Lunch Time blasts around the citaaah

rebs

I'm currently working around Old Street and always hanker to go for a lunch time blast but being stuck in london getting to roads where you can open up the taps are few and far between.

Anyone else been able to resovle this... without use of gym exercise bike? If so what routes would you recommend?

kurako

Regents Park is popular I believe. You can go round the outer cirlce. It's not super far from Old St.

Here something.

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/vi ... t=12699212

(or just bomb up and down The Embankment a few times)

jzed

Tried to make it to Regents Park from Tower Hill a few weeks ago and decided it just isn't worth it. Average speed was around 11 miles per hour due to traffic and lights, got a puncture and turned round.

rebs

I've thought about Regents park but as mentioned above. It can be a real hassle to get to mid day. Isn't anywhere on the east side of town that I can see would fit this. Embankment maybe but that will surely be very stop start stop start?

I normally ride from Walthamstow to Old Street everyday which is nice, a little short but its easy to take detours up Lea Bridge road up to High Beech which are great fun!

I need a new job just outside Richmond Park!

sketchley

There alway the regents canal which can be picked up just north of old street. My boss goes running down there a lot and complains about the bikes on the tow path. I doubt it's any good for a fast training ride but if you follow it for long enough you'll be at regents park in one direction or Victoria Park, the Olympic Park and on to Stratford the other.

Riding a lunch time would be great apart from changing in to and out of bike gear.

rjsterry

How about:

From Old St Roundabout, head up City Road, then bear right up Provost St, onto New North Rd and Canonbury Rd. Over Highbury Corner, then one of the side streets to get across to Liverpool Rd, or Caledonian Rd, then back down to Angel/KX, and back down City Rd to Old St. A steady climb up to HC, and not too many junctions/fairly quiet.

Also, maybe take an early/late lunch to avoid the busiest traffic/crowds of peds.

Robstar24

don't see the point of regents park tbh, traffic lights, dull circuit and lots of parked cars to open their doors into you.

why not try hyde park, go up the cycle lane through the main park, then along north carriage drive, left, down the hill and left again to go past the serpentine, takes you back to the bottom of the cycle path. probably about a 3 mile lap and most of it has no cars on it.

notsoblue

Robstar24 wrote:

don't see the point of regents park tbh, traffic lights, dull circuit and lots of parked cars to open their doors into you.

why not try hyde park, go up the cycle lane through the main park, then along north carriage drive, left, down the hill and left again to go past the serpentine, takes you back to the bottom of the cycle path. probably about a 3 mile lap and most of it has no cars on it.

No cars but hundreds of pedestrians sauntering across your path, and the odd rollerblader skating at you backwards. I'd avoid if you want to get up to any decent speed!

Robstar24

notsoblue wrote:

Robstar24 wrote:

don't see the point of regents park tbh, traffic lights, dull circuit and lots of parked cars to open their doors into you.

why not try hyde park, go up the cycle lane through the main park, then along north carriage drive, left, down the hill and left again to go past the serpentine, takes you back to the bottom of the cycle path. probably about a 3 mile lap and most of it has no cars on it.

No cars but hundreds of pedestrians sauntering across your path, and the odd rollerblader skating at you backwards. I'd avoid if you want to get up to any decent speed!

i go through there twice a day five days a week (not the serpentine part) as part of my commute, in nearly 2 years of that commute yet to have an off and consistently travel at 23-25 mph through there. so perhaps not quite such a big deal after all.

kelsen

notsoblue wrote:

Robstar24 wrote:

don't see the point of regents park tbh, traffic lights, dull circuit and lots of parked cars to open their doors into you.

why not try hyde park, go up the cycle lane through the main park, then along north carriage drive, left, down the hill and left again to go past the serpentine, takes you back to the bottom of the cycle path. probably about a 3 mile lap and most of it has no cars on it.

No cars but hundreds of pedestrians sauntering across your path, and the odd rollerblader skating at you backwards. I'd avoid if you want to get up to any decent speed!

I'd say there are more than the odd rollerblader! (or inline skater to use the proper term) That whole stretch next to the Serpentine nicknamed The Beach is where they all hang out. You wouldn't be able to cycle 10 yards without crashing into one, or worse still, incur their wrath by riding over and scattering those coloured cups that they use for slaloming!

What about the roads around Greenwich Park? You'd be able to get some decent laps around there I reckon, and there're also a few bumps to play with.

notsoblue

Robstar24 wrote:

i go through there twice a day five days a week (not the serpentine part) as part of my commute, in nearly 2 years of that commute yet to have an off and consistently travel at 23-25 mph through there. so perhaps not quite such a big deal after all.

You can maintain those speeds at lunchtime without having to swerve around daydreaming tourists?