Regent's Park - Saturdays

Ben6899

Alright chaps!?

I ride Regent's Park on Saturdays to get a few fast miles in the legs and obviously I am not the only one doing this. I just wondered if anyone in Cake Stop (or Bike Radar as a whole) is a regular at weekends.

Let us know!

PS. I'm the chatty Northerner on the Giant 980c Cadex with Cruds.

Headhuunter

I've only every done circuits of Regent's Park after work in the summer... Is it popular at weekends?

Ben6899

Headhuunter wrote:

I've only every done circuits of Regent's Park after work in the summer... Is it popular at weekends?

Quite popular, yes. It's really convenient for me if I just want to get in 30 miles before starting the day. Good turnout today.

colinsmith123

What's Regents Park like for doing intervals in the dark before / after work. I've been trying to do these around Hyde Park but struggle with the traffic, pedestrian crossings, horses, sand.

Ben6899

Too many stoppages due to lights, I'm afraid Colin. That's the only problem. In fact, I crept through a red today (it was clear, but I was still in the wrong) and a copper gave me a verbal warning.

NWLondoner

I usually use it first thing on a saturday at around 7.20ish.

I go anticlockwise and always seem to hit Red Lights at York Bridge :x


I much prefer Richmond Park but is such a slog to get back from i tend to avoid it now

sungod

i'm usually there sat+sun around 10-ish to do a few laps coming back from an early ride in the north london alps, anticlockwise, i try to get the laps in before the zoo traffic gets too bad

shiny bike, white helmet+shoes, cinelli in the middle, gasping

colin, it's *way* better than hyde park, lights can be annoying, although sometimes i get a few laps without a red, really depends how much traffic and people pushing the button to cross the road

imho anticlockwise is the best ride, also safest

there're a few places where you need to take extra care...

the uphill on the east side, there's a pinch point at a traffic island, but cars still try to cross into it from the side junction at the same time cyclists are going through, the area near the zoo needs care to avoid getting doored or pulled out on, stick to middle of the lane here, same on the fast run down the west side

headphone wearing joggers relying on their (non-existent) ninja awareness instead of looking before they run in the road can be a problem too

on weekdays, early is best, otherwise after the evening rush hour dies down

on special days there can be a lot of pedestrians/traffic around the mosque, doesn't happen often, but it's really best to go elsewhere then (or just do repeats up the east side)

Ben6899

Ah, I'm usually there at about lunchtime (I think this is JUST early enough, before the zoo kicks off) as I do like a lay in after a hard week at work! Anti-clockwise, I concur, is safest mainly because it saves having to make a right turn across the traffic at the southeast corner where the junction with Marylebone/Euston Road is.

Some of the driving is pretty special - not bad people I am sure, but simply distracted by kids and the mouth-watering prospect of caged animals.

izza

Probably there once every 2-3 weeks at about 7.00 - 8.00 on a Saturday morning. Use it to break up the effort/monotony of doing Highgate West Hill repeats on the other Saturdays.

Agree with NWLondoner. Richmond park is better but too much of a slog and the lights can be a pain but for working with others and general speed (who am I kidding) training then there are minimal other options.

Ben6899

Anyone there this weekend? I'll try and get out tomorrow AM for a dozen laps.

(Giant 980c w/ Veloce, black Craft legwarmers, Bike Religion bibs, black n white Mavic jacket)

sungod

went out this morning, cold but clear, did some hill repeats up in highgate until 10-ish, and it started raining as i headed for the park

it kept on raining, did a few quick but soggy laps, hardly anyone else was there, gave up about 11-ish having gained a few kg of muddy water and distressingly organic looking material that i suspect was previously inside horses

cleaned bike, again, grrrr

Ben6899

I bottled it and went running over the Heath instead. I suspected there may have been ice on the roads (certainly was the odd patch on the Heath) and I didn't have time to hang around waiting for the thaw. I might pop out tomorrow afternoon.

Headhuunter

Ben6899 wrote:

I bottled it and went running over the Heath instead. I suspected there may have been ice on the roads (certainly was the odd patch on the Heath) and I didn't have time to hang around waiting for the thaw. I might pop out tomorrow afternoon.

You woulda been fine. I did a 55 mile ride through Kent. I stuck mainly to main roads and saw some snow on the verges on higher ground but the roads were ice free....

Ben6899

Been off the bike for a month before I headed to the park to squeeze in a few laps on Saturday. I was on my second lap doing about 22mph into a fierce headwind (head down, hurting ) near the Mosque when a bloke in New Zealand kit, on something carbon with deep rims absolutely flew past me and - to be quite honest - nearly hit me so I guess he left it as late as possible to pull out given the prevailing winds.

Flat pedals, red Vans pumps, cool tattoos and a frankly unorthodox riding style! If you post on here mate and you're reading this then chapeau, you can make that feckin bike move. I'm no slouch, but you made me look like one