# Can you sleep with your bike on a ferry?



## Andrew_Culture (31 Jul 2017)

This Thursday I'm taking the ferry from Harwich to the Hook of Holland. I'm not massively keen on leaving our bikes below decks with the cars (or wherever). My bike is worthless but my peddling companion will have a Ti bike that he only finished building a few days ago.

Ideally we would want to have our bikes in the cabin we're kipping in.

Does anyone have any experience of trying to get their bike into a cabin? Is that even allowed?


----------



## MossCommuter (31 Jul 2017)

Why not take the wheels off, put it in a bag and carry it on as luggage?


----------



## mjr (31 Jul 2017)

I would be surprised, just for practical reasons. It's a long climb up the stairs and the lifts aren't that big and get pretty crowded, especially for disembarking. If a bike even fits, you'll probably have a long wait for enough space. Probably best to bag it, so people aren't so nervous about getting oiled or scratched if it gets crowded in the lift.

The ferries on that route usually (3 trips, 2016 and 2017, and a more experienced traveller tells me it's usual) have banks of fences lashed to the deck in parts of the lorry deck where I think lorries/coaches don't easily fit. The idea seems to be that you lean your bikes on and strap/bungee them to a fence. The best compromise may be to box or bag the bike and lash and lock that to the fence, then lash yours outside it to the fence, blocking it in.


----------



## ianrauk (31 Jul 2017)

As what Rocky says. They lock the car loading deck so no one can get down there once the ship is under sail.
So worry not.


----------



## Tenacious Sloth (31 Jul 2017)

I wouldn't bother.

I found that a ferry cabin was no more romantic than sleeping with my bike at home.

Graham


----------



## classic33 (31 Jul 2017)

Car decks have to be secured, by law, just before departure until just before arrival. As pointed out by @ianrauk.

Legacy of the Herald of Free Enterprise.


----------



## Glow worm (31 Jul 2017)

Yes you've no need to worry- it's quite a good set up on the car deck with plenty of room at the bike racks there. You can just lock to the rack if worried, as you normally would and go for a beer. I locked mine really more to secure it in the event of rough seas. I don't think you'd get bikes in the lift easily anyway and you wouldn't be popular in the scrum to get the lifts back down at the end of the sailing.


----------



## snorri (31 Jul 2017)

No need to worry about leaving your bikes on the car deck, but it will help avoid anxiety in the morning if you have noted where about on which deck you have parked bikes and which stairs and doors to use to get back there. There is a Colour Coding system in place to help with this.


----------



## toffee (31 Jul 2017)

If you are worried lock it to the barriers, most people don't, they just use the ropes supplied. You won't get the bikes in the lift on the way down due to the number of people who just can't wait to get back to their cars. We'll be doing the same trip in 4 weeks time.


----------



## byegad (31 Jul 2017)

I saw the title and had to read. Thankfully it's about where you park your bike on a ferry!


----------



## Racing roadkill (31 Jul 2017)

Just drag it up to the cabin, if anyone complains, tell everyone they're a nazi sympathiser.


----------



## slowmotion (31 Jul 2017)

I've been on that overnight ferry six times and I've had no worries at all about leaving my bike on the car/lorry decks. The first time I locked it, but I didn't bother on the other trips. You'll be fine.


----------



## Fab Foodie (31 Jul 2017)

Like here.....







I left the Rourke with all the kit on too without issue -just took bar bag with valuables up with me.


----------



## Crackle (31 Jul 2017)

There isn't that much room in the cabins anyway so two bikes would really be in the way and I can't imagine they'd let you take them up as you'd be a serious pain in the arse during loading and unloading not to mention an obstruction in an emergency. As said by others, never had a problem leaving my bike on the car deck, there's even a nice litespeed in FF's photo.


----------



## Tin Pot (31 Jul 2017)

Andrew_Culture said:


> This Thursday I'm taking the ferry from Harwich to the Hook of Holland. I'm not massively keen on leaving our bikes below decks with the cars (or wherever). My bike is worthless but my peddling companion will have a Ti bike that he only finished building a few days ago.
> 
> Ideally we would want to have our bikes in the cabin we're kipping in.
> 
> Does anyone have any experience of trying to get their bike into a cabin? Is that even allowed?



