Cycling across London? Top tips?

[jimo746]

On Friday I am travelling from Camberley up to Middlesbrough by train and my bike is coming with me.
I arrive in London at Waterloo and then need to get to Kings Cross for my next train. Hopefully it will still be daylight at this time.
Having never cycled in the capital before I could use some top tips & advice. I used to cycle around Leeds every day but I know Leeds quite well, London is a whole other ball game... :-0

Any advice on route, whether to walk any sections,(I'm guessing you can't take bikes on the tube?) And any general tips on taking a bike on the train etc etc are most appreciated.

 

[tintin40]

no bikes on the tube zone 1.
Google maps

 

[JeRkY]

Ride in the space a car takes, dont let yourself get crammed into the gutter (except for when it suits you for getting through stationary traffic). Keep your wits about you. Wear a helmet. Watch out for pedestrians crossing through standing traffic. Watch out for taxi's, busses and goods vehicles. Incase it does get dark, have some LED lights on flash mode.

Enjoy it! its great fun.

 

[ruttegercarruthers]

Ride in the space a car takes, dont let yourself get crammed into the gutter (except for when it suits you for getting through stationary traffic). Keep your wits about you. Wear a helmet. Watch out for pedestrians crossing through standing traffic. Watch out for taxi's, busses and goods vehicles. Incase it does get dark, have some LED lights on flash mode.

Enjoy it! its great fun.

+1
I've done this journey a couple of times, I just went the default route google maps suggests, up gray's inn road which is reasonably wide. Shouldn't take more than 20 mins ime

 

[Tad]

Don't in a word.

I used to occasionaly commute from Bankside to Croydon. It can only be described as hell.

If you have to, then drink a shed load of coffee so your wits are about you.

Don't ride in the gutter, take a dominant road position. Make people overtake you rather than simply go past you. Beware parked cars, assume they're all about to pull out on you or open their doors for you to slam in to, stay a car door's width away from them.

Avoid Ken's bendy busses like the plague, a pox on them all. They'll trap you as soon as look at you.

Good luck

 

[JeRkY]

Additionally, taking bikes on the Eastcoast mainline trains. Make sure you reserve a bike slot, they can get picky if you dont have one. Bikes go in the guards van, enquire with staff as to which end of the train they want them.

If it is a good bike, lock it to the rack in the bike stowage area, but bear in mind if you are not alighting at a station where the train terminates then you will only have so much time to get off the train carriage you sat in, to your bike and then off again.

Enjoy the ride! (but make sure to give them hell for stopping the completely free for the entire journey wifi service- now replaced with one that is stated by them to be better, but require the costs of the upgrade to be met by charging the passenger £4.99 for a service that is infact no faster, reliable or easier to use than the old one)

 

[Don't walk]

I think the circle line should let you take a bike on the train as it doesn't go below ground. I used it a couple of years ago, not sure if they've changed the rules on it or not though.

 

[highlandsflyer]

I think the circle line should let you take a bike on the train as it doesn't go below ground. I used it a couple of years ago, not sure if they've changed the rules on it or not though.

Arghhhhhhhhh

 

[highlandsflyer]

Seriously, how long do you have ????

Just walk and bimble down any empty stretches of pavement.

Less than an hour doing it that way.

 

[jimo746]

Yeah, think I will end up bimbling along interspersed with walking so I can check where I am going. Won't be in any mad rush, just as well really

thanks for the info about reserving a bike place on the East Coast train, will do that this week.