Cargo Bikes

You thinking of moving on the Bullitt? :D

Buy mine! I am too lazy to take pics and post a proper ad.

Its this: (not my pic)

Thanks @MCamb! Might take you up on that. Will PM!

Does anyone have any experience of taking cargo bikes on (UK) trains?

I guess this is generally bloody difficult i.e. generally not permitted, but having seen that video of the bloke and his dog on king alfred way, i'm considering a cargo bike for me and my dog and wondering if its possible to take one on a train for weekend getaways etc. I guess they are considered as being like tandems in restrictions: https://www.atob.org.uk/uk-bike-rail-restrictions/

I figure its less of a problem the shorter and less bulky the cargo bike is, e.g. omnium mini max better than omniums regular cargo size bike, etc

Any experience on this? Should i stick to the forum dog thread?!

Not that model.

No just expanding the fleet. If the R&M are easier to handle than the bullit I thought they might suit mrs brows well....

i've test ridden the packster 60 and the 80 and have a 70 arriving in early april

ease of riding/handling was why my wife preferred it over a bullit

yeah the tandem policy would cover the cargo bikes I reckon, but an omnium is a good deal wider than a tandem

I took my original Mini Max on SW Trains loads of times, can’t speak for other rail providers but ours were always reasonable. I never took it on a really busy train though to be fair and it tended to only be one other bike in the bike area.

I don’t think you’d get an Omnium cargo on there and I’ve been refused taking a Bullitt on, but I think it’d probably come down to who the conductor is.

Cheers, yes, that's a good idea.

I've heard enough stories from some disabled people to fear the experience of trying to board a train with a non standard bike. I assume most cargo bikes like the bullitt will be a non-starter (either in policy itself or in the way train staff choose to implement their policy).

the omnium mini seems like the obvious choice but I think is too small for my needs; the mini max seems like a sensible choice for selected infrequent train travel - looks a bit like a normal bike, shorter than a tandem and if someone decides its width is a problem, its rack could be grudgingly removed.

Thanks very much - your experience sounds like what I would expect - I'll report back if I get this plan sorted for the summer.

Rodford Big Billy? They are the same size as a normal bike and go on trains fine

You can stand Omniums upright on the front end, as long as the load doesn't sit over the front edge. Much less floorspace taken up that way.
It's a bit wobbly if unsecured but lean the rear wheel on a wall and it would be fine.

In Scotland (Scotrail/Abellio) their policy I think is now (after 2019 they updated it) no tandems or special assistance bikes, 2m or 2.2m being the length limit.
However, have been on and off trains from Glasgow to Edinburgh with a Bullitt, Omnium cargo and a Tern GSD and had no issue.
However, trains are so crazy frequent (3-6 minutes on that line) and I use unattended stations to get on/off, as the train rolls in you can spot the larger of the bike spaces on the carriage (some have a huge area, some have a small one near the toilet). If I ever had to get another train, the next one is a few minutes behind.
The huge space on these trains is 3m long and very very wide. The regular bike specific space by the toilet is only around 1.8m long (some 29er Enduro machines barely fit, ask me how I know, literally only time I've been challenged was getting back from the trails, and bike being so fricking long/having to park diagonally into the carriage, really annoyed the conductor) and not enough for any cargo.
Bullitt and Omnium easy to get on and off train, GSD has really low ground clearance/the kick stand catchs on everything, but once on the train it stands out less (that it is long).

Would hazard a guess that any long tail style bike is going to have an easier time of it than any long john style bike, just being more like a regular bike is going to help a lot in this department! Omnium Mini is really short, shorter than some commuter bikes IIRC, R+M Tinker and Benno RemiDemi are longer but still much more 'normal' bike in length and will fly under the radar.

double post

And if the Grundplatte is cut and installed, will it be flush with the sides of the frame, or will there still be a 'dip' / bucket ?

some sit inside the frame, some on top.

Sitting inside you can use a thinner lighter material because or rests on the crossmembers

sitting on top you can get a significantly (!) wider platform.

mine is quite wide, but I love it. Easily allows for two kiddos to sit in it.

here it is and you can see how it protrudes

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You have any more details?

I work on gwr trains and see all sorts put on (well I did before COVID stopped all the tourists) from recumbents to tandems etc.
On the new 800 trains used by gwr and LNER the bike storage cupboard is 1950mm high (ive just gone and measured it) if that helps you.

I’ve done this on a train a few times, you get some funny looks but it makes it easier for other passengers to get past

I assume most cargo bikes like the bullitt will be a non-starter (either in policy itself or in the way train staff choose to implement their policy).

I think you might struggle to physically get a Bullitt on a train tbh. I used to take a normal bike into London on SW Trains regularly, but while their policy was that it was ok, it was regularly difficult because the trains were too busy. I’ve had to wait for the next train a couple of times.

A Bullitt is going to be way harder. I’ve tried with mine once and abandoned as it looked too busy. On a SW Train (on the Reading line) the trains have a dedicated bike / shared limited mobility area down the side of the toilet where the seats flip up. That’s the only place you’d be able to put a bike that long and you’d need the entry point to be clear to get it in. The smaller SW Trains trains have a bike area near the doors. Else, it’s going to have to be diagonally in the entry/exit point by the doors, which is going to block access. I seem to remember measuring across the train and at 2.5m long I don’t think it’ll go sideways door-to-door.

TLDR; you need a clear run in and an almost empty train. Else it’s going to be difficult.

I don’t know about a train, but I can get my new mini max on and off my boat with relative ease, but it takes a bit of faffing! The pedals seem to be the most awkward, but I’ll be going from huge shimano saint platforms to diddy little M520’s spd’s.... will update! On the flip side, the dogs love it, so mission accomplished!

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M540. Size zero all the things!

Ha! It’s all I have onboard right now....! I’ve gone from three bed house, garage chockablock with shite, and three sheds, to 55’ of throbbing joy!😂

100% forgotten that trains can get busy!
Up here outside of the commuter hour the trains run with very very few people on board. At rush hour yes, its very unrealistic to get anything bigger than a normal bike on, even with that, struggle about half the time. Thankfully only a few mins to next train and thats always been quieter, but yes, you SE folks have a much more congested network.

Yeah, they look like this would be the case.
Wife's experience of Bullitt not great- personally I love the speed you can cut through traffic. Where did you test them?