Starting the London commute - route advice in Croydon area

davis

Hi,

It looks like I might be working in Camberwell for a few weeks starting in March.
I could commute via train, but the prospect of 4 hours/day on Public Transport doesn't fill me with joy.
I'm therefore thinking of driving to a colleague's house in Whyteleafe, Surrey and riding in from there, pending availability of showers and bike parking at the employer

Playing about with Google maps gives this map

Looking at BikeHike, and OSM Cyclemaps shows there are cycle paths available, but they seem a bit "wiggly", and I suspect they're pretty much box-ticking exercises by the local council (poor surface, etc).
I think I could probably do that route (about 22 km up the A22/A23) in about an hour, which, when added to the 2 hours' driving brings me back to the 4 hours of the train.

I'm not too worried about the distance or the hilliness as I commute by bike in the rural countryside, and that's no bother. The main thing I'm worried about is: is my route suicidal? Are (some) cycle paths a better alternative? Will I get scalped (not that I really mind)? Are there any semi off-road alternatives that would demand I get a CX bike? (N+1 rules apply here)

I want to get this as easy as possible, as once I start the cycling it'll be more difficult to chop and change between train/bike.

I think I should probably try doing it on a Saturday first, and see how I go. I don't want to be slogging through Monday morning traffic without knowing the route.

Cafewanda

Calling BJUK to reception.........................

Bassjunkieuk

Doesn't look like a bad route, living in South Norwood and riding past where you heading to en-route to central London I've tried a few routes. I've also ridden out down towards Whytleleafe on some Sunday rides.

My first suggestion on that route would be to follow Brighton Road when you get to Purley Cross. Purley Way is usuallly rather busy and whilst I shouldn't imagine it'll cause you an issue as anyone wishing to ride 22Km for a commute is obviously a fairly competent rider!

Once you get on the A23 most of it has bus lanes which are in a reasonable state (although I haven't ridden that way in a while and not since the snow.....)

My usual route to get out to the hills in Crystal Palace which would add some nice climbs about halfway through.

If I get a chance later I'll post some links to my route on Bikely which show how I head out via Camberwell.

DonDaddyD

Judging by your destination you'll be working in either maudsley or kings, to my knowledge they both should have shower facilities for both patient and staff. I did the commute from Norbury to camberwell for two years. Once you're in streatham go up Christchurch road left around the roundabout along norwood road and up Denmark hill past the station of the same name to your destination.

London road (a23) from west Croydon to streatham is fine but doesn't have cycle lanes. It's busier on the weekends than days though, if you're going for a test ride. T

Jamey

The A22 from Whyteleafe to Purley isn't too bad but it will probably be quite busy. Once you get to Purley Cross, as BJUK rightly says, it's probably better to follow the Brighton Road into Croydon rather than get straight on the A23 as it's not much fun for that section.

Once into Croydon you just go straight through it and out the other side to rejoin the A23 and follow DDDs advice from there.

davis

Thank you, BJUK, DDD, and Jamey (and Wanda for the Public Service Announcement!):

Looks like my route now will be this

My usual route to get out to the hills in Crystal Palace which would add some nice climbs about halfway through.

I'd love to do that to maintain at least a façade of training, but I simply don't think I'll have the time following or looking forward(?) to an hour's drive -- London's less lumpy bits will have to do. (Setting myself up for a first class fall of a fool there...)

Judging by your destination you'll be working in either maudsley or kings, to my knowledge they both should have shower facilities for both patient and staff.

Great, thanks. Yes it's either Maudsley or King's at the moment.

Thank you all for your help, Gentlemen.
If/when it happens, I'll let you know if I manage to avoid buses' Pirellis.

squired

First off, I'd be tempted to use the cut through round the back of Purley train station (from the traffic lights at the bottom of Downs Court Road. It avoids some traffic lights doing that. From there, along the Brighton Road towards Croydon.

An alternative to going through Croydon and down via Norbury would be to head to East Croydon station. Then take the left along Dingwall Road. Follow the road (marked cycle route I think) and you will come out eventually on Whitehorse Road. After navigating the mini-roundabout at the bottom of Thornton Heath High Street you can take one of the roads that gets you onto Grange Road and eventually onto Beulah Hill. From there the route is pretty straightforward, heading down Knights Hill, past Brockwell Park (on your left) and via Herne Hill..

When I was a student at Kings College Hospital the route via Beulah hill was my preference. Some nice hills too!

The calculation for the route I've just described comes out at 13.4 miles, but will avoid some of the major traffic and plenty of sets of traffic lights. Of course it does add some hills.

Jamey

davis wrote:

Looks like my route now will be this

Yay, you'll go past my house and the first part of your route up to Lombard roundabout is the same as mine.

Watch out for pot-holes on Grasmere Road. I think they've patched most of them with that temporary cake mix stuff but it was truly, truly awful after the cold spell over Christmas. Really bad pot-holes running the entire length of the road on both sides, right where tyre tracks would normally be.

Bassjunkieuk

squired wrote:

An alternative to going through Croydon and down via Norbury would be to head to East Croydon station. Then take the left along Dingwall Road. Follow the road (marked cycle route I think) and you will come out eventually on Whitehorse Road. After navigating the mini-roundabout at the bottom of Thornton Heath High Street you can take one of the roads that gets you onto Grange Road and eventually onto Beulah Hill. From there the route is pretty straightforward, heading down Knights Hill, past Brockwell Park (on your left) and via Herne Hill.

You've pretty much described my route there! I love the blast down Gypsy Hill although owing to the wet conditions recently, along with my slightly out of true rear wheel I'm avoiding it, instead heading down the more winding Fountain Drive/Colleage Road after heading down Crystal Palace Parade.

davis

Jamey wrote:

Watch out for pot-holes on Grasmere Road. I think they've patched most of them with that temporary cake mix stuff but it was truly, truly awful after the cold spell over Christmas. Really bad pot-holes running the entire length of the road on both sides, right where tyre tracks would normally be.

Thanks, will do... +1 for local knowledge!