No, it's illegal anywhere.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7095134.stm


----------



## slowmotion (31 Jul 2017)

Slightly off-topic. Take two lengths of thin (say 3mm diameter) nylon cord, about eighteen inches long. Some of the bike racks have a hook for each handlebar which suits straight barred bikes. If you have drops, they don't fit so well, hence bring some cord to secure your steed onto the hooks.


----------



## mjr (31 Jul 2017)

Fab Foodie said:


> Like here.....
> 
> View attachment 365341
> 
> ...


That looks like the Dover-Dunkirk ferries I've used. The Harwich-Hook ones I've used are rather more industrial, like crowd-control fences. Not the handlebar hangers that I'd seen photos of.


----------



## Fab Foodie (31 Jul 2017)

mjr said:


> That looks like the Dover-Dunkirk ferries I've used. The Harwich-Hook ones I've used are rather more industrial, like crowd-control fences. Not the handlebar hangers that I'd seen photos of.


You score a 'geek' point for that!


----------



## slowmotion (31 Jul 2017)

More geekery. Here are the bike racks on the Stena Britannica which does the overnight trips back from The Hook. Bits of cord are handy for these.


----------



## jefmcg (31 Jul 2017)

Tin Pot said:


> No, it's illegal anywhere.
> 
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7095134.stm


Yes, @Andrew_Culture needs to get on a ship that heads to international waters.


----------



## Shut Up Legs (31 Jul 2017)

I wouldn't be able to sleep if my bike was on a ferry. I'd be worrying about why it took a ferry, and what I did to upset it.


----------



## slowmotion (31 Jul 2017)

We need an expert opinion from @Salty seadog!


----------



## Salty seadog (31 Jul 2017)

slowmotion said:


> We need an expert opinion from @Salty seadog!



**expert opinion**

I only puddle jump across the channel, no time for passengers to sleep Dover-Calais. No passenger cabins. I would imagine if you asked on the North sea route the answer would be no but as said previously only deck crew would be on the car decks at sea for maintenance etc....


----------



## Andrew_Culture (31 Jul 2017)

Thank you everyone. I dare say my bike will be the least nickable one there anyway!


----------



## slowmotion (31 Jul 2017)

User said:


> What is worth worrying about is bits being taken.


I take off the lights, computer and the panniers, but I leave on a rather nasty Raleigh bidon, foreground in the photo.


----------



## StuAff (31 Jul 2017)

Crackle said:


> There isn't that much room in the cabins anyway so two bikes would really be in the way and I can't imagine they'd let you take them up as you'd be a serious pain in the arse during loading and unloading not to mention an obstruction in an emergency. As said by others, never had a problem leaving my bike on the car deck, there's *even a nice litespeed in FF's photo*.


Indeed there is. It's mine.


----------



## mjr (1 Aug 2017)

slowmotion said:


> More geekery. Here are the bike racks on the Stena Britannica which does the overnight trips back from The Hook. Bits of cord are handy for these.
> View attachment 365414


That's what I'd seen photos of. Still not seen them on the ferry. Maybethey fill up quick these days.


----------



## hopless500 (1 Aug 2017)

slowmotion said:


> More geekery. Here are the bike racks on the Stena Britannica which does the overnight trips back from The Hook. Bits of cord are handy for these.
> View attachment 365414


That's a bit posh. Never had any of those on my ferry trips. Just find something immovable and lock your bike to it has been order of the day!


----------



## rich p (2 Aug 2017)

Bleedin' hell. I've left bikes loads of times, fully loaded with 4 panniers and tent without ever giving it a second thought. Don't overthink these things.


----------



## RobinS (2 Aug 2017)

Likewise, just take your barbag/valuables and leave the bikes and all kit tied up. No point locking them - you can't really nick a bike while at sea!


----------



## Andrew_Culture (3 Aug 2017)

Well at least from a purely mechanical perspective I'm ready for this trip.






I'll take the Gamins off the handlebars before I leave the bike on the car deck


----------



## Andrew_Culture (4 Aug 2017)

Well that was all fine


----------



## jefmcg (4 Aug 2017)

User said:


> Except some ba*tard has stuck some revolting bar tape on as a cruel joke....


