Regents Park

birdy247

Does anyone use this for training? It seems like it takes between 8-9 mins to go round. Thinking of using it for some threshold work. Would it be suitable for this or are cars/traffic/lights/peds too much of an issue to make it work?

Thanks

Ciclicasati

Yes I use it for sporadic training when I cant be bothered to go out to essex.
It’s a fast loop and if you’re lucky you only have 1 traffic light per lap. Max you can get is 5. Peds are no prob apart from near the zoo on Saturdays. Cars are too much of a prob but several areas of the lap are parking lined so watch for doors!

Toks

birdy247 wrote:

Does anyone use this for training? It seems like it takes between 8-9 mins to go round. Thinking of using it for some threshold work. Would it be suitable for this or are cars/traffic/lights/peds too much of an issue to make it work?

Thanks

It's Central London's most popular training loop so loads of people use it. In fact come late spring/ summer time each session around regents can turn into a bit of a mini chaingang. Anything less than 60mins and give it your best for the duration. 90-120mins ride at a friendly fast pace. Enjoy :-)

bcss

certainly a nice track for a quick run during the week, been only once and have not experienced much traffic, as mentioned one has to be a bit carful around the zoo (quite a lot of ppl even though it was a weekday), lights were ok, think there is only one "real" red light

If I understand you threshold training as intervalls, I could well imagine that you could do something like 2 laps on 1/2 a lap off, though this is just a guess, interested to hear if somebody thought a bit more seriously about it

There are some clubs that do rides there as well, from what I know it's Rollapaluza and London Phoenix.

phil s

I ride there a lot as it's on my doorstep and is the most convenient place in London for a decent training session without too many traffic light stops. Look out for me - either on a black Giant or on a green singlespeed with a baby on the back.

colh

I've got to know it rather better than I'd like thanks to family commitments often preventing more adventurous rides, but there's quite a bit you can do. I like doing (anti-clock) the eastern drag, and the section past the zoo (normally into the wind) at max or close, then backing off down the hill and along the southern section. That's a good 5 min on / 4 min off interval which done 6 or 7 times makes a fruitful hour session.

And don't forget the inner - it's a two minute loop, and done clockwise has a small 'ramp' which is good for sprint efforts...so you do 30 secs full on / 90 off. 10 of those and you know about it! Or you can forget intervals and go for distance - I did a 100 miles in the inner circle last year in 5h 20 - a mental challenge as much as a physical one - I was dizzy, but the cause was good!

Toks

colh wrote:

I've got to know it rather better than I'd like thanks to family commitments often preventing more adventurous rides, but there's quite a bit you can do. I like doing (anti-clock) the eastern drag, and the section past the zoo (normally into the wind) at max or close, then backing off down the hill and along the southern section. That's a good 5 min on / 4 min off interval which done 6 or 7 times makes a fruitful hour session.

And don't forget the inner - it's a two minute loop, and done clockwise has a small 'ramp' which is good for sprint efforts...so you do 30 secs full on / 90 off. 10 of those and you know about it! Or you can forget intervals and go for distance - I did a 100 miles in the inner circle last year in 5h 20 - a mental challenge as much as a physical one - I was dizzy, but the cause was good!

Nice post, it sounds like you love training at regents. In five years of training there I don't think I've ever ridden for more than 3 hours

colh

Yeah...can't get enough of it. Makes Swain's Lane feel like the Alpe!

izzy Eviel

Good place to ride, just watch out for people stepping out into the road without looking. Cars can speed by but it's pretty wide so you should be ok.

The roads surronding Regents park are pretty busy though so you do need to be careful. I had a BMW drive into me on Park Road as I was leaving the park. You get a lot of 'Sunday drivers' there according to the police.

haggisinlondon

I used the Regents Park loop this morning for the first time as I work nearby and got there early. Traffic was very light and I saw a number of other cyclists going round. It was very handy for doing some interval training and I can see myself using it a lot more over Winter.

Be good to use it for a chainey ride if other people were up for that in the morning.

Ratan

The inner circle is traffic free in the early morning when I run at 6-7 am as the gates are still closed. Never see too many cyclists taking advantage of the road however. Maybe too early for some.