bike hooks on the train

[spokewench]

Try this at home before you go back to the train. Grab ahold of your bike somewhere back by the chain stays or seat post area, act like you are wheelying your bike, i.e. bringing the front tire off the ground, grab the front tire (not near the frame or you will pinch your hand) to hold it straight. Pick the bike up from the chain stay/seat post area. This way you don't have to actually lift your arms over your head, only to say about waist high. You have more strength with your arms lower and not totally extended. Place on hook and release. When you take the bike down, hopefully you can grab the handlebars, put your hand on the tire of the back wheel, lift up till the bike is released from the hook, grab the handlebars as it comes down wala, you are set.

This is the best description I can give you without actually doing this. I have a hook in the garage that is hard to reach that I hang my bikes on so this is sort of what I do.

Try it out at home to figure out what works for you.
The key is not to have to extend your arms way over your head!

[laura*]

grab the front tire (not near the frame or you will pinch your hand) to hold it straight.

If grabbing the front tire is still too far overhead, try a bungee cord to keep it straight. That leaves both hands free to grab the bike further back/down.

[DebW]

First flip the bike upright on its back wheel. Put the saddle against your stomach, bending you knees to get low enough. Grasp the downtube or one of the seatstays as far away from you as you can reach. Hold the handlebars straight with the other hand. Now straighten your knees to lift the bike and raise your lower arm to get the bike higher. If you still can't get the bike as high as that hook, try bending your knees even more before you start.

[tzvia]

DebW's got it right. I hang my bikes from a hook at home, and found the flopping front wheel made it hard to hang up or take down so I hang two of my bikes by the rear tire. That way, I can grab them much lower, by the downtube/toptube near the head tube, and can lift them right off.