London commute route advice

Aidanw

I am moving from the lovely north of London down to sunny Fulham and could do with some advice.

My new house is near the desirable Munster road area (who knew it was desirable till estate agents started saying it was!) to Aldwych. My current plan is to head east till I hit the Thames and then power along the embankment. However looking at the map it is substantially more direct to cut up through Sloan square towards buck house.

I can see however that the traffic may be more of an issue the further inland you go.

I am sure I will find out through experimentation but i wonder if anyone has any upfront advice?

This or this basicly!

il_principe

Embankment all the way! Fast, wide road, plenty of other cyclists.

Kings road is a bit of a mare, narrow, busy, lots of peds and bus stops etc.

Try em both of course, but gut instinct says Embankment.

Christophe3967

Welcome to the embankment - its simply the best fun you can have on any working day with your clothes on. If you're at the southern end of Munster Road it should be easy to get on the New Kings Road- scoot down Edith Grove and you're on the embankment. If you're further up then Dawes Road is an option. From the embankment you could try going south over lambeth Bridge, down Lambeth Palace Rd, York Road and back over Waterloo Br. This will take you straight into the Aldwych avoiding the Strand. However the Strand is OK in the morning but a no no in the evening, so you could stay on Millbank and scoot round Traf Sq. I think this is what JG and CJCP do although you do have to negotiate Parliament Sq where the lights take ages if you catch a red. So lots of options really. Either way, you'll have a great ride in

roger_merriman

i've found that for city cycling or driving for that matter routes that minmise bus clogging/traffic lights can be a lot faster even if longer, i don't know that area well so can't commit though like others my hunch would be embankment.

cjcp

Yep, another vote for Embankment. The more the merrier

As Christophe mentioned, Parlt Square is a bit of a PITA with the lights, and you have to watch for the manhole covers in the wet, but Parlt Square is where, I think, SCR proper starts in the evening. The approach westbound to Westminster is about easing the legs into it and sussing out potential competition. Once you clear the barriers/breakwater in front of the HoP heading west though, you're into the deep waters of true SCR territory.

Greg T

Embankment.

Unless you are quick.

Then a different route - the week's wearing on and I'm degrading badly with consecutive headwind return trips lowering my ability to hold off the chain gangs and lone pirates.

cjcp

Greg T wrote:

headwind

What headwind? It's been pretty calm this week by Embankment standards.

Greg T

cjcp wrote:

Greg T wrote:

headwind

What headwind? It's been pretty calm this week by Embankment standards.

It's all relative - wind resistance increases exponentially with speed - you probably aren't going fast enough to notice

asprilla

Sorry to hijack the thread, but has anyone got any route advice for getting from Richmond Park to Tower Hill?

I'm fairly new to this, so I'd prefer to avoid the A3 if possible.

Christophe3967

Asprilla wrote:

Sorry to hijack the thread, but has anyone got any route advice for getting from Richmond Park to Tower Hill?

I'm fairly new to this, so I'd prefer to avoid the A3 if possible.

Just follow anyone on a bike - most of them will be heading your way

I would have thought that Roehampton Gate, Upper Rich Rd to Queens Ride, then Putney Bridge, New King Road, embankment is the way to go, but there are lots of people doing this route that will put you straight. From the embankment, you have the option of carrying on round HoP and onto Blackfriars or heading over Lambeth Br and skirting round Waterloo before London Bridge then right at monument along Eastcheap. Enjoy

cjcp

Christophe3967 wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

Sorry to hijack the thread, but has anyone got any route advice for getting from Richmond Park to Tower Hill?

I'm fairly new to this, so I'd prefer to avoid the A3 if possible.

Just follow anyone on a bike - most of them will be heading your way

I would have thought that Roehampton Gate, Upper Rich Rd to Queens Ride, then Putney Bridge, New King Road, embankment is the way to go, but there are lots of people doing this route that will put you straight. From the embankment, you have the option of carrying on round HoP and onto Blackfriars or heading over Lambeth Br and skirting round Waterloo before London Bridge then right at monument along Eastcheap. Enjoy

Bingo, Stingo!

I enter RP at Kingston Gate and exit at Roehampton Gate and then take the above route with one exception: I take the Lower Richmond Road instead of the Upper RR to avoid the horrors of Putney High Street.

b_c

cjcp wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

I would have thought that Roehampton Gate, Upper Rich Rd to Queens Ride, then Putney Bridge, New King Road, embankment is the way to go, but there are lots of people doing this route that will put you straight. From the embankment, you have the option of carrying on round HoP and onto Blackfriars or heading over Lambeth Br and skirting round Waterloo before London Bridge then right at monument along Eastcheap. Enjoy

Bingo, Stingo!

