Hi everyone,
I’m working on an student project around a problem some of you may know: bike spaces on IC/ICE trains are often booked out or require a lot of planning.
We’re testing an early solution idea:
a rollable transport kit for your own bike. You would remove both wheels, secure the frame and wheels together, protect the sensitive parts, and then roll the packed bike through the station and train instead of carrying it. So it would be treated more like oversized luggage than a regular bike.
I’m trying to understand whether this is completely unrealistic or useful in some situations.
A few questions:
- Would removing both wheels be acceptable for you, or is that already a dealbreaker?
- How long could packing + reassembling take before it becomes too annoying?
- What would absolutely need protection: derailleur, brake discs, frame, cassette, something else?
- Would this be more of a backup plan when bike spaces are sold out, or a real alternative to booking a bike space?
- At what price would you still consider something like this?
This is not a finished product and not a sales post — just an early reality check. Critical feedback would be most useful, especially from people who have already used workarounds like bike bags, Rinko-style packing, FlixBus, folding bikes, or regional-train hopping.
by Minimum-Major4303
17 Comments
Hot take: You should not work on bike related transportation solutions, if you need to ask which parts of a bike need protection.
I don’t understand what you are trying to convey. maybe some sketches would be better?
I like the idea
Where inside the train would you be allowed to put this?
Incorporating wireless shifting would add to cost but help simplify a few things.
1. Removing both wheels is acceptable for me right now, would be a big pain in the ass on my previous bike, and unacceptable for a lot of casual girl riders who’d think it’s a professional mechanical job. 2. I’ll better say I’m ready to remove wheels if the travel takes more than 1.5 hours time. 3. Spacers in place of brake discs is always a must. Spacers in place of wheel axles are used to make the frame rugged enough for airport luggage transportation, but are not used when someone gently transports a disassembled bike in his car. 4. Dunno, I’m from a country where even a touring club of 30 people with 30 bicycles is allowed on a train. It could be a way to transport a bike by subway, they’re restricted there until you make them a “luggage”. 5. Let’s say 40$. For bigger price I’ll better haul it in a bike bag.
I love the idea! I’d consider adding a small third wheel to the contraption (something like the wheel of a suitcase) so it can be pushed around like a cart instead of having to keep it lifted to move it. It will also keep the handlebars from touching the ground directly when not holding it in your hand.
Having the derailleur fully exposed at the other end from where you lift/push the bike is not ideal so I’d maybe suggest including a rigid cover for it with the product to protect the derailleur when deployed.
Also weight would be a huge concern, as it would require the thing to be carried with you during bikepacking, so if it’s too heavy then it wouldn’t be worth bringing with you just for the occasional train or bus ride.
Reminds me a bit of the airnimal folding bikes; perhaps they could give you a bit of inspiration.
Hi, just so you know, the bike has to fit in the Luggage spaces to be able to taken with you as a Luggage otherwise you’ll get kicked out of the train, cause it’ll be in the way and to the eye of the train conductor be a hazard in the case of an Emergency. Hope that helps 🙂 looks like a very nice project by the way!
It could work, but the overall dimensions would have to fit within the luggage restrictions. Bikes in bike bags are generally too big for ICE.
I would consider it as an alternative to booking a bike space, since if the train is cancelled you’re screwed. Would be nice to not worry about that.
Cool project! This would always be a backup plan for me and I bet most cyclists. If you take a bike like this, you are probably up to riding it somewhere. So it is important, that any transportation gear is light weight and small.
For the time it takes, it must be in relation to how long/good the ride will be. So you won’t do this for a day I guess.
One thing you might consider is a cover. You are not allowed to take a bike without one in German ICE trains and some other high speed trains in Europe.
I did that a few times, using Voile Straps and cling film. When we went from Northern Germany to Tuscany/Sardinia with some additional weight in gear, I made some luggage casters using a carbon fibre tube, tiny suitcase wheels and a printed part that sat on a tire. It was a huge help to being able to roll these 25 kg packages for a multi-day train ride with some train-changing. Point is, you need to carry all that with you or find a place to leave it if on a round trip.
I even got myself a frame made with couplers, so I can break it down more without removing the fork which would be too much effort.
To take a lightweight gravel or road bike I would not consider to have it rollable. A package of under 10 kg is okay to be carried for me. If I have a place to leave luggage or just want to have a bike with me on a trip that is not just cycling, I take a backpack and carry the bike-package.
Pretty sure you are aware of it, but if you somehow missed it: Rinko.
Edit: heavy Sardinia packages were not 25 kg, we had like 6-8 kg of that weight on the other shoulder.
Oh wow I see what you did here, the fork is still protruding though, I used to travel with a single speed and could take it apart, wrap it in plastic wrap or cardboard, it would be within the dimensions of a regular luggage. But the fork, flat bars, crank, seatpost all come off to make it streamlined so unless you are willing to sacrifice doing a lot more for a geared bike, I think it’s not ideal. Still, very creative solution that I kind of wish I had when I was flying with a single speed.
That’s called “rinko style” in Japan and the only permissible way to carry a full size bike on a train over there. They sell Rinko bags and also QR removable pedals from MKS.
https://preview.redd.it/fpezvwvd53ch1.jpeg?width=1299&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d223ac4760b88ca562b34693fd72b4b2db599ba7
Don’t forget the QR removable pedals..
There are stuff bags and hardcase bike boxes to transport bikes on trains and planes.
And I think for the train operators it is important that the luggage is not visible a bike anymore
Seems like the very first thing you’d want to do is confirm that every entity in the train management chain accepts your idea that it becomes oversize luggage instead of a bike.
Acronyms man. WTF is ICE. USA isn’t the only country in the world.