Moving - To Kent - Route Advice

Koncordski

Obviously not everyday (MTFU etc. but it's 30 miles each way) as i'll be taking the Brompton from London Bridge to the wharf.

Moving to Tonbridge so anyone know any decent rides from Canary Wharf/Greenwich down south to Sevenoaks/Tonbridge as i'll probably do it a few days a month in the summer? Anyone live that way or ride out to Kent much? Can't believe I'll miss out on the Embankment, already ordered SPD's and stiffer suspension for the folder though. :twisted:

Agent57

I did that when I bought mine. The only downside is that the left-hand pedal doesn't fold (obviously), so the bike takes up a little more room. Even the stiffer suspension block isn't stiff enough, I reckon (maybe I'm just a fatb).

phy2sll2

Koncordski wrote:

Anyone live that way or ride out to Kent much?

Avoid A21, just not a nice road.

Off the top of my head: west to Bough Beech, over Ide Hill (that'll wake you up first thing!) or Toy's Hill, Brasted, over the M25, up to Cudham, Downe, Bromley, Lee, Blackheath, foot tunnel at Greenwich, Westferry road, Canary Wharf.

It's 35 miles, give or take, so two hours ought to cover it. Probably over 1000m climbing too.

FoldingJoe

I used to commute every now and again from the City to Tunbridge Wells and came through Greenwich, so you could probably use this route.

http://app.strava.com/activities/7786416

Let me dig out the link in RideWithGPS so you can download the GPX file.

* Just realised you can download the GPX from Strava!!

FoldingJoe

Actually, this is probably the better route.

http://app.strava.com/activities/11357505

Koncordski

Awesome, thanks all.

Probably aiming to do it once a week, split the morning commute off and ride home friday night. Probably. It's 20 each way now so the distance is ok but I suspect this has a billion more traffic lights through south london, plus those hills. :roll:

phy2sll2

^^ Nice route, j'approve.

That bit through the motorway triangle (Otford, Shoreham etc) is always nice. Plus nice to come in through Chislehurst.

il_principe

Whatever you do it's going to be hilly!

phy2sll2

Definitely shell out for a lighter bike and some climbing wheels. Maybe a week training in Tenerife, too.

And a power-meter so you can pace yourself on the climbs.

Just think of all the money you'll be saving by not taking the train.

Koncordski

And the Garmin 810, y'know, to help me learn the route.

phy2sll2

Looks like you've got the hang of this!

I nearly moved down that way at the insistence of my GF. Glad I didn't now as it would have involved spending an awful lot more time on the train.

FoldingJoe

phy2sll2 wrote:

^^ Nice route, j'approve.

That bit through the motorway triangle (Otford, Shoreham etc) is always nice. Plus nice to come in through Chislehurst.

Yeah, most of the route between St Mary's Cray and Tonbridge is quite nice.

sketchley

Have you thought about doing things slightly different. Cycling nearer home will be much nicer, less traffic, less lights etc than cycling between London Bridge and Canary Wharf down the highway. I'd be tempted to cycle to a station in the Oyster pay as you go area, then jump on train to Lewisham then DLR to Canary wharf with your folding bike. If you stay in PAYG Oyster area this give you the option of only paying for the journeys you actually make so you not wasting a season ticket when you cycle all the way or buying singles on the other days. For me (zone 4) it only takes 2 cycles a week and I'm cheaper than a weekly season, one cycle and it's almost break even 50p in it.....

Koncordski

I have considered varying it but it never seems to stack up against the brompton+train combo. Granted the season ticket is shocking £3768pa but the journey is pretty good. House to station 5mins - train to london bridge 35 mins - london bridge brompton to the wharf 20 mins. Probably about 1hr 10mins all in.

I could cycle to Zone 6 but to hit a lewisham bound station you're probably looking at a ride to Orpington, leaving your bike locked at the station (asking for trouble) and then sweating quite a lot on the train. The ride to Orpington is up some pretty steep gradients and at 17miles it's gonna take me an hour to get there. Plus probably 35 on top to get to South Quay/Crossharbour.

If i season ticket all year then the odd day i ride in won't really bother me as a loss. The other option is to ride the short distance to sevenoaks and season ticket from there but it gets busy and i'm not really up for fighting to get the brompton onto the train.

jimmypippa

There is plenty of scope for amusing rides during the weekend, going past some of the pubs in Ightham, Plaxtol, or Edenbridge...

Koncordski

Holy resurrected thread batman! So i've done the route a few times, still loving the brompton and train combo for day to day (also good training for the Brompton world champs). The distance is no bother at all, it's the hills, specifically several Cat4 climbs starting at about 5 miles in. By and large you can stay on country roads all the way to orpington and then it's plain sailing into greenwich. The countryside around Tonbridge is bloody stunning though, big surprise, follow the medway in either direction for some lovely cycle-pub-cycle trips or head north for some serious climbing, hills on a par with some of the best in surrey.

Anyway, route recorded on the Garmin here. Hoping to get to an 18mph average with a few more trips and then do it once/twice a week.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/356267984

Gallywomack

Yep, lovely cycling country. I went through Otford and Kemsing on a jaunt from Bromley to Whitstable a couple of weeks back and it was fantastic, nobody about and at times felt like you'd gone 75 years back in time. The route eastwards roughly following the Pilgrims way is fantastisch, lots of good pubs en route too. For hill climbing fun in your neck of the woods you've got Toy's Hill, Ide Hill, and various steep brutes around there and on the North Downs ridge.

I'm contemplating a similar scenario next year as looking to move out, E Sussex though to be nearer the MiL (joy!). Thought I'd gradually build up to one ride in and one ride back a week. Would likely be a 40 miler.

jimmypippa

Koncordski wrote:

Holy resurrected thread batman! So i've done the route a few times, still loving the brompton and train combo for day to day (also good training for the Brompton world champs). The distance is no bother at all, it's the hills, specifically several Cat4 climbs starting at about 5 miles in. By and large you can stay on country roads all the way to orpington and then it's plain sailing into greenwich. The countryside around Tonbridge is bloody stunning though, big surprise, follow the medway in either direction for some lovely cycle-pub-cycle trips or head north for some serious climbing, hills on a par with some of the best in surrey.

Anyway, route recorded on the Garmin here. Hoping to get to an 18mph average with a few more trips and then do it once/twice a week.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/356267984

Told you:

jimmypippa wrote:

There is plenty of scope for amusing rides during the weekend, going past some of the pubs in Ightham, Plaxtol, or Edenbridge...

The Golding Hop has an amusingly short steep bit, and was a pub I've always liked. Google map/streetview here