I completely agree that any train design which forces people to (attempt to) lift bikes up on hooks is absolutely dreadful. Not only is it physically difficult, but it must also cause delays at stations trying to unload and load bikes, compared to where you can relatively more easily just wheel them in and out (and even that's a bit awkward twixt platform and train if you're fully loaded for touring).
Sadly this seems to be the sort of poor layout that almost all of the UK's newer long distance trains have gone for, and we'll probably be stuck with these for the next 30 years.
In a way I'm rather sad that there was quite such a strident campaign about fees for taking bikes on trains. For shorter day trips out or commuter journeys (where space permits) absolutely this was an issue (and I'm very glad that was won), but in all honesty I really never objected to paying £3 (would probably be £5 nowadays) for a long "holiday" trip, and I feel that we all lost quite a lot of collective bargaining power because of this.
I have not yet been on an IET (Azuma), but will be travelling (sans vélo) fairly soon. Sadly, from what I've seen from photos, they look pretty soulless and seem to have stripped out the last of the remaining romance of rail travel, replacing it with just a long tube of rather minimalist seats (and some tables, if you are very lucky). As per my usual travelling preferences, I managed to get a reasonably priced 1st Class ticket, but it just looks like it will in no way come even remotely close to the ambience of the British Rail IC 225 1st Class coaches (the way they flipped the 2+1 seating from one side to the other halfway along, and with a couple of panel dividers, was a genius bit of design that effectively split the carriage into two much cosier and more private halves). I'll find out in due course, I guess.
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