First London commute tomorrow

aclivity

After just over a year of commuting by bike in Greater Manchester, tomorrow for the first time I'm taking my bike with me on the train to London rather than getting the tube across London. Euston to just off Trafalgar square, haven't decided on my route yet but I thought I would give it a go, after all, what's the worst that can happen (I mean, other than being killed to death).

Any recommendations for routes?

Equally nervous and excited about it at the moment, I will have my tube pass as a backup if I bottle it with the big trucks and buses though.

msmancunia

Easy - down Upper Woburn Place and Southampton Row all the way to the Aldwych, then down the Strand to Trafalgar Square. Just watch the one way system round Bush House (my old office )

clarkey cat

That is the way I would go but you can select a quieter route on the TFL cycle planner if you like.

Aldwych is a one way system (and a little hairy at times) so you may be better off taking a quieter route until you get used to the kerrazzy sh1t that goes on down here.

kelsen

Oh dear Lord help you!

t4tomo

msmancunia wrote:

Easy - down Upper Woburn Place and Southampton Row all the way to the Aldwych, then down the Strand to Trafalgar Square. Just watch the one way system round Bush House (my old office )

No no no

Head to your right as you leave Euston concourse then cross euston road and head down Gordon street,
Right at the bottom and then left into malet street, then cut across right at bottom into montague place and left onto gower street
Over then right at lights at bottom of gower st into Shaftesbury ave and then immediate left fork into Monmouth st.

Head straight down over seven dials into st martins place, then a quick wiggle right left at the bottom brings you into traf sq.

Bottom of gower street is the only busy bit.

Make sure your bike folds if you are coming in or out of Euston at rush hour.

aclivity

Well I survived ... A few close calls though.

Not looking forward to the other direction on the way home in rush hour. Traffic is a lot heavier here.

I took nearly 19 minutes for a distance that would take me less than half that in Mcr, went through 3 strava segments and got (in this order) 3rd slowest, slowest and 12/231,so plenty of scope for me to improve on 2 and a challenge to get a top 10 place on the third!

flimflam_machine

Glad you didn't suffer the dreaded deading.

Which route did you take?

aclivity

flimflam_machine wrote:

Glad you didn't suffer the dreaded deading.

Which route did you take?

I even managed to make it back to Euston without being dead ... bit easier on the way back, straight up CX road the Tottenham court road.

Route this morning is here: http://app.strava.com/runs/3kilometers-21589482?ref=1MT1yaWRlX3NoYXJlOzI9ZW1haWw7ND04MjU2MzE%253D

Have to say I was a bit shocked by the volume of traffic this morning; even at it's busiest my Manchester rides are never that bad. I probably chose the worst route though, if I had gone off the main roads I may have had an easier ride.

flimflam_machine

aclivity wrote:

I even managed to make it back to Euston without being dead ... bit easier on the way back, straight up CX road the Tottenham court road.

Route this morning is here: http://app.strava.com/runs/3kilometers-21589482?ref=1MT1yaWRlX3NoYXJlOzI9ZW1haWw7ND04MjU2MzE%253D

Have to say I was a bit shocked by the volume of traffic this morning; even at it's busiest my Manchester rides are never that bad. I probably chose the worst route though, if I had gone off the main roads I may have had an easier ride.

Well you did choose perhaps the busiest possible route on the way down. Gower St. is a shocker and the Strand isn't much better. t4tomo's suggestion is much better, here it is mapped out. It means you're only on Gower St. for a very short stretch (actually called Bloomsbury St. down there). Mind out for the lemming pedestrians around Seven Dials though.

On the way back I'd recommend avoiding Tottenham Court Road and doing something like this. Ignore the round-the-block to get from Charing Cross Road to Shaftesbury Avenue, just dismount and use the pedestrian crossings to get round.

That might be a bit more pleasant. You can stop for what is possibly London's best latte at the Sacred stall at the north end of Torrington Square if you fancy it.

bails87

I was in London for work a while back and went from Russell Square to (I think) Piccadilly on a Boris Bike. It was bloody awful. Being an out-of-towner I just took the most direct route because I didn't have a clue where I was and the battery on my phone was dying so I couldn't rely on that for mapping. Sooo much traffic, and red lights every 10 yards.