folding bikes on Lothian buses

stupot said:

Anyone have experience of carrying folding bikes on Lothian buses?
The number 10 to be precise.

Their official line is that bikes are not permitted on the buses.
But they will leave folding bikes to the drivers discretion. I was
informed that a folded bike can be a dangerous missile in an
accident - which I can kind of see where they are coming from.

So can the following items:

Umbrella
Person
Suitcase
Shopping bag full of tins of beans
Pushchairs
Violin
Rucksack

--
Microsoft Sam speaks his mind:
www.artybee.net/sam_speaks_his_mind.mp3

stupot said:

Anyone have experience of carrying folding bikes on Lothian buses?
The number 10 to be precise.

Get something like the stow bag made for the Brom and pop it in that and
nobody will realise it's a bike.

Quoted message said:

Their official line is that bikes are not permitted on the buses.
But they will leave folding bikes to the drivers discretion. I was
informed that a folded bike can be a dangerous missile in an
accident - which I can kind of see where they are coming from.

From the [censored] perspective, I'd say. How is that different from
shopping trolleys, prams and people?

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

Get something like the stow bag made for the Brom and pop it in that and
nobody will realise it's a bike.

I have to [censored] about with a bag though. Makes the folding time longer.
And I have to carry the bag somewhere.

Quoted message said:

From the [censored] perspective, I'd say. How is that different from
shopping trolleys, prams and people?
Pete.

Quoted message said:

So can the following items:
Umbrella
Person
Suitcase
Shopping bag full of tins of beans
Pushchairs
Violin
Rucksack

And pointy mobile phone. Yes you are both right. :-) Ill raise this
with SPOKES in Edinburgh to see how some pressure can be applied to the
bus company. There is also less storage space on the bus now that half
the luggage rack is taken up with some free rag related to the daily mail.

stupot said:

Peter Clinch said:

Get something like the stow bag made for the Brom and pop it in that
and nobody will realise it's a bike.

I have to [censored] about with a bag though. Makes the folding time longer.

But it gets you on the bus with no driver arsiness. Assuming you are
waiting at a bus stop then the extra time isn't that much of a hassle
since you are waiting anyhow.

Quoted message said:

And I have to carry the bag somewhere.

The Brompton bag can live on the back of the saddle.

Colin

Colin Blackburn said:

stupot said:

I have to [censored] about with a bag though. Makes the folding time longer.

But it gets you on the bus with no driver arsiness. Assuming you are
waiting at a bus stop then the extra time isn't that much of a hassle
since you are waiting anyhow.

Very true. Im usually at the bus stop for 2-3mins anyway.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

And I have to carry the bag somewhere.

The Brompton bag can live on the back of the saddle.

And the Dahon one can be a bum bag. And there lies another story...
Can anyone give me the 'killer app' reason to get a brompton over a dahon?
:-) I having trouble seeing past the 'girly' handlebars - apologies to all
'girls' present. But Im sure you will have lots of reasons. Bring them on...

Colin Blackburn said:

The Brompton bag can live on the back of the saddle.

Just read that the dahon one can too.

stupot said:

And the Dahon one can be a bum bag. And there lies another story...
Can anyone give me the 'killer app' reason to get a brompton over a dahon?
:-) I having trouble seeing past the 'girly' handlebars - apologies to all
'girls' present. But Im sure you will have lots of reasons. Bring them
on...

If you really don't like the handlebars then get a Steve Parry upgrade
to straight bars on suspension stem. However, the 'killer app' is that
the Brompton is still the fastest, most compact fold out there.

Colin

In article said:

Can anyone give me the 'killer app' reason to get a brompton over a dahon?

Go into local bike shop, and ask to see both folded and unfolded.
If you aren't convinced immediately, either your bike shop doesn't
know how to fold a Brompton, or a Dahon will be ok for you even if
the Brompton does fold more easily into a neater package.

On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 16:12:11 +0000 someone who may be Richard Bates
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

So can the following items:

Umbrella
Person
Suitcase
Shopping bag full of tins of beans
Pushchairs
Violin
Rucksack

Person in wheelchair.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 16:31:44 +0000 someone who may be stupot
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

I have to [censored] about with a bag though. Makes the folding time longer.

