Cambridgeshire Advice needed

corriebee1

Hi folks

I'm relatively new to the world of road bikes, but had previously been parking outside Cambridge on the Trumpington Park N'Ride and then cycling in on my MTB.

I've recently biought myself a gorgeous FELT Z6 and have done a few 15 mile rides. I'm thinking I would like to extend my cycling part of the commute.

Question is. Where to leave the car and get on the bike? I'm coming in from the West (Royston end) and would ideally like about a 6-8 miler each way to start with. Eventually, i think Foxton is going to be the spot to leave the car, but that's 11 miles away from the office, and possibly a bit much to kick off with.

Can anyone give me any bright ideas? Any help would be very much appreciated!

Cheers

gtvlusso

That area down Trumpington road towards the M11 used to funny for parking.

There are a few sidestreets off Trumpington Road where you could dump the car, Possibly leave it on Shelford Road? I guess the Waitrose car park is monitored!

I would do a recon mission and try this road: looks to have parked cars on it:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=foxton+ ... k&t=h&z=19

Wingate way off Trumpington road.

**Very long time since I lived in Cambridge.

corriebee1

Thanks GTVLusso

I'm looking for something a bit further out really. That road's actually closer to town than the park n'ride (Which is right next to Waitrose, and free to park in if you ever need to!). I dunno if there's anywhere nearer to (or a little further out) Harston.

At the moment, I come in through Barton, so a bit further North and due West of Cambridge. I just don't know anywhere safe and free to park there. Maybe a drive round on the way home tonight should be the plan.

bornagainroadie

I wouldn't be put off by the 11 mile distance. I commute in from the West of Cambridge to the Science Park. Thats about 12.5 miles each way. I started doing that 3 years ago and had to buy a bike to do so. I wasn't in great shape at the time but the distance was never a problem and I now do it regularly in under 40 minutes door to door.

Start off one week Tue/Thur, next week Mon/Wed/Fri after that you will be off and running. Its really not as far as it seems, you just have to form a new habit :-)

Underscore

Though I've not done it as a commute, I would look at parking in Haslingfield, cycle up to Barton where you could join the A603 and ride in to Newnham. Alternatively, you could look at cycling in through the Shelfords, though I don't know those roads so well.

_

meanredspider

Yup - as above - 11 flat miles on a road bike will be very easy. If it helps, I kicked off a 30- mile RT commute with nearly 2000ft of climbing on a 10 year old MTB on studded ice tyres (not even the Spiker Pros back then) in the middle of January. 11 miles from Foxton on a road bike would have been bliss. I used to commute into Cambridge about 10 years ago from Gt Shelford almost entirely off-road.

Start by giving yourself a bit of extra time and take it steady.

corriebee1

Okey doke!!

Thank you for your messages

I'm gunna go for it from Foxton then! Now, I also need to work out transporting the bike to Foxton in an old'ish 3 series BMW saloon. My old Ellis Briggs will JUST fit in the back seat with the quick release front wheel off, but I don't think the Felt will. I don't want to spend too long each day faffing around putting a bike together really, so i might have to try fiting the roof bars I bought last summer!

Really just need to get myself a car that can take a proper bike rack, or an estate! In fact, maybe I could just borrow the wife's hatchback Saxo.

meanredspider

That's the spirit! Both wheels off on the back seat?

Seriously, you won't regret just getting on with it and, in a month, you'll wonder why you even thought about anything else.

bornagainroadie

As MRS says, give it a month and you wont be bothering with the car at all. Royston isn't that far. If your route does take you through Foxton and you are looking for a bit of a challenge a diversion into Barrington to take you over Chapel Hill will spice up your morning. For Cambridgeshire its quite steep.

UndercoverElephant

Just do the lot, you big jessie.

jejv

Which bit of Cambridge are you heading for ?

Foxton is probably not a place I'd start from - there are more pleasant routes than the A10.

I'd suggest:
Fowlmere->Newton->Little Shelford (need to figure out the turnings) ->Great Shelford -> Granham's Road ->Either DNA Path or stay on Granham's Road -> Addenbrooke's

Or:

Meldreth -> Shepreth -> Barrington -> Chapel Hill -> Haslingfield ->
either Barton -> Newnham
or
Canteloupe farm -> Granchester -> Newnham or Trumpington

The Canteloupe farm route is very quiet, but there's about a km of heavy graveled path between Canteloupe farm itself and the concrete road that leads to the bridge over the M11. Which may not be to everyone's taste on narrow tyres. It's easier to make sense of this route from the Granchester side.

I think if you do 20 reps of Chapel Hill, that'll just about make a Hors C.

If you don't mind the traffic, the A10 is the most direct way.

rick_chasey

Would strongly recommend avoiding the A10.

corriebee1

Wow

That is all super-helpful. Thank you guys!

I'm coming from a lot further away than Royston unfortunately. I just meant that that's the direction I'm coming from (up the A505 from Bedfordshire). My drive is 35-40 miles, and I'm only looking to take 10 miles each way off that at the moment. Providing I can park, I'm open to ideas about where is best to drive to and what the best routes in would be. I drive in at the moment through Wimpole and Barton, but the big (in my eyes) hill at Wimpole (called Hillside I think) is rather intimidating me at the moment!

I think getting 20 miles a day under my belt in traffic is the first challenge, before i go seeking out any more challenges!! :?

jejv

Rick Chasey wrote:

Would strongly recommend avoiding the A10.

That would be my thinking. Then there's someone in our office who claimed he liked the A14 'cos it was so quick :shock: I reckon he drafts the trucks.

There's also a bridle path from Barton to Granchester. Haven't tried it recently, but IIRC it's mostly concrete farm road. From Granchester there's a cycle path to Newnham, along the river.

The Cambridge 1:25000 walking map helpful for some of these fiddly bits.

A good way to get suggestions & advice might be to take the 1:25000 Cambridge map & your bike to the bus stops at the front of Addenbrooke's at five to 9 on a Sunday morning, & go on a run with Cambridge Town & County. There's usually a range of groups, from 40-50 miles at 14mph (moving average) to 80-120 miles at 20mph+. Talk to folk at the cake stop.

rick_chasey

Would strongly recommend avoiding the A10.

corriebee1

Rick Chasey wrote:

Would strongly recommend avoiding the A10.

I shall heed your (double) recomendation!

rick_chasey

Ah. Apologies. Have to do all forum stuff on phone atm.