I think it was cheaper on Amazon.
They sell cutesy little knitted handlebar cup holders on Etsy for silly prices. I'm sure a cut down sock and some fabric could be bodged into a similar whatsit.
I wish trains had a carriage specifically for bikes and riders. Would make it alot easier for people who want or are only able to manage one way. Would also be alot easier for people to travel multi-modally.
Same with trams - you can take your bike on between 9.30am and 4pm but that's not much use for the majority of people who work 9-5.
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