Ride from Coventry to Reading

996JAT

Hi guys,

I did a ride from Birmingham to Southall for a charity event a few weeks back.

Just asking if anyone knows a safe, quiet route from Coventry to Reading avoiding busy A roads as i know what happens if you get it at 70.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks
Jat

mikeitup

Could you use part of the B'ham canal network and join up with the Grand Union for most of the way?

just a thought

Gavin Gilbert

Was that the same charity ride on which a rider was killed? Very sad - I understand some of the roads were exceptionally busy for inexperienced cyclists.

Looking at the map there seems to be an obvious line of attack from Leamington Spa down the B4100 through Banbury, Bicester and Thame, joining up onto the B4009 at Chinnor.

At that point things get a bit more difficult as you have the option of using busier roads or tackling the bulk of the Chiltern Hills. I would seriously advise against using the A329 or A4074 - the most direct routes as they are very busy.

My preference would be to take the B480 from Watlington and follow this all the way to Caversham, just east of Reading.

el_presidente

Gavin Gilbert wrote:

Was that the same charity ride on which a rider was killed? Very sad - I understand some of the roads were exceptionally busy for inexperienced cyclists.

Looking at the map there seems to be an obvious line of attack from Leamington Spa down the B4100 through Banbury, Bicester and Thame, joining up onto the B4009 at Chinnor.

At that point things get a bit more difficult as you have the option of using busier roads or tackling the bulk of the Chiltern Hills. I would seriously advise against using the A329 or A4074 - the most direct routes as they are very busy.

My preference would be to take the B480 from Watlington and follow this all the way to Caversham, just east of Reading.

*ahem* caversham is north of Reading

996JAT

Thanks Gavin,

Yes that was the ride that someone was killed on the A5. It was quite hard doing the last leg of the ride after that.

To be honest we dont know the details and the ride has been running for 19years without incident. The A5 is a very busy and fast road but its very direct and flat.

How did you come to know about this??

Also thanks for the advie about the route.

Gavin Gilbert

The unfortunate man lived resonably close to me and the incident made the local paper.

But for what it's worth I don't think much of the organisation or marshalling on any of the charity rides I have done.

996JAT

I will be doing the event next year but this time i will help marshall and get involved more.

Anyone can ride or help.

There were 300 riders and different levels of experience.

We still dont know the full details of the accident yet and some people that had seen one thing and someone another. Its just sad.

I also heard someone died on the the london-paris ride too.

spen666

996JAT wrote:

Hi guys,

I did a ride from Birmingham to Southall for a charity event a few weeks back.

Just asking if anyone knows a safe, quiet route from Coventry to Reading avoiding busy A roads as i know what happens if you get it at 70.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks
Jat

That's one hell of a long commute