Riding in London

jonster123
jonster123 Posts: 8
edited August 2011 in Road beginners
I'm moving to London soon and I'm wanting to take up road biking. Been mountain biking for a few years but have been wanting to give road biking a go, and feel this will probably a more appropriate sport down in the big city.

However, I'm starting to wonder whether there'll even be anywhere good to ride in London. I'll be living in Greenwich. How easy is it to get to good areas for road biking on a weekend, and where would people recommend close by?

Comments

  • merak
    merak Posts: 323
    mapmyride and an OS map are your friends. Grenwich is far enough out that you can get to decent countryside in about 30 minutes. Join a local club which will know all the best local routes
  • cornerblock
    cornerblock Posts: 3,228
    Hi Jonster, welcome. There are lots of great places to ride not that far from Greenwich, as Merak has said, within 30 minutes your in the Kent countryside, with some nice routes and a few decent hills.
  • Niccoss
    Niccoss Posts: 9
    As merak and Cornerblock mentioned there are lots of great rides in Kent. Only 30 minutes or so ride away and you can't see a house.

    Best to either join a local club or look at rides on the various route sites such as bikely.com...
  • izzy Eviel
    izzy Eviel Posts: 48
    Hampstead Heath in north London & Richmond Park in the South west are good places to go riding, may be a bit awkward getting to them from Greenwich though.
  • izzy Eviel
    izzy Eviel Posts: 48
    Hampstead Heath in north London & Richmond Park in the South west are good places to go riding, may be a bit awkward getting to them from Greenwich though.
  • racingcondor
    racingcondor Posts: 1,434
    From Greenwich turning South toward Kent is your best bet (towards Orpington and Knockholt).
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    SE London is a good place to be to escape London as London is relatively "thin" there, I live in Brockley, SE4 which is zone 2 and I can be out in open country in about 45 mins ride. If you live in zone 2 north London or SW London you have to travel further as London extends further in those places.

    There are quite a few cycle groups in SE London and Kent. I had a list somewhere but I can't find it now, some names that spring to mind are:

    Bigfoot CC
    Woolwich CC
    GS Avanti
    Dulwich Paragon
    Catford CC

    In Greenwich there is the triathlon club Greenwich Tritons. Also, depending on your level there are slower more social groups like Greenwich Cyclists and Lewisham Cyclists.

    There are probably better club listings on the LCC and British Cycling sites.
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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Head over the commuter section of the forum - there's a big London contingent there.
    _
  • jonster123
    jonster123 Posts: 8
    Thanks for all the great trips. I never knew there were real fields within the M25. Was also struggling to find any clubs in the Greenwich area so I'll have a look at those you've listed when I move down.
  • LondonMTB
    LondonMTB Posts: 79
    Yes come to North-West Kent, there are the North Downs here, and some beautiful countryside, and excellent village pubs...

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