London weekday training rides?

ft_critical

Hi I was thinking of bringing my bike with me to London. But I can't find any weekday morning group/bunch/shop/club training rides. I will be staying in the City but I can tube or ride to a start location.

Can anyone give me some rides locations? Looking for hard group rides.

Thank you

Headhuunter

Don't know of any morning training rides, I should think most people are at work! Some clubs like Dulwich Paragon in SE London do chaingang training rides in the evenings from 7ish... Details are on their website...

ft_critical

Thanks @Headhunter. 45min by train from Charing Cross. That is doable. Although 7pm is the jetlag death hour.

But certainly what I was looking for, if a fair way from the city. Thanks very much.

patchy

Try London Phoenix - they might have somethnig. They used to do laps around Regents Park on a Tuesday evening, I think?

http://www.londonphoenix.co.uk/

ft_critical

Cheers, yes I saw LondonPhoenix had a forum based club room, but thanks to your advice I will drop them an email and see if I can get a temp membership so I can see what is going on.

Regents Park would be much more convenient.

kieranb

don't forget about the bike ban on trains in rush hour though, I would guess that Elmer's end roundabout is about a 40-50min cycle from the centre of town.

ft_critical

Didn't know about the bike ban, so that kind of means I have to ride to the start I guess

mrc1

There is generally an informal chain gang (or at least a few other decent cyclists doing laps that are happy to share the workload) in Regents Park most evenings in summer. Best place to train in central London.

ft_critical

Thanks for the Regents Park tip, I will join in.

What is a fast bunch ride out of London on Sat and/or Sunday? I have seen the rides by Dulwich Paragons, Twickenham CC, Rapha and so on. It is hard to know which will be good or otherwise,

Thanks,

weapons

Why not attend some of the club training rides to see which suits you best? Though once you start going to them, you might have to join the club as their training rides are generally for members, not for any old rider to dip in and out as and when they please.

Headhuunter

ft_critical wrote:

Thanks for the Regents Park tip, I will join in.

What is a fast bunch ride out of London on Sat and/or Sunday? I have seen the rides by Dulwich Paragons, Twickenham CC, Rapha and so on. It is hard to know which will be good or otherwise,

Thanks,

DP Sat and Sun club rides vary. Recently the Sun club ride has taken a complete dive and barely anyone seems to turn up but it used to be something like 19mph avg over 50-60 miles ish. The Sat ride is over a set route and splits into separate speed groups, the fastest group rides about 35 miles ish at 19-19.5mph avg... There are also lots of unofficial DP rides that pop up all over the place but are not on the website...

ft_critical

weapons wrote:

Why not attend some of the club training rides to see which suits you best? Though once you start going to them, you might have to join the club as their training rides are generally for members, not for any old rider to dip in and out as and when they please.

Thanks. Yes I very much want to attend some training rides. I am only over in London for two weeks, so I will not need to join a club. I race with Northern Sydney in Aust. I was hoping to find a good, hard couple of training rides whilst I am on business in London. Being sans family means I can devote a fair bit of time to cycling.

So if you have any advice on which club training ride, it would be gratefully received.

ft_critical

Headhuunter wrote:

DP Sat and Sun club rides vary. Recently the Sun club ride has taken a complete dive and barely anyone seems to turn up but it used to be something like 19mph avg over 50-60 miles ish. The Sat ride is over a set route and splits into separate speed groups, the fastest group rides about 35 miles ish at 19-19.5mph avg... There are also lots of unofficial DP rides that pop up all over the place but are not on the website...

Thanks Headhunter, so it sounds llike the Sat ride might be still worth a look then?

patchy

ft_critical wrote:

weapons wrote:

Thanks. Yes I very much want to attend some training rides. I am only over in London for two weeks, so I will not need to join a club. I race with Northern Sydney in Aust.

I ride with NSCC too* - have I met ya? I'm Kev, ride a Focus Cayo, fairly new - can usually be found on the Presidente or Thursday beaches rides...

there also used to be a regular bunch on Bikeradar that go out on a Sat from Regents, not sure of the pace if they still go though.


*technically haven't raced yet, planning on C grade on Labor Day Beauie Words to be my debut if the weather holds off :S

Headhuunter

ft_critical wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

DP Sat and Sun club rides vary. Recently the Sun club ride has taken a complete dive and barely anyone seems to turn up but it used to be something like 19mph avg over 50-60 miles ish. The Sat ride is over a set route and splits into separate speed groups, the fastest group rides about 35 miles ish at 19-19.5mph avg... There are also lots of unofficial DP rides that pop up all over the place but are not on the website...

Thanks Headhunter, so it sounds llike the Sat ride might be still worth a look then?

Yeah, I often go on the Sat rides these days, although won't be able to for the next couple of weeks. Let me know if you're going, might see you there!

ft_critical

patchy wrote:

I ride with NSCC too* - have I met ya? I'm Kev, ride a Focus Cayo, fairly new - can usually be found on the Presidente or Thursday beaches rides...

there also used to be a regular bunch on Bikeradar that go out on a Sat from Regents, not sure of the pace if they still go though.


*technically haven't raced yet, planning on C grade on Labor Day Beauie Words to be my debut if the weather holds off :S

Hey Patchy, yes I race A's and do the ElP ocassionally, and even more infrequently the Dawnie. Mostly group ride with Boundary Riders during the week. Will say hi next time. No doubt to the wrong guy, this usually happens and they give you the "WTF are you talking about, met you on a bike forum" look.

ft_critical

Headhuunter wrote:

Yeah, I often go on the Sat rides these days, although won't be able to for the next couple of weeks. Let me know if you're going, might see you there!

I am planning on riding on the 12th of Nov.

Headhuunter

ft_critical wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

Yeah, I often go on the Sat rides these days, although won't be able to for the next couple of weeks. Let me know if you're going, might see you there!

I am planning on riding on the 12th of Nov.

Have a good one... I won't be around that weekend unfortunately so won't see you.... Was intending to do the Sun ride yesterday but realised they have changed the start time from 9.45am to 9am!