I’m going to be spending quite a bit of time in that there London village.

I’ll be central in the city itself.

Is there anywhere scenic worth a ride out on the Boris bikes.

Ideally something that’s easy to follow so no late night route finding / finding myself in random dodgy areas with a 75kg bike.

Anything with a lesser number of coaches, cars and tippers trying to kill me would be nice.

Looking for a pootle for an hour or 2 of an evening.

Anyone managed to take advantage of the Boris bikes for none touristy leisure use please?

There’s always the gym / pub, but the former bores me to tears and the latter makes me even fatter.

Not on enough money to be able to afford coke and hookers in the city.

A pootle you say

Bear in mind a two hour ride will cost you, it’s 30mins (from memory) then dock it back up otherwise the cost goes up. You can do unlimited short journeys per 24 hours though.

I mananged to get a bit of regent canal on my rides on them. The bikes are surprisingly ok.

Hyde Park has a few CycleSuperHighways you can pootle around.
Regents Park is nice and flat. Primrose Hill less so. Obvs.
City is ace at weekends – hardly anyone lives there so it’s empty and very relaxing – you get time to look about you and appreciate the history and architecture.
Go and have brunch at Look Mum No Hands on Old St
Backstreets of Chelsea and Kensington are interesting.
Avoid the West End if you want quiet roads

How long are you down there for? Is it worth buying a folder instead? I did this as I worked weeks in London for 9 months, and it means I could go a lot further than the docking stations.

Bromptons hold their value well so you could buy one on Gumtree and sell it for the same amount

Some good suggestions thanks. It’s during the week anywhere from 1 to 3 nights. I do have a folder but that only really works for the 3 night trips. I have too much luggage to carry as it is.

Regents canal sounds interesting. Done Hyde Park a couple of times but it’s not that varied.

Not too bothered about docking every half hour. A ride out is worth a few quid.

I’ll second Regents Canal / Regents Park – my sis has a bolt hole in Camden and we often potter about on the canal. I think you can follow the canal east from Regents Park and pop out on the Thames at Limehouse – I have planned (but yet to ride) a loop on the canal and back on the South Bank, which would make a nice ride.

The best Boris Bike ride I ever did was a 9am ride through central London on Christmas Day – there was not a soul about – riding along The Mall and over Westminster Bridge without any other traffic was wonderful.

You could catch the tube to Hammersmith, pick up a bike there and head across the bridge and do the south bank out west towards Kew or maybe to Richmond Park if you were wanting a daft idea.

Stratford is within reach of the docking stations, so you can drop off the bike when you get there and then pick up another bike for the return trip five minutes later

TfL have a page of suggestions for hire bike routes: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/santander-cycles/leisure-routes

The “Quirky” one starts with an unusual graveyard…

Regent’s Park if you’re wanting exercise.
Richmond park if you’re wanting exercise and deer to look at. Double check what time the park closes though, I think its earlier than you might expect at this time of year.

The TFL suggested route from Hammersmith through Fulham and Battersea into Vauxhall looks a decent route.

I’d avoid regent/oxford street and anywhere around Piccadilly Circus as its full of suicidal tourists.

Richmond park is normally open to cyclists 24/7 however the deer cull has just started so avoid after dusk

Richmond park if you’re wanting exercise and deer to look at. Double check what time the park closes though, I think its earlier than you might expect at this time of year.

Still got the Deer Cull signs up – closed at 8pm I think.

Whereabouts will you be staying/working?

Check this thread out mate, lots of options for you

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/londoners-any-good-trackspathscycleways

Anyone managed to take advantage of the Boris bikes for none touristy leisure use please?

Lots of people use them for commuting. I have a colleague who does everything by bike, he always boris bikes it. I otoh never do as I always bring my own (non folding) commuter on the train.

Can you not do this? It then helps at both ends, and hotels always let you bring the bike into your room.

Re riding, I love a nice spin aroud the back streets of West London – loads of quiet little spots and beautiful streets and buildings – but it’s still pretty urban.

Some good suggestions thanks. It’s during the week anywhere from 1 to 3 nights. I do have a folder but that only really works for the 3 night trips. I have too much luggage to carry as it is.

Bike trailer not an option? Or panniers? That way you’ve got a normal bike and luggage in one.

What luggage do you need?

I do this regularly by bike and I’ve got it down to a fine art.

I have a ludicrously large client laptop, various bits if IT gear suits shirts toiletries etc . etc.

I had considered getting the rack for the folder and panniers for the luggage. I should probably look again.

Some good suggestions and routes thanks, I’ll look on the tfl site and that older thread. Richmond Park feels a must do at some point too.

I’m always very central / near the river travel in to Kings Cross.

Can you leave the folder in the office? I had mine hidden under a desk in the corner over the weekend

I have a ludicrously large client laptop, various bits if IT gear suits shirts toiletries etc . etc.

I have a very large work laptop, sundry small IT items (mice, external HDs and so on) and shirts, toiletries just like you. I can do five days’ worth, and also bring biking and running kit (and shoes).

Hire a brompton for £6.50 a day?

https://www.bromptonbikehire.com/page/pricing