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I hate RM bikes!

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
veryn
Posts: 82
Joined: 30 Jan 2011, 09:10
Gender: Male

I hate RM bikes!

Post by veryn »

I forget when they brought in these new bikes but they are terrible! Just wanted to vent!

There are a few we have that don't have stands on them so you lean it against a wall or lamp post then a few seconds later,9 times out of 10 you'll hear a crash to the ground and the bike has fallen over!!

And can you pick the darn thing up again? NO The front wheel has a mind of its own ,they've made it almost impossible to pick up again!


I'll be glad to see these go!!
DB1100
Posts: 1976
Joined: 10 Sep 2007, 14:30

Re: I hate RM bikes!

Post by DB1100 »

veryn wrote:I forget when they brought in these new bikes but they are terrible! Just wanted to vent!

There are a few we have that don't have stands on them so you lean it against a wall or lamp post then a few seconds later,9 times out of 10 you'll hear a crash to the ground and the bike has fallen over!!

And can you pick the darn thing up again? NO The front wheel has a mind of its own ,they've made it almost impossible to pick up again!


I'll be glad to see these go!!
You won't be when you are introduced to the delight's of the LWT and p/l,love your bike before it's too late.
For we were soldiers once,and young
Glenno
Posts: 1491
Joined: 05 Jun 2007, 13:12

Re: I hate RM bikes!

Post by Glenno »

Gimme a bike anytime 18mnths into revision, for town deliveries this was the best & quickest method, with no weight on shoulder probs, inner cities and such likes should have been the first into these revisions as there lies the problem :wave :wave IMHO
Fishyfingers
Posts: 162
Joined: 05 Jan 2007, 22:04
Location: Highland

Re: I hate RM bikes!

Post by Fishyfingers »

We lost all our bikes 8 weeks ago,now we have the HCT i feel like a knackered old man shoulder problem lower back problems and when you get home and sit down your legs seize up and it's not only me 4 out of the 5 duties that have HCT are complaining of injuries one has been signed off for the last 2 week and no sign of him coming back anytime soon .Give me a bike any day,when Joe public ask what happened to your bike and you tell them why they can't believe the reasoning behind it.
JiminyBillyBob
Posts: 177
Joined: 26 Jun 2012, 21:06
Gender: Male

Re: I hate RM bikes!

Post by JiminyBillyBob »

I thought It would be impossible to do my walk without a bike, then one day it got a puncher and I had to walk the whole round, I got done half an hour+ quicker! Never used a bike again!
chrisj
Posts: 1883
Joined: 21 Dec 2010, 16:24
Gender: Male

Re: I hate RM bikes!

Post by chrisj »

With bikes you need drivers to deliver your parcels/packets... I have also found out that I can get about quicker (most times) with a bag/LWT. No standing horrid bikes on cobbles streets and walls and fences etc and pushing the damn things with heavy bags up the hill and the downhills are not always safe without dodgy wheels, brakes and handle bars bent awkardly.

There are just too many posties whizzing around with bikes in main towns and cities without helmet on and without due care.

For me, bikes are for leisure not work!
JiminyBillyBob
Posts: 177
Joined: 26 Jun 2012, 21:06
Gender: Male

Re: I hate RM bikes!

Post by JiminyBillyBob »

The only use I can see for the bikes is if you don't drive and you walk is a fair distance from the office. They are just more trouble than there worth if your delivering with them, constant stopping and starting its just time consuming.
dan1986ccfc
Posts: 63
Joined: 07 Dec 2009, 16:58
Gender: Male

Re: I hate RM bikes!

Post by dan1986ccfc »

I Miss RM bikes!
mandelsons_toenail
Posts: 1294
Joined: 08 Aug 2009, 18:16
Gender: Male
Location: Outer Hebrides

Re: I hate RM bikes!

Post by mandelsons_toenail »

Can I have your bike then?

You won't enjoy the 10 mile per day walking

Especially with these cat trainers :left:
plymouth3
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 119
Joined: 06 Jul 2010, 18:45
Gender: Male

Re: I hate RM bikes!

Post by plymouth3 »

In my office there is 4 rounds near the office that all have long drives of 1oo yards each, now they have to push the HCT up each drive. On average takes them an 90 mins extra compared to their bike.
redneck
Posts: 788
Joined: 04 Jan 2010, 20:28
Gender: Male

Re: I hate RM bikes!

Post by redneck »

I don't believe enough effort was made by senior management to be forward thinking as regards what a bike is capable of doing. We now have vans everywhere on P/L blocking up car parks, expending vast amounts on fuel, needing constant maintenance (or not getting it usually), a slower way of working in pairs. The bikes needed investment, most of the parcels/packets we deliver are not heavy at all, they are just bulky and could have been carried with an adaptation to the old Pashley type cycle such as a secure trailer or large locakable box on the back. A tricycle? Cheaper to produce, maintain and run than a £10k van, admittedly not suitable for every round by any means but an option that seemed to be not even considered.
chrisj
Posts: 1883
Joined: 21 Dec 2010, 16:24
Gender: Male

Re: I hate RM bikes!

Post by chrisj »

I might agree with the environmental and cost argument in favour of bikes; and the blocking access roads for customers to offices and other motorists - it is a real shambles!

However, the parcels that we carry are becoming bulkier and numerous. By the time you put one or two shoe-box sized parcels or bigger in a pouch, it is going to be hard to use the pouch properly or even fit on the bikes.

A tricycle! Well, that could be good for some semi-rural parts... Good idea!! They have scooters with a box in some parts of the continent.
Brain Fury
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 664
Joined: 07 Apr 2011, 18:03
Gender: Male

Re: I hate RM bikes!

Post by Brain Fury »

redneck wrote:I don't believe enough effort was made by senior management to be forward thinking as regards what a bike is capable of doing. We now have vans everywhere on P/L blocking up car parks, expending vast amounts on fuel, needing constant maintenance (or not getting it usually), a slower way of working in pairs. The bikes needed investment, most of the parcels/packets we deliver are not heavy at all, they are just bulky and could have been carried with an adaptation to the old Pashley type cycle such as a secure trailer or large locakable box on the back. A tricycle? Cheaper to produce, maintain and run than a £10k van, admittedly not suitable for every round by any means but an option that seemed to be not even considered.
Trikes, trailers, electric bikes, scooters etc all considered, prototyped, trialled and rejected for a variety of reasons including capacity, safety, security and legal issues.
Brain Fury
EX ROYAL MAIL
Posts: 664
Joined: 07 Apr 2011, 18:03
Gender: Male

Re: I hate RM bikes!

Post by Brain Fury »

veryn wrote:I forget when they brought in these new bikes but they are terrible! Just wanted to vent!

There are a few we have that don't have stands on them so you lean it against a wall or lamp post then a few seconds later,9 times out of 10 you'll hear a crash to the ground and the bike has fallen over!!

And can you pick the darn thing up again? NO The front wheel has a mind of its own ,they've made it almost impossible to pick up again!


I'll be glad to see these go!!
"These new bikes" were brought in 12 years ago!
JiminyBillyBob
Posts: 177
Joined: 26 Jun 2012, 21:06
Gender: Male

Re: I hate RM bikes!

Post by JiminyBillyBob »

The bikes are a pain, but agreed Bikes over vans any day!