My variant was "If you'd mentioned the bar tape in the first post, we would have told you not to worry"


----------



## TheDoctor (4 Aug 2017)

Other than the horrid bar tape, that's a feckin' lovely looking bike.
I'd have wanted to sleep with it too


----------



## StuAff (4 Aug 2017)

Andrew_Culture said:


> View attachment 366028
> 
> 
> Well that was all fine


Nice. What model is that?


----------



## Andrew_Culture (4 Aug 2017)

The Ti bike is a lynskey frame and a bunch of other stuff. Its on its maiden voyage. It's not mine. 

Mine is the shagged bike behind it. I just had to get the crank tightened. The Dutch fella in the bike shop couldn't believe my bike had made it so far.


----------



## Andrew_Culture (4 Aug 2017)

We made it. Oh my Holland was windy. I've just done the slowest average ever for a 90 miles ride


----------



## Salty seadog (4 Aug 2017)

Andrew_Culture said:


> View attachment 366095
> We made it. Oh my Holland was windy. I've just done the slowest average ever for a 90 miles ride




yes, Holland has wind,


----------



## mjr (5 Aug 2017)

Andrew_Culture said:


> We made it. Oh my Holland was windy. I've just done the slowest average ever for a 90 miles ride


Well done but I've a 90 mile ride across the fens where the winds kept spinning to face us and I crocked myself with 25 miles to go which would probably "beat" it. Flatland cycling can be hard when the weather's against you!


----------



## shirokazan (6 Aug 2017)

Andrew_Culture said:


> Oh my Holland was windy.


I guess that's rhyming slang: Holland & Glass 

If I were teaching English punctuation, I'd use this a superb example of when to use the comma. Ta.


----------



## Andrew_Culture (9 Aug 2017)

If anyone needs closure on this I've written it up here - http://veloballs.com/cycling-holland-punk-rock-festival-belgium/


----------



## PaulSB (12 Aug 2017)

Just returning partly to the original point. I've never seen the rather posh racks posted on here. The ferries I've used just stacked bikes in a corner leant against each other. 

My worry is damage, scratches etc. Before boarding I find a local B&Q or similar, buy some pipe insulation, cut to fit and push it on to the frame. Ditch the stuff on the other side.


----------



## snorri (12 Aug 2017)

PaulSB said:


> The ferries I've used just stacked bikes in a corner leant against each other.


Name names!
I've only experienced poor bike stowage on the short lived Rosyth- Zeebrugge service which went on my black list immediately following my first use of the service.


----------



## Ticktockmy (12 Aug 2017)

Now I am worried about myself, cos I never worry much about the bike paint work, I worry about silly things like other people bike pedals getting caught in the wheels etc, mind when you have done long haul tours where the bike has been carried on top of buses, hauled aboard local passenger ferries and trains and all the other handling it get. a few scratches are least of the problem.


----------



## classic33 (12 Aug 2017)

snorri said:


> Name names!
> I've only experienced poor bike stowage on the short lived Rosyth- Zeebrugge service which went on my black list immediately following my first use of the service.


Stena, Irish Ferries & some DFDS vessels.


----------



## PaulSB (14 Aug 2017)

snorri said:


> Name names!
> I've only experienced poor bike stowage on the short lived Rosyth- Zeebrugge service which went on my black list immediately following my first use of the service.



DFDS and Brittany Ferries


----------



## Low Gear Guy (14 Aug 2017)

snorri said:


> Name names!
> I've only experienced poor bike stowage on the short lived Rosyth- Zeebrugge service which went on my black list immediately following my first use of the service.


It depends how busy it is. Most of the time there is enough space for bikes to be stored individually. When it is busy they will be stacked to fit them all in. I have seen this on both Brittany Ferries and the IOW catamaran.
On the other hand I haven't seen a ferry where they put another layer on top as I once experienced in a BR guards van.


----------



## snorri (14 Aug 2017)

Low Gear Guy said:


> It depends how busy it is.


I think this may be relevant!
I normally toured outwith the peak holiday season.


----------



## Brains (18 Aug 2017)

Andrew_Culture said:


> We made it. Oh my Holland was windy. I've just done the slowest average ever for a 90 miles ride



Try to do the Belgian border to Dunkirk in a headwind !
A few years back two of our party (regular cyclists) managed to achieve a maximum speed of 7mph, the other three walked most of the way as it was less effort and not much slower!

Next time I'd get the train to Calais and cycle back to Dunkirk with the wind behind me


----------