Depending on the bike and bag it takes perhaps as long as 30 seconds
to put the bag in the bike. Not a great hardship.

Quoted message said:

Ill raise this
with SPOKES in Edinburgh to see how some pressure can be applied to the
bus company.

It might be best to leave things as they are. Lothian Buses might
respond with a knee jerk ban if asked.

Quoted message said:

There is also less storage space on the bus now that half
the luggage rack is taken up with some free rag related to the daily mail.

There are better places to put the box for this on all the buses I
have seen. This might be better asking Lothian Buses about.

Note that folding bikes are better put in luggage racks with deep
enough side bars or on the floor. Otherwise it may fall out as the
driver rounds a corner.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

David Hansen said:

On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 16:31:44 +0000 someone who may be stupot
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

I have to [censored] about with a bag though. Makes the folding time longer.

Depending on the bike and bag it takes perhaps as long as 30 seconds
to put the bag in the bike.

.....or the other way round?

Perhaps the best way of thinking about bagging a bike is to put the
bag on the bike. Just slide it over like putting a dustcover on a
chair. 10 seconds max I reckon.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

David Hansen said:

On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 16:12:11 +0000 someone who may be Richard Bates
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

So can the following items:

Umbrella
Person
Suitcase
Shopping bag full of tins of beans
Pushchairs
Violin
Rucksack

Person in wheelchair.

I think that was (almost) covered by "person" in the OP. Unless you have a
point to make?

--
Chris

Peter Clinch said:

Get something like the stow bag made for the Brom and pop it in that and
nobody will realise it's a bike.

Black bin bag, stowed in the front section of the main tube for
emergency anti-jobsworth cover. Mind you, never had to use it yet.

Tony

stupot said:

And the Dahon one can be a bum bag. And there lies another story...
Can anyone give me the 'killer app' reason to get a brompton over a dahon?
:-) I having trouble seeing past the 'girly' handlebars - apologies to all
'girls' present. But Im sure you will have lots of reasons. Bring them
on...

What do you want to use it for? Horses for courses and all that.

Tony

On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 21:44:12 +0000 someone who may be Monkey Hanger
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Person in wheelchair.

I think that was (almost) covered by "person" in the OP. Unless you have a
point to make?

Someone in a wheelchair has sticking out metal bits. So have
rucksacks and prams. Folded bikes have rather less sticking out
bits.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

stupot said:

And the Dahon one can be a bum bag. And there lies another story...
Can anyone give me the 'killer app' reason to get a brompton over a dahon?

Folds quicker to a smaller package. Which will, for example, fit
between back to back seats on a train where a Dahon won't.

Reasons to buy a Dahon over a Brom, there is a bigger range of models to
give you more possible solutions. Some of these are cheaper, some are
sportier, some are good touring machines: depends what you want. But
for an urban runaround that can fit under your table at a cafe or the
like, or be carried easily up a stair close in an Embra tenement, the
Brom is IMHO better.
Call into Biketrax and give both a try.

Quoted message said:

:-) I having trouble seeing past the 'girly' handlebars

I see /over/ mine: they're about the same height as the saddle. I've
come across people that have trouble with the wee wheels or the "girly"
step through frame, but the handlebars being efette is a new one on me!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

David Hansen said:

There are better places to put the box for this on all the buses I
have seen. This might be better asking Lothian Buses about.

On all number 10 buses the free rag box is in the storage area. I
present the free rag takes priority over luggage. Cant say I never
read it though. :-)

David Hansen said:

Note that folding bikes are better put in luggage racks with deep
enough side bars or on the floor. Otherwise it may fall out as the
driver rounds a corner.

Do you travel on Lothian buses with a brompton?
do you know anyone who does?
I have never seen anyone on a Lothian bus with a folding bike. In fact
you dont see many folding bikes in Edinburgh.

stupot said:

I have never seen anyone on a Lothian bus with a folding bike. In fact
you dont see many folding bikes in Edinburgh.

There must be /someone/ making it worth Biketrax's while being a folder
specialist...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/