Polo Tour De France Road Ride - Avignon-Bourg d'Oisans 2013/07/13-20

sold. money went toward alfies bike.

Would also like to do this ride with you all, space-permitting. I wouldn't be able to make it to the actual Avignon trip.

Plus, any other day training rides that you might be doing together....?

Of course, well if the trips numbers stay the same it'd be great to ride.

Thanks

Handy bit of prep.

http://www.vulpine.cc/Blog/skills/how-to-descend-fast-safe-on-a-road-bike

Ok, So who's in for early May ride down to Devon from Richmond?

1. Gabes
   
2. Bill
   
3. Mrak
   
4. Cam
   
5. Aufbruch
   
6. Sammy Dodger
   
   

I want to keep it to 10 maximum. Just sayin'

1. Fi
   

1. Sal
   

1. Gabes
   
2. Bill
   
3. Mrak
   
4. Cam
   
5. Aufbruch
   
6. Sammy Dodger
   
7. Fi
   
8. Sal
   

Can everyone that's doing the Avignon tour (as opposed to any other tour) pm me their email addresses? It'll make it a lot easier.

1. Gabes
   
2. Bill
   
3. Mrak
   
4. Cam
   
5. Aufbruch
   
6. Sammy Dodger
   
7. Fi
   
8. Sal
   
9. dublinkevin
   
   

Cant come to France, but would be keen for a road spin with you. Cool with backing out if space dictates.

^ cool kev

all: bear in mind you need to be self supporting for this jaunt down to devon, tent/tarp/bivi all the gear you need for 1/2 nights. Incl bog roll and a spare liver.

1. Gabes
   
2. Bill
   
3. Mrak
   
4. Cam
   
5. Aufbruch
   
6. Sammy Dodger
   
7. Fi
   
8. Sal
   
9. dublinkevin
   
10. Spikes (to back out to make space for Avignon rider if needs be)
    

We have a problem. Eurostar have recently changed their baggage allowance rules. Anything over 85 cm is no longer allowed.

I'm not sure what to do about this.

http://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-information/travel-preparation/baggage/bikes-on-trains#.UUv-alskb5g

Travelling with your bike on Eurostar

Wish to take your bike on board? Here are the options available to you.

If you're heading off to some beautiful cycling spots, you'll want to take your own bike along for the ride. Here are three ways to do it.

1. Reserve a place for your bike on your train
   
   

On our London, Paris and Brussels routes, you can reserve a place for your bike on the train you're travelling on, if there's enough space. It costs just £30 one way and you'll need to quote your Eurostar reference or show your ticket. This charge is non-refundable but you can change your reservation if there isn't enough luggage space available.

1. Use our registered baggage service
   
   

Our registered baggage service operates between London and Paris and Brussels and you can book it on the day. Your bike might not travel on the same train as you, but we'll do everything we can to send it on the next available one, if there's space.

We can guarantee that your bike will be available to collect at your Eurostar destination station within 24 hours. It costs just £25 one way and you'll need to show your Eurostar ticket or booking reference when you register. The charge is non-refundable but, subject to availability, it may be exchangeable before your departure date.

You can simply turn up on the day and register your bike, or do it a few days before you travel, so it'll be ready to collect when you arrive.

To make a reservation or find out more about our registered baggage service, call us on +44 (0) 844 822 5822 or visit the EuroDespatch Centre in person at St Pancras International.

1. Fold it up
   
   

If you've got a folding bike, you might be able to carry it on board as part of our baggage allowance. That's as long as you can fold or dismantle your bike with the saddle, handlebars and wheels removed and place it in a suitable bike bag. Your bike bag can be up to 85cm at its longest length.

If your bike can't be folded into the right size bag, you can reserve a place for it on the train or use our registered baggage service, as above.

As far as I know, there is NO provision for registered baggage on the Avignon service. I'm going to ask again about this, though.

Shit.

And I'm guessing there'll be loads of other people booking their bikes on the train we're on?

There is no way to book bikes on the train, Gabes.

Ok, just spoke to a massively unhelpful prick at Eurostar, who said he'd also spoken to Sam earlier.

Basically the Avignon service doesn't have any space to bike reservations at all, and has a baggage car that is for baggage only, not bikes. There is NO way to get our bikes onto this train. He suggested "You could always rent some bikes once you're out there"

Yes, prick.

So I'm not sure what our options are really. Someone could drive out there in a van, if we had a van. Otherwise, he said we may be able to take an indirect service, like London>Paris then TGV> Avignon. But that sounds like a pain.

Plus we've already booked. Chances of a full refund?

Shall we ride there?

Ok, just spoke to a massively unhelpful prick at Eurostar, who said he'd also spoken to Sam earlier.

Basically the Avignon service doesn't have any space to bike reservations at all, and has a baggage car that is for baggage only, not bikes. There is NO way to get our bikes onto this train. He suggested "You could always rent some bikes once you're out there"

Yes, prick.

So I'm not sure what our options are really. Someone could drive out there in a van, if we had a van. Otherwise, he said we may be able to take an indirect service, like London>Paris then TGV> Avignon. But that sounds like a pain.

Ah, him. He also took the trouble to ask me why I felt that I ought to be able to take a bike on the train in the first place! I pointed out to him (with some restraint) that it was not especially constructive of him to ask or, indeed, particularly relevant.

I'm going to explore the refund/ local train option as have a hunch it may work out alright - though, if anyone has access to a van, I'm up for sharing some driving.

If you do get it to work, can you let them know that there are other peeps doing the same journey but on different bills? It would be annoying if we all couldn't get refunded.

The best option is probably to go Bruxelles, from where there is a direct service to Avignon. This is preferable to Paris, as there is no need to change stations, get the RER across the city etc etc.

[quote=;][/quote]
You can take the bikes on Eurostar to Brussels, and then you have to bag them to get them on the TGV. Absurd. I'm not giving up on the direct service.

We should all write letters to Eurostar.

I'm going to shit in a jiffy bag and send it to Eurostar.

Alternatively, can we just do a tour from London, ferry, france, etc. Maybe a week. Maybe more. Less trains, less high-speed-dope-fiends. More lolz.

If we all get a refund, we could get a minibus. £522 from 13-21 July. Unlimited milage. We'd have to add diesel, but that's it. And find somewhere to park it while we tour. Possiblity?

I'd be happy to drive it (and have the right license for PGV etc)