Ways of getting to start of Prudential ride 100

The Ginja cyclist

Is anyone else thinking of riding to the start of the ride?
I don't really want to pay out for a hotel but am worried that the roads will be closed and I will not make it to the start (I may be overreacting).
And/or is anyone driving from South West London and have space for a small one? I will contribute to petrol.
Just trying to think of ways to get to the start which don't involve paying out large sums of money or sleeping under the stars in the Olympic Park.
All the best.

adam0bmx0

How far out are you? I'm in E&C and will be cycling to the start as I did in 2013, not to hard to get too, a few road closures but manageable.

dandrew

It's a great experience riding there. The roads are pretty quiet apart from thousands of cyclists. Just head along the Embankment and the A11.

The Ginja cyclist

I am on the border of Brixton, Tulse Hill and Streatham. It's not that far just about managing the road closures. Where is E&C?

adam0bmx0

Elephant & Castle, the borough pretty much next to Brixton.

davep1

dandrew wrote:

It's a great experience riding there. The roads are pretty quiet apart from thousands of cyclists. Just head along the Embankment and the A11.

I'd agree with this. I've used the official car parks both times, and there are so many other cyclists all heading the same way, it wouldn't need to be sign posted, but it is. Just take it easy so you have plenty of energy for the day, and you may well need lights. There were plenty of people last year in the awful storm that struck when it was still properly dark and they didn't have lights.

The Ginja cyclist

Thanks for your replies. I might go over Blackfriars Bridge and follow a route through the city to come out at the A11 up the Whitechapel Rd.
Adam, I should have known you meant the Elephant and Castle, my family are originally from there. Are you riding through the city?
It's annoying that Tower Hill is closed.

Bmacbri

Just for arguments sake, say someone didn't wanna ride to the start of a 100mile ride, whats the alternatives?

I was thinking of either a cab (hmm) or an overground train, depending on the start times. I've read a few threads where the start times (or at least the times you need to be there) are quite early so not sure trains would be running...

davep1

It will be in the information they have sent you already. I doubt you'll be able to take your bike on a normal train on the day, I know they don't take bikes on the trains coming back from Brighton on the day of the L2B.

JohnW52

I think you're OK to take bikes on most trains on the day - they don't have the same issue as coming back from Brighton where nearly everyone will be heading on to the same train routes. Your main problem will be there not being a service early enough in the morning given it's a Sunday. It will depend on your start time which itself usually depends on the estimated time your gave at application. I estimated 7 hours so was towards the back and only set off at 8am, in which case a train is probably doable, but you could be going several hours earlier than that.

Bmacbri

I've actually only had information from the charity I am riding for and not sure that it contains info regarding getting there. My anticipated completion time is quite long so reckon I'll start reasonably late then.. may be trains will be running..I'll do some research. If I find anything out I'll pop back on and post it... thank you.

surrey_commuter

from experience you would be very lucky to get an overground train to arrive before 07:30 on a Sunday. You would still need to get from there to Olympic Park, and anywhere other than London Bridge or Liverpool St would be quite a long way. From memory you have to be in your pen at least 30 mins before start time so allowing for bag drop and faffing time you should aim to be there an hour beforehand.

The Ginja cyclist

Thanks for all your replies.
I rode out to the Olympic Park last weekend.
It was about 10 miles and I took a route over Blackfriars Bridge, past Liverpool St and down Brick Lane to Roman Road. At the end of Roman Road there was a footbridge, once over that the park was around the corner.
A fairly straightforward route that will work so long as none of the roads are closed. The only one I am concerned about is at the bottom of Blackfriars Bridge or further up by St Pauls.

Thanks again

Tiesetrotter

You can park at the O2. Then cycle through the Blackwall tunnel as it is closed for the start of the ride. Not cheap though.

MattPillinger

I would suggest for most people who live/are staying within 10-15 miles from the start that cycling is the best option. Early starts render public transport a bit useless and unless you are coming from East (or North) closed roads make driving a pain in the proverbial

Its early enough that there are very few cars on the road and last time (2013) it was actually quite fun cycling as Dawn broke and at each junction more and more cyclists joined in - a nice atmosphere all round

The Ginja cyclist

It doesn't look like I can take my planned route over Blackfriars bridge as Cannon St is closed. I think I am going to head down to the Blackwall Tunnel.

JohnW52

There are 4 special trains running from Richmond via Acton, Willesden, Hampstead and Highbury, details here -http://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/The_Events/100/Rider_Info/Transport_Options/Getting_to_the_Start.htm#public.
You can also use the Emirates Airline from the O2 to Excel for free.

surrey_commuter

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19640151#p19640151]The Ginja cyclist[/url] wrote:

It doesn't look like I can take my planned route over Blackfriars bridge as Cannon St is closed. I think I am going to head down to the Blackwall Tunnel.

I don't see why Canon St would be closed or why you would want to go down it. Stay on Queen Vic St up to Bank.

Or go through Rotherhithe Tunnel as is a long way round to Blackwall

denkfaul

How closed are the roads early before the start of the event? I'll probably have to cycle in from SW London, and it looks very difficult to avoid the route entirely. My start is at 6:20am so I'll likely be on the roads from 4:30am -> 5:30am. What will stop me from cycling on the route that early in the morning?

secretsam

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19568671#p19568671]adam0bmx0[/url] wrote:

How far out are you? I'm in E&C and will be cycling to the start as I did in 2013, not to hard to get too, a few road closures but manageable.

