Going to be down in the smoke next week with a mate and have got a day on the bike to do a wee tour of the town. As I have never been round the place in anything smaller than a lorry I am quite looking forward to a spot of mooching.

So a couple of things.

Are the canals OK for cycling along.?

Best place to park. Preferably free outside the center anywhere between the A12 in the east and the 406 in the west. Or possibly somewhere south of the cut.

Canals are fine no permit needed any more (no-one bothered about them total waste of time silly idea), but watch out for dogs, children and errant peds. A bell is essential for the bridges and coming up behind folk. And don’t speed along at 30mph, be considerate.

You can get from somewhere like Limehouse Basin in the east, all the way to the Islington Tunnel, then back on again from Kings Cross all the way round to the Grand Union near Hayes/Southall. It’s about twenty six miles, that loop. Then back in to Brentford then you can follow the River back into town.

Lots of cycle lanes along quieter routes these days. Even during the daytime, riding through central London can actually be quite pleasant.

As above, really. Not a lot more to add. There have been some very occasional reports of people being knocked off bikes in to the canal by bike stealing scrotes, but I’ve not heard any of this recently.

A bell and courtesy are essentials for all London (and any other urban) cycling.

Can’t help with parking, I’m afraid. Why not take the train in to town instead?

You can combine riding with other transport if you don’t fancy there-and-back or circular rides.

Last time I visited we spent the Saturday riding up the Thames from Chiswick to Hampton Court, then got the ferry back to Westminster.

Sunday we trained it out to Greenwich, took the foot tunnel under the Thames and followed the cycle network around the Isle of Dogs, and then followed the canal through the Camden throngs, and eventually ended up back up Notting Hill way.

Riding big old shopping bikes. It was ace. We ensured we made plenty of stops for ice creams and beverages along the way.

Can recommend both rides.

Just make sure you cut down your handlebars or you will feel out of place…

Sounds good Jack .
Is it easy enough to take bikes on the river boats ?

plus 1 for the cut down bars.

Was there on saturday walking by the canal in Islington visiting friends and some fo the bikes were literally cut down to where the rise stops. 😯

Must be a lundun fing innit!

I can’t speak for all the boats, but the one we got back from Hampton Court was no bother. We just turned up and they let us on, it all seemed surprisingly laid back for that there London.

We were just told to take the bikes inside and prop them up against the fire hose!

Might be worth ringing ahead to check though, particularly if it’s a weekday you’re planning.

You could always start off in Central London / Westminster, head out through Chelsea (watch out for the tractors), over Putney Bridge, turn right carry on to where the road splits by a park, take the left one, over the bridge where Mark Bolan died, turn right, carry on, next set of lights turn left, go up the hill in Roehampton, turn left on the cycle path/pavement, carry on, into Richmond Park – stop for some lunch at one of the cafes, do a couple of laps, take Richmond Gates, into Richmond, cross the Thames, turn left onto the Thames Path head out of London, get to Twickenham, head for Hampton Wick, get back on the Thames Path, ride along to Walton on Thames and then carry on towards Eton / Windsor or turn around and head back.

Fair few pubs, great scenery – Hampton Court Palace is awesome – great day if the weather is nice.

BTW it’s also my commute, hence the directions 😉

Will I need to purchase skinny jeans and borrow my dad’s 1970’s NHS specks.?

Will I need to purchase skinny jeans and borrow my dad’s 1970’s NHS specks.?

Only if you plan on going east of Liverpool Street. I hope you’ve had your vaccinations as well.

Make sure the NHS specs filter out the colour red, you’ll not be needing it.

You’ve got a fixie, right? With playing cards in the wheels? Some kind of primal tattoo on your calf is necessary as is the wrong type of courier bag. Some item of Rapha clothing will be needed should you want to fit right in and if you even want to start fitting in, for the love of god get an ipod and ignore everyone else.

Where I live (near Crouch Hill station) the only parking restriction is mon-fri 10-12. You can have a 2 hour permit to cover it if you like. Easy spin to most central places in about half an hour, or about 10 mins east to the Lea Valley Navigation canal, which you can head south on past the Olympic site down to Limehouse and pick up the Regents canal. Follow that round to Regents Park, then back via Hampstead Heath, Highgate and pick up Parkland Walk to come back home. It’s a pleasant ride. Or head off the canal and on to the roads if there’s other stuff you want to see.

The towpaths themselves get busy on sunny weekends and don’t expect to make blazing fast progress at any time really. Good for a pootle in the sun though.