Cycling in London is much easier than outside of London

thelawnet

Ended up going to Chinatown today (picked up a roast duck, soya chicken, various Chinese veg, a live crab, 1.5kg of topside, and a Malaysian takeaway), from home in Woking. Wasn't planned but having on the road to Weybridge and along the Thames Path to Hampton Court and thence to Richmond Park for a quick lap decided I might as well keep going....

Compared to out here in Surrey London cycling requires much less effort - the traffic seems to drag you along, you get frequent rests and you're never really 'in the way', and vehicle speeds top out about 25mph. Oh and flat as a pancake - I'd got the impression Richmond Park was a bit hilly, but it wasn't much...

Out here otoh you're basically either on country lanes fighting the wind/hills and passing vehicles, or on busy roads with cars roaring past at 40mph++. I was able to stay in primary all the way from Richmond Park into London - was especially nice zooming past the traffic jam on the approach to Kew Bridge.

hfidgen

All very nice until some t**t hooks you and crushes your bike...

Ying and Yang tbh.

Flat vs Knobbers

mattsaw

I've noticed that, most of my commute is through open spaces, along the A3 and then through RP, as soon as you get into more built-up areas it seems to be a lot easier to maintain +20mph speeds.

I guess it's the combination of shelter from the wind from buildings, flattish roads and drafting from the traffic.

MaxwellBygraves

On long and lonely rides I am always grateful to reach a small village for shelter from the wind.

dilemna

thelawnet wrote:

Ended up going to Chinatown today (picked up a roast duck, soya chicken, various Chinese veg, a live crab, 1.5kg of topside, and a Malaysian takeaway), from home in Woking. Wasn't planned but having on the road to Weybridge and along the Thames Path to Hampton Court and thence to Richmond Park for a quick lap decided I might as well keep going....

Compared to out here in Surrey London cycling requires much less effort - the traffic seems to drag you along, you get frequent rests and you're never really 'in the way', and vehicle speeds top out about 25mph. Oh and flat as a pancake - I'd got the impression Richmond Park was a bit hilly, but it wasn't much...

Out here otoh you're basically either on country lanes fighting the wind/hills and passing vehicles, or on busy roads with cars roaring past at 40mph++. I was able to stay in primary all the way from Richmond Park into London - was especially nice zooming past the traffic jam on the approach to Kew Bridge.

That fast ! You should try cycling in the real country where cars close pass at 80+mph and if two cars approaching, one from the rear and one from the front, with you in the middle, closing speeds of anything from 100mph to 160+ mph - time to sh1t yourself. Or two cars approaching you head on, road racing, one overtaking the other at speeds of 80+ mph on rural roads, time to bail out and get off the road or get killed .

The biggest problem cycling in London is the huge number of numptee ninja cyclists who disregard red lights, ride on or across pavements or who are just dangerous ill mannered yobos.

thelawnet

dilemna wrote:

thelawnet wrote:

Ended up going to Chinatown today (picked up a roast duck, soya chicken, various Chinese veg, a live crab, 1.5kg of topside, and a Malaysian takeaway), from home in Woking. Wasn't planned but having on the road to Weybridge and along the Thames Path to Hampton Court and thence to Richmond Park for a quick lap decided I might as well keep going....

Compared to out here in Surrey London cycling requires much less effort - the traffic seems to drag you along, you get frequent rests and you're never really 'in the way', and vehicle speeds top out about 25mph. Oh and flat as a pancake - I'd got the impression Richmond Park was a bit hilly, but it wasn't much...

Out here otoh you're basically either on country lanes fighting the wind/hills and passing vehicles, or on busy roads with cars roaring past at 40mph++. I was able to stay in primary all the way from Richmond Park into London - was especially nice zooming past the traffic jam on the approach to Kew Bridge.

That fast ! You should try cycling in the real country where cars close pass at 80+mph and if two cars approaching, one from the rear and one from the front, with you in the middle, closing speeds of anything from 100mph to 160+ mph - time to sh1t yourself. Or two cars approaching you head on, road racing, one overtaking the other at speeds of 80+ mph on rural roads, time to bail out and get off the road or get killed .

++ means 'and much higher'. 40mph minimum....

clarkey cat

if you get the run of the lights riding in London can't be beat

Bassjunkieuk

I only come in from Crystal Palace area (although have ridden out to Woking before to visit a office for a rather large IT company based in the town that I've often worked at....) and even I've noticed the driving is worse out of town. Most of my footage of poor driving has been captured outside of the centre.

desweller

You're having a laugh aren't you? Give me the Wye Valley any day.

CiB

The only time I've cycled in London was a Saturday afternoon last year from Cricklewood to Hackney Fields and then later out of London into Essex & beyond for the Dunwich Dynamo. It was all a bit bitty, stop-start and a lot of traffic that hindered, not helped. And buses. There must have been millions of the things.

Compare & contrast with my ride in this morning - long straight roads, nice undulations, plenty of hedge cover to buffer the wind, roads as smooth as can be in most places. And the countrysde. Spring is starting. Oh it's nice.

The Smoke, or Bucks --> Oxon? No contest chief. Except for the total absence of any SCR activity obviously.

gbsahne001

saw a group of baby rabbits playing in a field this morning!

chilling

Saw a group of urban foxes ravaging the bins this morning!

buy_my_cookies

I love my country commute, nice flat (norfolk) roads, in okish condition, I start pedaling when I get on the bike and dont stop until I reach my destination (no lights, busy crossings/roundabouts etc). and although the cars are going a bit faster they seem to give a lot more room because there is hardly ever a car on the other side of the road, and when there is they tend to sit patiently behind because they know it wont be long at all until they get a nice big gap.

