Riding into Central London from the South

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Riding into Central London from the South

26 posts & 12 voices | Started 8 months ago by njee20 | Latest reply from bent_udder

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njee20 - Member

I'm about to start a new job working in the City several days a week. To offset the exorbitant travel costs I'm planning to cycle in at least a couple of days a week. Don't know where to go though...

I live down in Sussex, so it'll likely be a half drive/half ride commute - likely starting from somewhere like Dorking. Looking at a map I'd go around the back of Boxhill, through Epsom, Ewell, and then pick up the Cycle Superhighway at Merton into the City - office is near Monument tube.

That's purely speculative based on looking at Google, any advice? Anyone do a similar route and got a GPX I can pinch? I'm happy to add a little bit to avoid particularly busy roads, but don't really want massive detours! I'll be on a road bike. Fairly flexible on where I start too, preferably somewhere I can leave my car on a residential road for the day, 30ish miles each way is fine.

Posted 8 months ago #
rewski - Member

I ride from Purley in Surrey, not far from Croydon which is roughly 16 miles each way. I ride the A23, A3200, A201 to St Pauls, so no superhighways, to be honest I find them a bit over crowded. Where in Sussex are you coming from? You could always drive across Ashdown forest and then park near Oxted and ride from there.

Posted 8 months ago #
njee20 - Member

I come from Billingshurst, so Oxted would be double the distance to drive, I'd be better off heading towards Guildford and riding in from there.

I did wonder if the Superhighways were more trouble than they're worth to be honest!

Posted 8 months ago #
RickyRah - Member

From Dorking I think you'd be best just to follow the A24 than trying to find quieter roads. As above, somewhere like Oxted or Redhill might provide a slightly better route in. I sometimes ride back into London via Chipstead, Carshalton, Mitcham and then hook up to the A24 at Tooting. You don't really start getting held up until Mitcham.

Posted 8 months ago #
rewski - Member

So West Sussex? Yes definitely best keeping west.

Posted 8 months ago #
njee20 - Member

Yes West Sussex, agree I'd be better starting west of Dorking rather than east towards Redhill/Oxted, I'd rather ride further than drive further!

I'd rather assumed the A24 would be a bit grim to ride along!

Posted 8 months ago #
RickyRah - Member

I'd go from Guildford then - much nicer roads out to the west. You can follow the lanes to Cobham, then Portsmouth Road to Kingston, cut through Richmond Park and along the river.

Posted 8 months ago #
cakefest - Member

ooooh, new job, Nick. in the City, too. best of luck with it. great to see you at Mayhem and that matchstick you call an MTB.

Ashley Green

Posted 8 months ago #
brakes - Member

I've ridden out from the City to Boxhill a few times, damned if I can remember the route though.
I think it goes:
- Dorking Road
- past Epsom Downs/ Racecourse
- Tattenham Corner
- East to Banstead
- Sutton
- Morden
- Wimbledon
- Wimbledon Common
- Putney
- Fulham
- Chelsea
- Embankment all the way into the city

I'd advise getting to work about 8am, should avoid the worst of the traffic

Posted 8 months ago #
rewski - Member

What about the other way around, so downlink cyclepath to guildford then train, bit of a sweaty commute though, that'll upset the bankers.

Posted 8 months ago #
njee20 - Member

Nah, the train's the expensive part, so the bit I want to avoid, also involves leaving a bike at the station, which I'm keen to avoid, would necessetate a new bike too!

Cheers Ashley good to see you too, be up in your neck of the woods for a National race next year!

Cheers Brakes, that looks similar to the route I'd thought about. May give a Guildford based route and a Dorking based route a try! I can see why Guildford would be preferable, but if I were to ride all the way from home it'd be via Dorking.

Posted 8 months ago #
cakefest - Member

What National race is that, Nick? What's the venue?

Posted 8 months ago #
njee20 - Member

It's Eastridge if I recall.

Posted 8 months ago #
cakefest - Member

Nicely. Rode there for the first time in July on the CRC Marathon. Superb singletrack, lots to concentrate on. Must be hard work racing there.

