[R B Austin]

This year I went with a friend to Dresden by:Eurostar to Brussels/Thalys to Cologne/Sleeper to Dresden, with our Moultons bagged. Problem was no trollys (no longer available) at Brussels or Cologne. Not even any when we came back from Berlin! Two bags with the Moulton plus loaded touring bag was very taxing to transfer between platforms. So far, have not located anything easier for next year. Any ideas, eg wheels! please! Barry Austin

[George Coulouris]

Barry, do you think it would be any easier with both halves of the NS in a single bag?

We have modified our ancient Moulton carry bags so that they will each hold a complete split Moulton. I havent tried carrying one across Brussels-South station, with a loaded touring bag in the other hand, but I’m thinking of trying it next year for a ride in the Rhine Valley.

Another idea would be a small set of strap-on wheels for luggage, as you mention. But they would add to the weight when carrying (and riding).

George C.
P.S. Was it difficult for you to fit them on the luggage racks at the end of the Eurostar carriages?

[R B Austin]

Hello, George.
Thanks, will send you some more inf in next few days. No prob fitting each bag into the Eurostar or TGV normal luggage racks. Each bag with one half bike with bars turned and pedals off.Barry Sun 11/12

[R B Austin]

Some more points: I have one bag bought c 2yrs ago, and this has long carry-handles, but the one bought this year has (red) carry-handles and these are better-designed, and go better over the shoulder. Nevertheless, I’ve never been a strong person, and now I’m 80 it was a bit much being festooned with the two bags and carrying the loaded touring (“Sew-what”) bag. Sometines my friend Colin took two touring-bags. Of course, it’s also necessary to carry all this through Security. Outwards at St Pancras there are trollys, but none at Brussels. These bags look big, but I found it necessary to turn the bars and remove the pedals (did not try turning them inwards – does that work?) and remove the saddle. I then use insulating tape to lash the bits together and add the water bottle. As the front is lighter, these bits go into the bag of the front of the bike. As a cyclist-detail -fanatic I put a chalk arrow on the bag to denote the best resting-base and the non-transmission side for best packing into the luggage area, but as you can imagine, anything may happen when other passengers get on, or there is a big hurry! I use a wire tie to hold on the pedal-washer, and then pack the pedals into an old sock and lash them into the bits in the bag: avoid putting them into your touring bag, as you are more likely to be pulled over to empty out your stuff due to the big metal effect on the security-scanner!
This method enabled the two of us to get the bikes (one NS, one DD) to Dresden and back without damage this July, and I have also done this to Vienna, where I put the bike (DD) together and onwards to Sighet in N Romania. We took the bikes all the way in the bags from Radlett to Dresden, and that avoided disassembling and re-assembling en-route.
For 2012, I have not made any plans, but it may be that a better route is via Paris, but then a taxi may be needed from Nord to Est if bikes in bags….so many permutations of how to go! I will let you know of anything my eventual reserches bring up which might interest you – or you may have some ideas for me. So far, the idea of wheels has not seemed very good. About the bags – they sit on top of the touring bags very well for a half day,but then get tedious . On arrival in at Senftenberg, from which we set out on the”Frog Route” I posted the bags to the end-hotel – the PO have their own boxes, which they seemed to prefer. Barry

[George Coulouris]

Hello Barry,

Thanks for the details about your rail travel with the NS. Useful to hear what worked and what didn’t and it’s encouraging that you managed to complete the trip. We are planning to take two Moultons using just one bag for each (the standard bags modifed to take both halves of a separable Moulton).

We live close to St Pancras, so we would just ride down there and pack the bikes on the spot.

I don’t think the picture of a Moulton prepared for flight that you saw was mine. I’m afraid my experience of flying with Moultons is very limited. I don’t think I would trust my NS in a soft bag on a flight. I did once fly with an AM GT and once with our APB tandem. Some frame tubes were dented on both occasions. We’re unlikely to do it again because we have taken a ‘no-fly’ vow in an attempt to help save the planet.

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