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@punkture
when I lived in Manchester, I travelled back and forth between london and Manchester alot for 5 years 95% of the time with a bike. I have had many experiences with the Virgin Trains lot but the only bad ones have been with the Euston staff who rigidly stick to the letter of the law with respect to bikes even if common sense renders that law moronic. Pretty much anywhere else they have been flexible.
I have had a few incidents where I have arrived 10 minutes before and have been told that there is no way i can book my bike on that train but have to wait 40 mins so they can book on even there is space and no other earthly reason why. Queue me missing the train even though it is standing at the platform for 8 or 9 minutes while i stand waiting grrrr
I would say without ranting overly about a specific issue, what would be a hugely progressive step for Virgin is if there could be an ability to get a bike reservation at info points, ticket machines and from ticket inspectors at the gates. I have never done what you did and tried to reserve my bike online cause i know the jobsworth attitudes of the euston staff so would usually have to queue up for a bike ticket even if i had a prebooked ticket = major and unnecessary hassle.
I do appreciate that a bike ticket is free but personally i like the system in Italy where on all regional (slow) trains they have bike hooks hanging from the ceiling. Many more bikes can be carried in the equivalent space, rendering reservations less necessary. All you do is pay 3.50 for a bike ticket that is valid on any train (that carries bikes) anywhere in Italy, no reservations needed