I enter RP at Kingston Gate and exit at Roehampton Gate and then take the above route with one exception: I take the Lower Richmond Road instead of the Upper RR to avoid the horrors of Putney High Street.

This is very interesting. Am new at this, only 2 weeks , (East Sheen to Canary Wharf . However, on the advice of cycling colleagues , I take Upper RR to Wandsworth, then to Elephant& Castle via 9 elms, cross Tower bridge and head on to Canary Wharf. Does anyone else do this route ? Is the Embackment route faster?

greg66_tri_v2.0

b_c wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

I would have thought that Roehampton Gate, Upper Rich Rd to Queens Ride, then Putney Bridge, New King Road, embankment is the way to go, but there are lots of people doing this route that will put you straight. From the embankment, you have the option of carrying on round HoP and onto Blackfriars or heading over Lambeth Br and skirting round Waterloo before London Bridge then right at monument along Eastcheap. Enjoy

Bingo, Stingo!

I enter RP at Kingston Gate and exit at Roehampton Gate and then take the above route with one exception: I take the Lower Richmond Road instead of the Upper RR to avoid the horrors of Putney High Street.

This is very interesting. Am new at this, only 2 weeks , (East Sheen to Canary Wharf . However, on the advice of cycling colleagues , I take Upper RR to Wandsworth, then to Elephant& Castle via 9 elms, cross Tower bridge and head on to Canary Wharf. Does anyone else do this route ? Is the Embackment route faster?

I tried Nine Elms once when we moved to Wandsworth. Never again.

The Embankment is a lot faster. In all senses.

cjcp

b_c wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

I would have thought that Roehampton Gate, Upper Rich Rd to Queens Ride, then Putney Bridge, New King Road, embankment is the way to go, but there are lots of people doing this route that will put you straight. From the embankment, you have the option of carrying on round HoP and onto Blackfriars or heading over Lambeth Br and skirting round Waterloo before London Bridge then right at monument along Eastcheap. Enjoy

Bingo, Stingo!

I enter RP at Kingston Gate and exit at Roehampton Gate and then take the above route with one exception: I take the Lower Richmond Road instead of the Upper RR to avoid the horrors of Putney High Street.

This is very interesting. Am new at this, only 2 weeks , (East Sheen to Canary Wharf . However, on the advice of cycling colleagues , I take Upper RR to Wandsworth, then to Elephant& Castle via 9 elms, cross Tower bridge and head on to Canary Wharf. Does anyone else do this route ? Is the Embackment route faster?

Used to take the URR to Wandsworth. Much prefer Embankment. Wouldn't venture anywhere near Elephant again either. (Used to approach it from Stockwell when I lived in Tooting.)

cjcp

b_c wrote:

This is very interesting. Am new at this, only 2 weeks

Btw, welcome! What bike are you riding? We need a bike ID, FCN etc etc.

asprilla

Cool, I was planning to stay morth of the river all the way from Putney Bridge so going:

New Kings Road
Cheyne Walk
Chelsea Embankment
Millbank
P Square
Victoria Embankment
Upper Thames Street
Tower Hill

Or would I be quicker nipping back south of the river and coming back over Tower Bridge?

cjcp

Don't cabbies say, "Never cross the river twice to get where you're going"?

Embankment all the way. You know it makes sense.

Another joins our flock.

Welcome to The Game.

asprilla

Thanks very much.

I'm going to be pootling up and down on a Ribble Dedacciai and trying not to look too much like a beginner to commute cycling (although I will be wearing screaming yellow).

cjcp

Asprilla wrote:

Thanks very much.

I'm going to be pootling up and down on a Ribble Dedacciai and trying not to look too much like a beginner to commute cycling (although I will be wearing screaming yellow).

Nice. And noted.

Greg T

If any of the Richmond / Sheen / Twickers newbies need a guide then I leave home circa 0710 in the morning and head in on the Richmond / Sheen / Putney / Fulham / Embankment roadie caravan route.

We could meet up - you'd recognise me easily....

It really is a case of just following the crowds. Going south of the river through the wilds of Clapham / Waterloo is like trying to take a Penny Farthing across the Somme on day one of a big offensive.

asprilla

cjcp wrote:

Nice. And noted.

eBay is a wonderful thing,

I'm actually going to be coming from Walton-on-Thames, so it's 21 miles door to door and the lock-up is secure at the office. As a result I fancied something that would let be go as quick as I can, and would actually have some resale value if I came to sell it.

I got it just about half price and it's only 4 months old, so I'm well happy.

