Hi. We are a couple flying from NZ to London in June with touring bikes and equipment. We need a place to leave our boxes until our return a month later. Any suggestions?
1
simonhill
What sort of boxes? Cardboard or hardcases?
Which airport?
What are your plans from the airport, are you planning on cycling from there of getting transport to accommodation?
By the way left luggage at Gatwick used to be £5 a day so you can presumably discount that option.
2
willsp
Ruth
What I have done with my bike in different countries: Rent accommodation for a night or two after you arrive and before you leave via AirBnB or similar. Ask the host if you can leave boxes there. It has worked every time for me.
3
ruth.jarman
Thankyou for the replies. We fly in and out of Heathrow. We fly with bike in cardboard box and a pack with gear/panniers inside. We are looking at all options. Maybe building bikes at airport and storing Box (one inside other so only one piece) there or at airport hotel. Don't really need to go into centre of London.
4
simonhill
I s'pose the bottom line is what do you want to do?
Anyway, here are a few thoughts.
I think the left luggage at Heathrow is by the same company as at Gatwick. I think the price is now £6 a day so this would be an expensive option for a month. You may be able to do a deal, you could Google them and then contact them.
One thing to consider is will you be able to manage your boxed bike and luggage once you have to leave the airport trolley behind?
You can take a bike in a box on the tube anywhere any time, you can't take an unboxed bike on the tube from Heathrow (it is deemed a deep station and hence dangerous). However you can take an unboxed bike from plenty of other stations (which means you can unofficially get to Heathrow with an unboxed bike) See transport for London website.
There are long distance buses from Heathrow that take boxed bikes. These would get you to somewhere to get a hotel/hostel/b&b and start your ride. This depends on where you want to start from.
You still then have the problem of getting from bus or tube etc to your accommodation with boxes and luggage. Even if you get accom near the airport, you still have to get there. Airport accom costs and taxi fares could work out pretty expensive.
If you can't negotiate a deal with the left luggage people I think my favourite would be to pack your luggage in plastic that you can ditch with the boxes. You can then leave the airport under your own steam. You can easily get bike boxes in the UK, so just plan which town you are finishing in and check there are bike shops and suitable transport to the airport.
If you open both ends of a bike box you can fold it in 3, tie it with string and carry over your shoulder while pushing your loaded bike. This is the best way I have found of moving bike, luggage and box any distance.
Finally, you could try posting on the CTC forum, where there will probably be people with better knowledge of Heathrow than me (I always use Gatwick now because it is more bike friendly)
http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewforum.php?f=16
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