BUT i would swap it for a city commute any day atm, its been weeks since ive seen any other cyclists i never get to race and i am sooooo jealous everytime i read the SCR thread, and then theres the WIND arrrrr i hate it, most of my route is surrounded by 100+ acre open fileds and as a result the wind arrrr the wind!

thelawnet

gbsahne wrote:

saw a group of baby rabbits playing in a field this morning!

saw a herd of deer on my way into London

notsoblue

I love my urban commute, seems more of a level playing field with the other road users, and its fun to have other cyclists about. But its great to get out into the country at the weekend, despite the fast traffic the peace and quiet when you get away from the main roads is lovely. Not sure how much I would enjoy it for a daily commute in all weather though... Like others have said, in the city you're much less exposed to the wind, and cars going over and above national speed limit.

Aidy

I hate the stop-start-ness of riding in London.

Whenever I do ride rides outside of London, I'm always struck by how more of a rhythm you can get into.

Stevo_666

Aidy wrote:

I hate the stop-start-ness of riding in London.

Although depending on your level of fitness, a regular recovery stop can be quite welcome

DonDaddyD

Personally I enjoy both.

Both urban and Country riding have their own different challenges, good points and bad points. I appreciate them for what they are.

MikeyC

dilemna wrote:

That fast ! You should try cycling in the real country where cars close pass at 80+mph and if two cars approaching, one from the rear and one from the front, with you in the middle, closing speeds of anything from 100mph to 160+ mph - time to sh1t yourself. Or two cars approaching you head on, road racing, one overtaking the other at speeds of 80+ mph on rural roads, time to bail out and get off the road or get killed .

The biggest problem cycling in London is the huge number of numptee ninja cyclists who disregard red lights, ride on or across pavements or who are just dangerous ill mannered yobos.

I completely agree with you. My commute starts with a 3 mile ride down the A600 in the morning and some drivers think that just becuase they don't hit you , it is ok to pass 2ft from you at 60mph. Normally they get the shake of a fist from me and that seems to have a calming effect on the traffic following, who then seem to give you more room as they pass. I wish every driver could be forced to ride a bike for a week on the A600 - they would soon change their attitude towards cyclists......

Mike

Bassjunkieuk

MikeyC wrote:

I wish every driver could be forced to ride a bike for a week on the A600 - they would soon change their attitude towards cyclists......

Mike

I think if ALL drivers where required to ride a bicycle first (regardless of their location) it could have a beneficial effect.

_Brun_

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

MikeyC wrote:

I wish every driver could be forced to ride a bike for a week on the A600 - they would soon change their attitude towards cyclists......

Mike

I think if ALL drivers where required to ride a bicycle first (regardless of their location) it could have a beneficial effect.

All drivers are required to pass a test, but that doesn't seem to have many benefits.

[/cynicism]

Bassjunkieuk

_Brun_ wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

MikeyC wrote:

I wish every driver could be forced to ride a bike for a week on the A600 - they would soon change their attitude towards cyclists......

Mike

I think if ALL drivers where required to ride a bicycle first (regardless of their location) it could have a beneficial effect.

All drivers are required to pass a test, but that doesn't seem to have many benefits.

[/cynicism]

Well yes but I am trying to be optimistic rather then realistic :-)

deptfordmarmoset

It takes a while to get used to the constant stop-start of cycling in London - I'll often go the longer, smoother lights-free route simply to get some sense of rhythm going. One thing that seems obvious though: cycling in London is far far easier than driving in London.

I'm occasionally unlucky enough to have to drive around London and it's sheer torture.

jomoj

Must admit I used to get a kick out of riding in London, it has a certain frisson to it and it's a good way to get to know the city but good lord, you couldn't drag me back there for love or money.

iPete

Guess I have best of both cycling from the suburbs into the centre.

I love riding in the city, it offers a nice wind shelter after 10 miles of getting blasted on the outskirts and to be honest riding in the traffic is like mountain biking, except the trees move and are made of metal, such a buzz.

SmellTheGlove

Riding in London = legal high and front row ticket for a glorious, crazy, happy-crappy city.

iclestu

You guys are making me want to try out this city riding lark. My commute is mostly country lanes. Rode into leeds once but it was a friday night (after rush hour) and back on the sat morning so no real traffic issues.

I wanna try london, i wanna i wanna i wanna!!

Stevo_666

iPete wrote:

riding in the traffic is like mountain biking, except the trees move and are made of metal, such a buzz.

Well put that man, I hadn't thought of it like that before 8)

Sanderville

On Friday night I must have hit a patch of broken glass on the way home. Two instantly flat tyres, only one spare tube in my bag and a broken pump.

Luckily I was on a busy road in London and only had to wait one minute for a black cab to come along and take me and my poorly bike home.

So that's a big tick for the city from me.

ThatBikeGuy

It's love/hate with country roads for me, on the pleasant sunny summer days it's the best, cyclists are out and about, fairly quiet roads though there's always some fool who passes too fast and too close!
Although when the weathers bad it sucks, no protection from wind or rain and generally more people in cars because of the weather... :roll: