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Arriving at Heathrow with a bike in a box

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  • October 22, 2017 at 3:24 am #27759
    Bernie77

    I am planning a biking holiday in U.K. next year and need some advice.

    Where is the nearest respectable bike shop to Heathrow? This just in case there is some damage

    to my Randonneur. 

    Any comments about accommodation in the Heathrow area where I can assemble the bike would be appreciated along with any other local tips.

    regards.  Bernie Renwick

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  • April 17, 2018 at 10:59 pm #904725
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    zero_trooper
    Bernie77 wrote:
    Thanks all,

    the advice/ suggestions have certainly given me something to consider and rethink my cunning plan.

    plan B is looking like bus to Reading from Heathrow. Assemble bike (fix as required) train to Penzance and start pedalling.

    FYI. I am flying from Perth Western Australia via Doha with Qatar. I have no set route other than Taunton, Bristol, Worcester, Nottingham, Bradford, East Kilbride and Glasgow to visit friends and rellies. Total estimated time two months starting in May next year.

    thanks again for all your comments, concerns and suggestions.

    Bernie

    You’ll need a translator app for East Kilbride and even then it won’t work 

     

    April 17, 2018 at 10:19 pm #904723
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    Tiredlegs

    Hi Bernie.  This might be a

    Hi Bernie.  This might be a bit late for you but I’m too going to travel from Australia to ride LEJOG, but in June/July.  I came across your post as I was also looking for ways to escape Heathrow with a bike in a carton.  In the end I’ve resolved to book a taxi to take me to Windsor or Slough, where I’ll stay a couple of nights to recuperate from the flight & get into the time zone  (I’m then going to ride a circuitous route to Swindon or Bath to get the train to Penzance).  Quotes have been in the £30 to £35 range, which is more than the bus of course but avoids the hassles of finding the bus stop and loading/unloading the bike, especially if the destination bus stop is some distance from where you want to park yourself for the night.  My two cents for what it’s worth.

    October 24, 2017 at 11:19 am #904721
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    kil0ran
    Bernie77 wrote:
    Thanks all,

    the advice/ suggestions have certainly given me something to consider and rethink my cunning plan.

    plan B is looking like bus to Reading from Heathrow. Assemble bike (fix as required) train to Penzance and start pedalling.

    FYI. I am flying from Perth Western Australia via Doha with Qatar. I have no set route other than Taunton, Bristol, Worcester, Nottingham, Bradford, East Kilbride and Glasgow to visit friends and rellies. Total estimated time two months starting in May next year.

    thanks again for all your comments, concerns and suggestions.

    Bernie

    That makes a lot of sense. As others have said there’s a big Decathlon about 5 minutes walk from the station. I can also highly recommend Sweeney’s for a meat pie/decent pint if there’s a bit of a wait for your train. Decathlon have in-store mechanics who are usually among the best of the big retailers. Best avoid Halfords. There’s also an Evans Cycles about 10 mins from the station who are pretty good.

    Weather should be perfect for cycling in May. Make sure you’ve got a good lock. When I lived in Reading 10 years ago I had three bikes stolen in just over a year.

    October 23, 2017 at 11:03 pm #904719
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    Bernie77

    Thanks all,

    Thanks all,

    the advice/ suggestions have certainly given me something to consider and rethink my cunning plan.

    plan B is looking like bus to Reading from Heathrow. Assemble bike (fix as required) train to Penzance and start pedalling.

    FYI. I am flying from Perth Western Australia via Doha with Qatar. I have no set route other than Taunton, Bristol, Worcester, Nottingham, Bradford, East Kilbride and Glasgow to visit friends and rellies. Total estimated time two months starting in May next year.

    thanks again for all your comments, concerns and suggestions.

    Bernie

    October 23, 2017 at 9:41 pm #904717
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    LastBoyScout
    Miller wrote:
    Cycle Republic, the posh arm of Halfords, lol. It’s new there. It seems ok in an Evans-ish sort of way.

    Never knew that – will have a look next time I’m in town.

    Also AW cycles is only a short ride from the town centre.

    October 23, 2017 at 3:26 pm #904715
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    BarryBianchi
    BudgieBike wrote:
     

    There is also an Evans in Reading

    Agree with most here. Rail air to said town, train down or National Expess coach. Free bus to park and ride where it starts. About £40 coach fare.

    More important.y, there is a Decathlon about 10 mins from Reading station.

