Embankment speed

rick_chasey

OK.

So I was on this forum long before I moved to London.

I saw the speeds people chuck about re-commuting on embankment. I thought it was all bull.

Turns out, now that I do it, I seem to be doing the same.

Any reason why it's so much faster? I guess the traffic alongside helps.

But even so.

Felt like I was Cancellara yesterday. Partly because no-one got away from me (save for RLJers...), but also just because I was going f*cking fast compared to usual.

sketchley

Not sure what it is, but I found my speed increased when I went on it, then stayed high when I went back to other roads after it. I'm not sure it has anything to do with the actual road, maybe the competition makes you quicker....

iPete

I too laughed at the outrageous figures being quoted, then I moved office and I became CS8 bound.

Think it has something to do with the boost strips in the blue paint. My fitness and overall speed has vastly improved since adding embankment to the journey!

jzed

Competition and fairly long stretches between lights (compared to CS7 anyway).

notsoblue

JZed wrote:

Competition and fairly long stretches between lights (compared to CS7 anyway).

This ^^

Also, the road surface is pretty nice and its pretty much flat all the way.

il_principe

I think the ease with with you can draft helps, also the sheer amount of traffic can shield you from the wind. I always seem to go faster along Embankment than say 9 Elms, but I can rarely catch a draft south of the river.

iPete

Il Principe wrote:

I think the ease with with you can draft helps, also the sheer amount of traffic can shield you from the wind. I always seem to go faster along Embankment than say 9 Elms, but I can rarely catch a draft south of the river.

It should be renamed the EAC, Embankment Adrenalin Current.
ok so the acronym could be better, help me out!

rjsterry

iPete wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

I think the ease with with you can draft helps, also the sheer amount of traffic can shield you from the wind. I always seem to go faster along Embankment than say 9 Elms, but I can rarely catch a draft south of the river.

It should be renamed the EAC, Embankment Adrenalin Current.
ok so the acronym could be better, help me out!

Grab wheel dude!

clarkey cat

I regularly ride at 50 mph on Embankment.

On a Boris Bike.

W1

I really think it's the lack of lights that does it. Also they lights are generally phased fairly well/predictably. Unlike fecking Parliament fecking square - I swear a traffic light goblin resets the lights each day in a completely random sequence.

DonDaddyD

The Embankment uses a better quality tarmac than most other roads in the surrounding area. This is to help deal with the large amount of traffic it gets daily. A factor in that is that you get far less roll-resistance from tyres and a lot better traction.

Also the high walls and buildings and relative low winds from the thames make the air pressure ideal there is a distinct lack of wind resistance.

Lastly, the Embankment is awesome. That's it. That's all there is.

rick_chasey

I don't think it's the lights.

I commuted down this road for most of my (short) life.

Flat, no lights (the ped crossings are never used) - cars similarly far away as embankment > though they go a little quicker.

Was a bit winder but not that much, but I go waaay faster on embankment.

I mean, my gearing on my singlespeed is fine / bordering on overgeard when I ride around elsewhere.

On embankment I spin faster then Armstrong. It's a whirl of legs. Good for me, but strange.

London_Falcon

My commute includes Putney Bridge to Barbican. I currently go Kings Road, The Mall, The Strand, Fetter Lane. My alternative would be to join The Embankment peloton. Would the increased average speed outweigh the extra mile and a half distance? I'm not exactly travlling that quickly anyway!

dhope

London_Falcon wrote:

My commute includes Putney Bridge to Barbican. I currently go Kings Road, The Mall, The Strand, Fetter Lane. My alternative would be to join The Embankment peloton. Would the increased average speed outweigh the extra mile and a half distance? I'm not exactly travlling that quickly anyway!

Yes, Mall/Strand is dull, Embankment is fun.

iPete

Yes, the EAC is longer than going directly through the city but its a hell of a lot quicker and more fun.

Origamist

A lot of potential reasons have already been mentioned, but I'd add: generally better sight-lines and fewer side roads. Both of these are not immediately ovbious, but if you compare it to CS7, you'll know what I mean.

mroli

@Londonfalcon - I do Barnes Bridge to Barbican and I tend to do Ken High St, Hyde Park, Mall, drop down to Embankment from T Square and back up through St Paul's. A4 on way home.

sketchley

London_Falcon wrote:

My commute includes Putney Bridge to Barbican. I currently go Kings Road, The Mall, The Strand, Fetter Lane. My alternative would be to join The Embankment peloton. Would the increased average speed outweigh the extra mile and a half distance? I'm not exactly travlling that quickly anyway!

Yes 100%, when I was working in my other office I had many options home, however two of them were both took very similar times.

1. Old Street > Morgate > London Bridge > E&C > CS7 to Colliers Wood > Home - Total just over 13 Miles
2. Old Street > Farringdon > BlackFriers > Embankment > PS > Milbank > Chelsea Bridge > Queens Town Road > Clapham Common > CS7 to Colliers Wood > Home - Total just over 14 Miles

rolf_f

Rick Chasey wrote:

OK.

So I was on this forum long before I moved to London.

I saw the speeds people chuck about re-commuting on embankment. I thought it was all bull.

Turns out, now that I do it, I seem to be doing the same.

Any reason why it's so much faster? I guess the traffic alongside helps..

Nope. Emabankment speeds are a) glacially slow and b) feel like it.

I too was impressed by all the talk of the embankment peloton. Then I rode it - on a folder. I was much disappointed; it's slow. Very slow. Ride at the average Embankment speed and you are likely to get scalped by a continent........

jonginge

meh

jzed

DonDaddyD wrote:

there is a distinct lack of wind resistance.

You didn't ride the Embankment last week

clarkey cat

My commute includes Putney Bridge to Barbican. I currently go Kings Road, The Mall, The Strand, Fetter Lane. My alternative would be to join The Embankment peloton. Would the increased average speed outweigh the extra mile and a half distance? I'm not exactly travlling that quickly anyway!

Mix it up. Gets boring doing the same route every day. they both take about the same amount of time anyway.

I went Kings Road / Sloane St / Piccadilly / Shafts Ave today but usually go via Embankment. Nice to see different parts of town I think. Sometimes I go south of the river down Nine Elms. I'm just that kind of guy... boo-boo-ba-choo.

London_Falcon

To be fair I should point out that I'm only doing the commute on the bike once per week. It's a 33 mile round trip in total. Hopefully up to 2 days in the spring. No real excuse other than fitness and organisation!

Will certainly give the Embankment a whirl but will be seriously left behind by most on here.

notsoblue

London_Falcon wrote:

Will certainly give the Embankment a whirl but will be seriously left behind by most on here.

WTF? Wheres the hubris? The vainglory? You have much to learn of SCR, my friend.

clarkey cat

if you find yourself lagging a bit then just carry a rounders bat and clobber those faster than you...