Just waiting for my 700x23c Marathon Plus' to turn up before I venture into London. I've been cycling my Claud Butler hybrid to and from the station for a number of years, so I'm not a complete novice, and I have the healthy cycling opinion that everyone is trying to kill me every time I get on a bike.

biondino

Original poster - the Embankment route is about 2 miles longer than Kings Road (or Fulham Road, just as good).

Garou

@Asprilla
Your journey will probably be largely the opposite of mine, apart from the end. I go from Clapham to Walton-on-Thames. There always seem to be more people going in your direction.

chrisonabike

Kingston to Tower Hill - I always exit Richmond Park at Robin Hood Gate. Then a choice of two routes:

1) The quick way. Up the A3 all the way. Takes about 50 mins. You can use the pavement for the dual carriageway stretch up to Tibbets Corner if you prefer.

or

2) The back-roads way. Start off up the A3, going under the dual carriageway at the ASDA underpass. Then proceed more or less as follows
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1148725
(though I've improved the route since I drew this a year or so back - I now reckon Southwark Bridge is the best one to cross on the way home).
Takes about 60 mins once you're familiar with the twists and turns (potentially much longer before then).

I use the back-roads way about 80% of the time, since I agree the A3 isn't much fun. Either route may take quite a bit longer while you're new to it. Likewise, PM me if you'd like to meet one morning and share the experience.

Christophe3967

Greg T wrote:

If any of the Richmond / Sheen / Twickers newbies need a guide then I leave home circa 0710 in the morning and head in on the Richmond / Sheen / Putney / Fulham / Embankment roadie caravan route.

We could meet up - you'd recognise me easily....

It really is a case of just following the crowds. Going south of the river through the wilds of Clapham / Waterloo is like trying to take a Penny Farthing across the Somme on day one of a big offensive.

We do get stuck in our ways so i'm inclined to try the Millbank / Blackfriars route from HoP and see how that goes. The advantage of scooting round Waterloo is the drag race across London Bridge, but the Blackfriars underpass sounds like it could be fun too.

cjcp

Christophe3967 wrote:

the Millbank / Blackfriars route from HoP

Game. On.

It's like a balls-out TdF sprint, but it continues for three-four miles. :P

b_c

cjcp wrote:

b_c wrote:

This is very interesting. Am new at this, only 2 weeks

Btw, welcome! What bike are you riding? We need a bike ID, FCN etc etc.

Thanks , riding a Trek 7.1 currently and having a hard time against the wind on the way back. Will spend the weekend shopping for an proper road bike . Any suggestions for a £ 700 budget?

Greg T

Christophe3967 wrote:

We do get stuck in our ways so i'm inclined to try the Millbank / Blackfriars route from HoP and see how that goes. The advantage of scooting round Waterloo is the drag race across London Bridge, but the Blackfriars underpass sounds like it could be fun too.

I tried waterloo last night and just banged back over the river at Millbank as I couldn't take the pressure!

The first few times you go through the tunnel you'll be flapping as it sounds like a Mescherschmitt is chasing you down it - however hold your nerve and road position and all will be fine.

It may clog up a bit until after temple tube, a bit of jockeying running up to HoP but then the green fields and wind tunnels await.

Christophe3967

Greg T wrote:

Christophe3967 wrote:

We do get stuck in our ways so i'm inclined to try the Millbank / Blackfriars route from HoP and see how that goes. The advantage of scooting round Waterloo is the drag race across London Bridge, but the Blackfriars underpass sounds like it could be fun too.

I tried waterloo last night and just banged back over the river at Millbank as I couldn't take the pressure!

The first few times you go through the tunnel you'll be flapping as it sounds like a Mescherschmitt is chasing you down it - however hold your nerve and road position and all will be fine.

It may clog up a bit until after temple tube, a bit of jockeying running up to HoP but then the green fields and wind tunnels await.

Just my luck - a broken down down/'crashed BT van meant that that the underpass was choked (assume its not like that every night as it makes breathing a challenge). Anyway, by the time I got to Westminster Br, it had taken 15 mins - roughly the same time as round the nether regions of Waterloo. So when its working properly...

Aidanw

I did this for the first time this morning.
Certainly a pretty easy route to navigate... and the hordes in Parliament square had not broken out when I passed!

however I did get my first puncture in 2 years of London cycling just around embankment... I hope people are not laying traps out for me already

I could not find what made it and it did not have the characteristics of a snakebite, though there where two neat holes close together.

I ride a black Condor Agio with one red pannier and i have a short sleeved yellow reflector jacket (like road workers use) say 'hi' and I will probably crash straight into the curb