Got any tips on which route to take? Am staying in Southwark, near London Bridge

ManOfKent

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19643772#p19643772]Surrey Commuter[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19640151#p19640151]The Ginja cyclist[/url] wrote:

It doesn't look like I can take my planned route over Blackfriars bridge as Cannon St is closed. I think I am going to head down to the Blackwall Tunnel.

I don't see why Canon St would be closed or why you would want to go down it. Stay on Queen Vic St up to Bank.

Or go through Rotherhithe Tunnel as is a long way round to Blackwall

Cannon Street is closed because the ride goes along there this year. That's a change forced by the roadworks on the Embankment for the cycle superhighway - ironic in the Alanis Morrisette sense at least.

Unfortunately this has the effect of cutting off north-south routes. I presume there will be crossing points, though, so you'll probably have to find one of those whether you come in across Southwark, Blackfriars or London Bridge.

The Ginja cyclist

I checked out the route to the Blackwall tunnel and it seems ok. I will of course be taking my time. My route does take me a little round the houses but its reasonably quiet.

I lived near the Rotherhithe tunnel as a kid and walked through it a couple of times with my siblings. A really dumb thing to do but hey we were young and stupid. I really don't fancy riding through it. I like the thought of the Blackwall Tunnel because at least its been closed for the ride (for a while anyway). Be hilarious if I didn't get there in time and had to compete with the traffic.

Looking forward to the ride now. I think I am ready now. Good luck to everyone.

wandsworth

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19643885#p19643885]denkfaul[/url] wrote:

How closed are the roads early before the start of the event? I'll probably have to cycle in from SW London, and it looks very difficult to avoid the route entirely. My start is at 6:20am so I'll likely be on the roads from 4:30am -> 5:30am. What will stop me from cycling on the route that early in the morning?

I'm in the same boat, coming in from Wandsworth. Nothing in the information I received or online is clear about which bridges will be closed and where you can cross the route to get to the start. My start time is 7am so aiming to get there by 6. I plan to get onto the A11 but where can I cross the river?

rpherts

Will riding along any of the canals (Limehouse Cut, Hertford Union Canal next to Victoria Park) be an option if roads are closed?

Bmacbri

I'm coming up from SE London and couldn't find a way over the ride that didn't mean crossing closed roads. I have now found that out they are shutting one side of the Blackwall tunnel to allow passage across the river. The o2 is the official carpark for the event so the Blackwall tunnel route is what all the cyclists parking there will take. Once across the river from there then it is 3miles to Stratford and I am assuming (hoping) because its an official route that it will all be signposted as I am cycling to the start. Not sure of thats helpful or not tbh but good luck to all riding.

sherer

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19665993#p19665993]Bmacbri[/url] wrote:

I'm coming up from SE London and couldn't find a way over the ride that didn't mean crossing closed roads. I have now found that out they are shutting one side of the Blackwall tunnel to allow passage across the river. The o2 is the official carpark for the event so the Blackwall tunnel route is what all the cyclists parking there will take. Once across the river from there then it is 3miles to Stratford and I am assuming (hoping) because its an official route that it will all be signposted as I am cycling to the start. Not sure of thats helpful or not tbh but good luck to all riding.

That was my route in both years so yes you can go through the tunnel and it is signposted as well, although someone local must have removed one of them last year as a few of us took a wrong turning.

The Ginja cyclist

I am going from Tulse Hill, will go down to Forest Hill to Catford then Lee and through to Blackheath then down to tunnel.
How do you actually get into the tunnel?

Bmacbri

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19666562#p19666562]The Ginja cyclist[/url] wrote:

I am going from Tulse Hill, will go down to Forest Hill to Catford then Lee and through to Blackheath then down to tunnel.
How do you actually get into the tunnel?

The Blackwall tunnel? Apparently you need to head to Millennium Way, a road near the o2, and from there you can enter the tunnel. Because its the official carpark for the event I guess there will be marshalls and signs to help.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Millennium+Way,+London+SE10/@51.4968334,0.0053598,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x47d8a8192d575ef7:0x5cb32a16a212834d

How you get from the other side to the stadium for the start is a different question though... ? Just up the A12 is it?!

wandsworth

I checked with the event helpdesk, who are actually very helpful. They told me that there will be access over Blackfriars bridge all day and Tower bridge until 6am.

They also said the bridges that are closed to traffic should still allow pedestrian access so you can walk bikes over. (That's a "should" though so may be at discretion of marshalls?)

Blackwall tunnel is open to cycles 4am - 6am.

sherer

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19668155#p19668155]wandsworth[/url] wrote:

I checked with the event helpdesk, who are actually very helpful. They told me that there will be access over Blackfriars bridge all day and Tower bridge until 6am.

They also said the bridges that are closed to traffic should still allow pedestrian access so you can walk bikes over. (That's a "should" though so may be at discretion of marshalls?)

Blackwall tunnel is open to cycles 4am - 6am.

The website says the blackwall tunnel is open until 07:30 . Doesn't give later starters much of a chance to use the official car park at the O2 if it shuts at 0600

wandsworth

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19668160#p19668160]sherer[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19668155#p19668155]wandsworth[/url] wrote:

I checked with the event helpdesk, who are actually very helpful. They told me that there will be access over Blackfriars bridge all day and Tower bridge until 6am.

They also said the bridges that are closed to traffic should still allow pedestrian access so you can walk bikes over. (That's a "should" though so may be at discretion of marshalls?)

Blackwall tunnel is open to cycles 4am - 6am.

The website says the blackwall tunnel is open until 07:30 . Doesn't give later starters much of a chance to use the official car park at the O2 if it shuts at 0600

Yes, and the official 'Final Instructions' guide also says that the Blackwall Tunnel is open between 04:00 and 07:30.