Posted 8 months ago #
njee20 - Member

Must say I've never been! We'll see next year I guess!

Posted 8 months ago #
turboferret - Member

You might find this video interesting

www.vimeo.com/10928407

I hope MTB Idle doesn't mind me posting it.

Cheers, Rich

Posted 8 months ago #
njee20 - Member

That's a good video! I'll have a proper look when I'm not on my phone, but that looks alright!

Posted 8 months ago #
CaptainFlashheart - Member

Embankment is hellish in the morning. Too many MAMIL wannabes desperate to reach the summit of the Col du Temple first. Avoid if you can.

My tip, following on from the otherwise excellent suggestion from Brakes above is as follows;

Chelsea, take the blue run all the way until Lambeth Bridge
Cross river, take first left beihind Lambeth Palace.
Left on to Westminster Bridge
Right in to the gap behind City Hall (Now a hotel).
Follow that road all the way to Blackfriars Bridge, cross bridge in to City.

Much quieter, much less traffic and far fewer MAMILs thinking it's a race, on their tri-bars huffin' and a puffin' their way to work in Asson.

Posted 8 months ago #
joolsburger - Member

Most direct route is A24 A3 which is around 25 maybe 30 miles but a pretty crappy ride I'd expect.

You could try leatherhead esher kingston richmond which might be a bit more leafy but has got to be another 5 miles at least.

Or you could do the return route that the olympics will take.

Posted 8 months ago #
joemarshall - Member

I've done London -> Dorking on the A24, and I seem to remember it the A24 is not that bad once you're out of Dorking / motorbike idiot territory (ie. past Leatherhead.) Even in that bit, you just have to cope with them whooshing past at ridiculous speeds.

A3 is not desperately bad either - you're going into London, you hit Elephant and Castle, which is a pain, but unless you go super early, you'll be going faster than the cars anyway. Proper London playing with cars it'll be.

Although pulling into London after Clapham Common, going along the embankment will give you a bit more of a nice London ride - Chelsea Embankment etc. are lovely to whoosh along on a road bike.

Personally I'd try the direct route first, and then mess around with it if the cars are slowing you down too much, or if you don't like the big junctions.

Joe

Posted 8 months ago #
njee20 - Member

Excellent, thanks all! I plan to ride up there on Saturday to see what it's like, may go in one way and back another.

Posted 8 months ago #
piha - Member

Could park at Sainsburys at Burpham and then jump on the Wey Navigation, that would take you past the M25. Not sure after that but I'm sure there's a way. Another option could be to park at Newlands Corner and work your way up from there.

Posted 8 months ago #
m1kea - Member

You might want to consider where you can safely leave a car unattended for the day (without paying parking).

I did a stint working in Guildford and hated the last 6 miles of the drive. Started parking at Smithbrook Kilns and riding the rest but quickly got shooed on from there and ended up parking in Alfold Crossways.

My point is you may have fun finding somewhere to leave the car.

Oh and I'd definitely avoid the drive across the A23 corridor to have a closer ride in. - That totally defeats the whole exercise.

Posted 8 months ago #
njee20 - Member

Was planning to just park on residential roads, move around a bit, sure it'd be alright! Particularly if I start in different places, only gonna be 2-3 days a week, should keep angry locals at bay for a while!

Piha, MTB's not an option, not buying a new one, and don't want to leave my Top Fuel at work!

Posted 8 months ago #
turboferret - Member

This is one of my rides home from work - Leatherhead to Dulwich, a reasonably pleasant route.

If you start around Dorking, the cycle path beside the A24 is pretty good.

Cheers, Rich

Posted 8 months ago #
bent_udder - Member

There are a few residential streets in Dorking that are clear in the mornings - usually the ones furthest away from the stations. You can also try the layby off the roundabout just outside Dorking that's part of the entry road for Denbies.

I used to commute from Leatherhead to Sutton, and Epsom Downs / Tattenham Corner is quite a nice route.

[Edit} I've also ridden Dorking - Esher to see friends - you can go through the woods a bit and avoid the traffic.

Posted 8 months ago #

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