The transition

I booked train from Germany to Poland a couple of summers ago for a group. Very convenient if the train is going from where you are to where you want to be.

When I traveled to Europe on business years ago, we rented cars.
 
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Roamers said:
I booked train from Germany to Poland a couple of summers ago for a group. Very convenient if the train is going from where you are to where you want to be.

When I traveled to Europe on business years ago, we rented cars.
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It really depends on the country. For instance, Germany after having had chosen the car/Autobahn managed to neglect her railroad system to the level the Deutsche Bahn is a laugh in Europe. While Poland has built both the excellent road and railway system for the last 20+ years. (Now, the same is done for the aviation). Moreover, the government has understood the value of the railroad; many old routes are restored nowadays.

There are Euro countries in which I feel the car rental is the right thing, for example Ireland or Italy. On the other hand, the UK is pretty good with the public transportation, it is only pretty expensive there. We once had a railroad trip London -> Liverpool -> Chester -> Anglesey/Holyhead -> ferry over the Irish sea -> Dublin and back; cannot complain at all. We also had a mini-vacation in Kent England only travelling by trains. Cannot complain at all!

The public transport in Zealand/Sjaelland Denmark is a dream!

Regarding trip planning, each country has its own trip planner. I think the CityMapper is the best for the UK. We use jakdojade in Poland. Google Maps public transportation is not bad at all where I have been.
 
The train is fine, runs like clockwork, but trying to break through the old school bureaucracy which seems to have filtered through to the internet can be mind numbing.
Thats why every train and every station in the UK is full of people asking other passengers and hiding staff if this train goes to this and that.
Trains are only 2% of journeys in the UK, they are just incredibly inconvenient for everyone except commuters who build their lives around work travel or people who live a simpler life and accept the inconvenience as part of lifes interest.

I do use our coastal train and have worked out the nuances of station positioning and I have a free pass, but after this year I wont be as they are banning ebikes.
 
Chargeride said:
The train is fine, runs like clockwork, but trying to break through the old school bureaucracy which seems to have filtered through to the internet can be mind numbing.
Thats why every train and every station in the UK is full of people asking other passengers and hiding staff if this train goes to this and that.
Trains are only 2% of journeys in the UK, they are just incredibly inconvenient for everyone except commuters who build their lives around work travel or people who live a simpler life and accept the inconvenience as part of lifes interest.

I do use our coastal train and have worked out the nuances of station positioning and I have a free pass, but after this year I wont be as they are banning ebikes.
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You have of course used the CityMapper, haven't you.
I cannot quite get why we as tourists were happy with British railways but you do complain? I could complain on many things in the UK but the railways would be the last of them. How convenient it is to get to/from London airports by train! (Unless there is an "industrial action", or a strike in them olden words) :)

For me, an e-bike is the easiest way of transport in London. I used to drive in England over 20 years ago. I travelled as a car passenger through London, Oxfordshire, Cotswolds, North Wales, Peak District, London again, Wiltshire, Isle of Wight, and Brighton in this decade. Oh, no. Not anymore!
 
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Its the farcical juxtaposition of lecturing us about climate change and to use public transport while simultaneously making the pricing and access for
people not sold on the idea as unappealing as possible when the actual trains are very good.
 
Anyway Ive found this bike for 600 quids, Ive very poorly photoshopped bmx bars and probably fit a suspension seatpost
fit a larger controller and a hidden thrttle...naughty..naughty

GVT.jpg
 
Chargeride said:
Its the farcical juxtaposition of lecturing us about climate change and to use public transport while simultaneously making the pricing and access for
people not sold on the idea as unappealing as possible when the actual trains are very good.
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One of many issues of the UK nowadays.
 
Chargeride said:
Anyway Ive found this bike for 600 quids, Ive very poorly photoshopped bmx bars and probably fit a suspension seatpost
fit a larger controller and a hidden thrttle...naughty..naughty

View attachment 216196
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You will need to clip in the pedals and dress in all Lycra to ride this fat folder with the hidden throttle. The inner pad of the rear brake cannot be adjusted because the motor blocks it. Oh well, who needs to stop. The fold will creak warning others of your approach for safety.
 
I bought this thing 3 years ago for $5k. Put the clunky fenders on myself.
Just saying, lower cost emotos ain't nothing new.

PXL_20250521_202658867.jpg
 
Theyre still mostly useless beyond local runabout, my concern is no removable battery for charging.
My other concern is removing the battery for charging.
 
The Rivid emoto above has a removable battery, but at close to a hundred pounds so it's not all that easy to handle.
This emoto gets up to 40 miles a charge. Not a problem for me, as the city I live in has roughly a five mile diameter.
It is highly useful for me, and an integral part of my transportation fleet.

Just saw a second emoto in town last night!
 
The Enfield cant be charged at public stations, I guess you can by an adaptor, but its an hour charge.
We just dont have the facilities or culture for that yet.
 
Chargeride said:
Adjust inner pad, what sorcery is this?
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On cable actuated, mechanical, brakes the inner pad needs to be adjusted, tightened regularly. Most parents do not know this and may only tighten the outer pad with the barrel adjuster. The brakes do not work. On some hub-drives the motor blocks the inner adjustment. This make the adjustment much more complex.
 
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