btjzx6rr

hey guys

I have an internship through school(Georgia Tech), but it is in Oxford England, 6 months working for Mini-Cooper.
I am trying to figure out the best way to take my road bike with me.

Peformance has a case for 219 now, the team case, looks like a good option,
then Id end up having to pay extra to the airline to bring it along,

my biggest issue is once I am in England, i am planning on taking a bus from Heathrow to Oxford. but with a already large suitcase and a carry on(plus my bookbag with laptop), am i going to have an issue getting on the bus with a bicycle case as well?

any other suggestions?
Thanks

stjohnswell

In England buses tend to run local routes and have no space for luggage save maybe an area for pushchairs or bags. Coaches tend to connect cities and have loads of space for suitcases in big holds under the seating area. You're almost certainly getting a coach to Oxford, so everything will be okay space wise.

*If you then need to get a local bus from the centre of Oxford to your accommodation, you might have a problem getting the bike case on a bus, so you might need to resort to a taxi from there.

jsmithepa

Ship it! then u don't have to worry about, with enuff time (at least 30 days?) u maybe able to ship it by sea, Parcel Post I think what they call it, under usd$100 one-way. Try to get a box from your LBS with the hard styrofoam.

The airline chages u just by having a case? no-no-no-no. They charge u 'coz a bike, whether in a case or not, is OVERSIZE. Airlines' website spell out what dimensions after they consider oversize.

England? them chaps love their bricked streets, rough ride for rigids.

mr_tom

[An erstwhile Oxford resident writes]

You should be fine on the bus - it's a fairly hefty coach. They do have a stop that's not far from Cowley, but you'll probably want to go all the way to Gloucester Green to get a taxi - you'll need a black cab to fit a bike box in.

Beeline Bikes by the Plain are awesome (or, they were). Make sure you get a sneaky half or two in the Turf and the Bird & Babe.

Cycling is a dream in .ox - bus and bike lanes everywhere, and a decent proportion of the population cycle regularly. Out by the Rover plant in Cowley it's a lot more car-oriented, being on the ring road, but you'll have no trouble getting around.

My top tip - get plastered in the Bear, and then cycle down Merton st. If you make it all the way along without planting, award yourself with another beer.

btjzx6rr

I was told to catch the Oxford airline bus. Im going into headington, as I live there. luckily I only have a short walk from the Thornehill Park and ride.

i looked at shipping it, but it turns out to cost a bunch of money(being i dont want to wait for sea freight) and I fly out on friday of this week!(yeah bad time to think about bringing the bike with!)

I am assuming there is group rides similar to what is here in the US over there, that will be the majority of my riding, as I will likely get a cheap bike to leave at work.

jsmithepa

The Chaps idea of a great ride maybe different than us Americans.

Once I was treated to a grand dinner, so I immediately dreamed of Prime Ribs, Lobsters yum-yum. Not a chance, I was feasted with Fish&Chips. The best F&C I EVER had until then, but still.

btjzx6rr

also, i have heard form a few people to take as little as possible because likely it will all get stolen.

is it that bad that i should leave the bike here? and look at getting a cheapo only? or if i keep it inside an locked will I be ok.

acorn_user

If it's locked inside, it should be just fine. Don't know how Oxford is, but I kept my bike inside when I lived in Sheffield and Newcastle. Btw, cheap bikes aren't always super cheap. Cheap, but ok hybrids start at around 150 pounds. The coach should be ok with it if it is in a bag. Btw, I rarely get charged for flying with the bike, and I do it a lot. Mostly with BA (British Airways, not BA Baraccus. He doesn't fly!).

Have fun in Britain - get to the marches and mid-Wales for the best rides!

@jsmithepa - brick roads? Those are really rare, outside of town centres where they put them back in. Wish we had more of them...