Completed my first bike commute into London

Joshgav
Joshgav Posts: 158
edited April 2017 in Commuting general
Hertfordshire to Blackfriars (25km in 1h10m). Been thinking about trying it for a while as a way to fit in more bike training (for some upcoming triathlons) without using any more family time. Really pleased with the route, now just to make it home tonight (uphill most of the way).

Comments

  • Thigh_burn
    Thigh_burn Posts: 489
    That's a good distance for a commute. What's your route?
  • Joshgav
    Joshgav Posts: 158
    Thigh_burn wrote:
    That's a good distance for a commute. What's your route?

    It's nearly one road the whole way.
    B552 / A502 to Kings X, then join the cycle path to Blackfriars.
  • Thigh_burn
    Thigh_burn Posts: 489
    Know it well. If you go early enough it must be quite nice - easy to do a Regents Park lap or two as well - although imagine it can be quite busy at height of commuting/school run. As you say, almost uphill all the way home and lots of it a slow drag uphill as well.
  • Joshgav
    Joshgav Posts: 158
    Thigh_burn wrote:
    Know it well. If you go early enough it must be quite nice - easy to do a Regents Park lap or two as well - although imagine it can be quite busy at height of commuting/school run. As you say, almost uphill all the way home and lots of it a slow drag uphill as well.

    Would be nice to do the Regents Park loop, good way to work on a constant effort without going on the turbo.
  • imatfaal
    imatfaal Posts: 2,716
    I do just a few hundred metres more and now tend to take one day off a week - 200km a week rather than 250km means I still enjoy a ride at weekends. I tend to get out at lunchtimes for ride or stay in for turbo so it isn't the distance - but one day a week with a zone out slob on PT changes the mix nicely; you can bring in/take home heavy stuff , grab a coffee and a bit of shopping etc. And it allows a boozy lunch once a week.

    BTW - good going and keep it up
  • kingstonian
    kingstonian Posts: 2,847
    I did my first commute too on Weds, Kingqston to London Bridge which is 24km each way. Love it !!!
  • Joshgav
    Joshgav Posts: 158
    Kingstonian wrote:
    I did my first commute too on Weds, Kingqston to London Bridge which is 24km each way. Love it !!!

    I'm not sure I'm up to it daily yet as it took quite a lot out of me. This is mostly because I do a lot of running and swimming training as I have some tris this year and I don't want to compromise this other training. I'm going to build up to a couple of times a week, it was good but the last few hills felt like really hard work.
  • INPTT
    INPTT Posts: 16
    Do you ride on busy roads, or bike paths?
  • Joshgav
    Joshgav Posts: 158
    INPTT wrote:
    Do you ride on busy roads, or bike paths?

    It's road most of the way into town, then cycle paths once you get closer to the centre. There's loads of bike paths and bike friendly traffic lights in London nowadays.
  • timbo_tim
    timbo_tim Posts: 199
    Joshgav wrote:
    Thigh_burn wrote:
    That's a good distance for a commute. What's your route?

    It's nearly one road the whole way.
    B552 / A502 to Kings X, then join the cycle path to Blackfriars.

    Joshgav - sorry to resurrect a slightly old thread, but interested to know how you found those roads to cycle on? I am trying to work out a way to get from Herts (north of Watford) then down towards Euston so could extend the route you used, but keen to hear what you thought of it?

    Anyone else out there got any other suggestions from herts to central London by road bike (ie no canal path suggestions) please?

    Thanks
  • Joshgav
    Joshgav Posts: 158
    timbo_tim wrote:
    Joshgav wrote:
    Thigh_burn wrote:
    That's a good distance for a commute. What's your route?

    It's nearly one road the whole way.
    B552 / A502 to Kings X, then join the cycle path to Blackfriars.

    Joshgav - sorry to resurrect a slightly old thread, but interested to know how you found those roads to cycle on? I am trying to work out a way to get from Herts (north of Watford) then down towards Euston so could extend the route you used, but keen to hear what you thought of it?

    Anyone else out there got any other suggestions from herts to central London by road bike (ie no canal path suggestions) please?

    Thanks

    I copied a friends route from Strava but that doesn't help you. From Watford you could head straight down the A41 all the way into town, I knew a couple of people who do that and say it's ok. You end up going through St John's Wood and through Regents Park where you can get in a few laps if you have time.

    You will need to be really careful round some of the big junctions (Apex Corner, 5-ways. A41-North Circ, Swiss Cottage) or you could come off the road there and use the underpasses or lights.
  • timbo_tim
    timbo_tim Posts: 199
    Thanks - sorry for my mis-communication, but I meant what was your feedback on the roads - or is it neatly summed up as "you need to be really careful at x and y etc" - or are they in relation to the A41 route?

    Hopefully since I will be leaving around 6am - roads should be okay...

Categories