    October 23, 2017 at 3:21 pm #904713
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    LastBoyScout

    Heathrow Terminal 5 is a

    Heathrow Terminal 5 is a nightmare with a bike. First time I flew through there was with a bike in a proper bike bag. None of the lift doors are wide enough to take a trolley with a bike bag across it, so you have to summon lift, take bike bag off trolley, put bike bag in lift, then trolley then at the next floor, take trolley out, then bike bag and put back on trolley. Ridiculous. I also had another bag, hence the need for the trolley.

    Stuttgart airport with a doddle in comparison – just a bit of a walk to drop bike off once checked in.

    Don’t bother going to Evans for a bike box on the way home – all the bikes are delivered to store pre-built. Might be worth phoning ahead and asking a local bike shop to hold onto a box for you – otherwise, you might be stuck if the recycling has taken them before you get there.

    October 23, 2017 at 3:01 pm #904711
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    BudgieBike
    Miller wrote:
    Rod Marton wrote:
    There’s also a bike shop next to the station in Forbury Road. I’ve never used it, so can’t say how good it is, but it’s there if you need it.

    Cycle Republic, the posh arm of Halfords, lol. It’s new there. It seems ok in an Evans-ish sort of way.

     

    There is also an Evans in Reading

    Agree with most here. Rail air to said town, train down or National Expess coach. Free bus to park and ride where it starts. About £40 coach fare. 

     

     

    October 23, 2017 at 1:39 pm #904709
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    Miller
    Rod Marton wrote:
    There’s also a bike shop next to the station in Forbury Road. I’ve never used it, so can’t say how good it is, but it’s there if you need it.

    Cycle Republic, the posh arm of Halfords, lol. It’s new there. It seems ok in an Evans-ish sort of way.

     

    October 23, 2017 at 1:15 pm #904707
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    Rod Marton
    Miller wrote:
    Just round the corner from the station, in Friar St, there are some chain hotels if timings dictate an overnight stay in Reading.

    There’s also a bike shop next to the station in Forbury Road. I’ve never used it, so can’t say how good it is, but it’s there if you need it.

    October 23, 2017 at 12:57 pm #904705
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    Miller

    > unless the RailAir coach

    > unless the RailAir coach services to Reading take bikes or bikes in boxes.

    Railair to Reading will take a bike in a box, those buses have a lot of storage underneath. You can get the bus from LHR Central Bus Station if arriving into T2/T3/T4 or direct from T5 if you’re on BA and arrive there. There’s three buses per hour in daytime and it’ll cost under £20 for a single. You get deposited outside Reading railway station. Reading is the first mainline stop for fast trains out of Paddington so a good place to catch a train heading West. Just round the corner from the station, in Friar St, there are some chain hotels if timings dictate an overnight stay in Reading.

    October 23, 2017 at 12:08 pm #904703
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    Grahamd

    Wish you well with your

    Wish you well with your odyssey, I am sure you will receive a plethora of advice of where to cycle; noting your sustrans comments would recommend the Camel trail from Padstow. It is a simple route, buts needs to be as you cannot take your eyes off the scenery.

    October 23, 2017 at 12:03 pm #904701
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    Al__S

    Don’t go to Hayes &

    Don’t go to Hayes & Harlington. If you’re wanting to get a GWR trains you can book your bike on if you book online- but you do have to book for a specific service. The services to Cornwall don’t stop at Hayes & Harlington, their first stop is Reading, so you might as well take a local train (Heathrow Connect, not Express, unless you’re proper minted) to Paddington; unless the RailAir coach services to Reading take bikes or bikes in boxes.

    October 23, 2017 at 11:13 am #904699
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    niceguysean

    Ciao Bernie

    Ciao Bernie

    Did LEJOG some years back with a friend and we flew into Heathrow. We reassembled the bikes in the Arrivals area, and simply put the bike boxes next to a rubbish bin. We then caught the Heathrow Express with the bikes and connected to the overnight train to Penzance.  Woke up the next morning in Penzance and cycled down to Lands End to start. Couldn’t have been easier, and I personally would recommend this over a more complicated route with flight connections where your bike will be moved around.

    Depending on where you intend to finish I’m certain a local bike shop will be able to fix you up with a bike box for the return journey.

    Good luck!

    October 23, 2017 at 10:22 am #904697
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    . .

    Can I ask where you are

    Can I ask where you are coming from?   It might help us suggest some alternative air routes

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