Hi,
I currently get the train from Twyford to London Paddington. I use my little fold up bike.
In terms to time it cant really be beaten but it is quite expensive £3000 a year. I've cycled the route a couple of times and its 32 miles. (similar to another poster)
Thats too far for me to cycle daily. what might be doable is drive half way then cycle the rest.
Does anyone know of any where near the west side of the M25 you can park easily. Near either Windsor/Slough/Langley where it would be possible to park ?
Or would I be constantly in traffic ?
I know all those areas well, whats the priority, proximity to a mainline station?
My first thought is Staines, lots of free parking within 5 mins walk of the station. Windsor station slightly trickier.
However, Datchet, Sunnymeads & Wraysbury (all 3 stations between Windsor & Staines on the Windsor & Eton line) are all easily reachable with 5 or 6 mins of leaving the M25 at junction 13 or 14.
My current opinion would be to park up at Wraysbury or Staines.
Oops, I re-read your post and realise you are looking to park then cycle the remainder.
I'd still stand by Staines or Wraysbury in that case, good road links/subway network straight into london if needed, and you would have the option of train back to car in emergencies.
hmm train back to car is a good point
think you would be better off doing what you do now...
got to better than driving further in (traffic, having to find a parking space each day) then crap cycle in.
I was kinda looking to try and stay outside the towns though. I mean just park the car somewhere random to try and avoid traffic.
For instance I noticed this garden centre next to windsor.
I reckon the drive along this way would be totally clear.
what are you suggesting something like this ?
I have a feeling the the road through Ascot A329 can be quite slow ?
Preferably I want to be able to do the commute in 1:30 max.
Ie 30 mins in car 1 hour on bike. which really means I need to cover approx 15 miles in 30 mins. to drop the bike commute down to 16 miles or some. Ie this
[url= http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Colnbrook+By-Pass%2FA4&daddr=Imperial+College+Rd&hl=en&ll=51.557436,-0.361176&spn=0.811129,0.920105&sll=51.498217,-0.183291&sspn=0.025381,0.028753&geocode=FUiUEQMdolH4_w%3BFeHLEQMdg0z9_w&dirflg=w&mra=dme&mrsp=1&sz=15&t=m&z=10 ]Cycle Commute I reckon I could manage and have done[/url]
The problem is how to easily get to Colnbrook ? I know the road though Datchett is a nightmare. Is there any point going on the M4 at say 8:00 in the morning or is this just akin to suicide ?
think you would be better off doing what you do now...got to better than driving further in (traffic, having to find a parking space each day) then crap cycle in.
Certainly true but does cost me £3000 a year. Mind you are right currently my cycle is a nice bimble through hyde park.
The problem is how to easily get to Colnbrook ? I know the road though Datchett is a nightmare. Is there any point going on the M4 at say 8:00 in the morning or is this just akin to suicide ?
crap driving all round there, M4, M3, M25, A4, A329 etc etc all crap.
I think it will cause you more stress and not save you the cash you think it will... £1.40 a litre and rising for fuel + wear and tear etc
plus stress of finding your normal parking place is full..
how about an electric assist bike? and do the whole way? like halving the distance
have a watch of this
if it makes you feel better Brompton + season ticket is £3400 for me.
I did think about the electric bike. I reckon I need one that can go up to 30mph to make it worth while though.
As above, plenty of places near Staines, or Windsor park near Bishopsgate is free.
There'll be lots of traffic tho, and cycling down the A30 isn't exactly pleasant, and you've still got to cycle 20 miles into London.
You'd have to work out the costs, but I was doing a half drive/half ride and I've switched to ride in one morning/train home, train in/ride home, and much prefer it. Works out far cheaper for me, but I don't get the train often enough to justify a season ticket (3 days a week every single week to be cost effective for me).
As above the cost savings may be less than you think, I've noticed how much less petrol I'm using now I ride all the way in, as well as the more 'hidden' costs like tyre wear, servicing etc.
what about train half way in, ride the rest?
would you save enough money if you didnt get close enough to london zones?
ie, you could ride in from twickenham/richmond/staines/weybridge stations?
Not allowed bikes on certain trains into/out of London in rush hour, worth checking if FGW allow it, I've a feeling they don't.
I cycle to and from London to Staines. Parking in staines is a total nightmare. If you can find parking there then the other issues are getting to staines from the M4. I briefly lived in Winersh and sometimes it was a nightmare drive.
next issue is the cycle. You are going to be going down the A30 dual carriageway. I do this most days but it aint pleasant.
As has been said it depends what time you travel. Your current route is quick as from Twyford to Paddington.
There is the Sustrans route 4 which goes into London you could pick up from Staines but that train is over an hour. I use it in reverse from Slough to Reading (when not crocked) and its chilled.
Maybe ride then train it(not ideal leaving a bike and getting on a crowded train sweating your nuts off)
There may be other train/ride options but you can't be leaving at 8 or 9am
I would'nt go anywhere near the A4/A30 on a bike.
I cycle to and from London to Staines
What route do you take?
Simple fact is commuting into London by any method is a nightmare.
For me where there's a fast train just 30 mins in, it's still a nightmare and huge cost. Bike to the station, can't take the bike on the train, need a cheap pikey bike to lock up at the station, or it's a half hour walk to the station. £26 ticket in, standing and misery guaranteed, miserable tube journey or forget the tube and walk or worse bike (with some spare pikey bike standing by or a Boris bike) and gamble with your life. Pretty much another half hour or more to get from station to typical place of work unless you're lucky to be nearby. Door to door for me for a short train journey into London is looking like 1.5 hours.
Drive - likewise with all the hassle and jams, parking fees, congestion charge, though cost is comparable with if not cheaper than the train.
The idea of drive part way and cycle still means a long door to door journey, and I wouldn't cycle on the streets in London anyway. It's bad enough walking, and cycling is just lethal.
I wouldn't cycle on the streets in London anyway. It's bad enough walking, and cycling is just lethal.
To be honest it's significantly better than I'd expected it to be. I'm lucky in that there are reasonable cycle paths on most of my route (CS7 end to end, then Elephant & Castle/Borough/London Bridge), but it's fine. Biggest danger and the other cyclists and the pedestrians!
Have you thought about using the canals? You could park in Langley, Iver, Richings Park areas easily pick up the Slough branch that takes you to the Grand Union then just after Hayes pick up the Paddington branch. Not sure how long that would take though, I used to use the Slough branch and part of the Grand Union when I lived up that way to cycle to work, it was bliss!
What about parking near the canal and taking the towpath? Would that work re. your final destination?
I used to (when I had a proper job...) drive to just the other side of watford and ride in from there. But I had a van which was easy to throw the bike in to/out of without having to disassemble or deal with racks and also a place to get changed in the back. Would just park in a residential street somewhere. Never a hassle, apart from on occasion I'd have a customer's bike I was delivering in the evening left in the van the whole day and I'd be nervous about it 😉
Before that I lived in Twickenham, and had a very nice commute from there which was towpath all the way in to Putney. Maybe drive to Brentford or something then ride the towpath from there? I'm sure there is free street parking around there somewhere and I guess not too much hassle to drive to except for potential congestion at end of M4?
Ha! Great minds. 😀
What about getting to Stanwell, parking there and cycling in round the airport avoiding most of the A30?
Another option from there is through Bedfont and Hounslow, avoiding the A30 altogether.
If you come in via the A4 rather than the M4, the traffic isn't too bad on a morning from what I've seen.
From where I am (Woking), Wey and Thames towpaths is a safe ride, but it's slow and there are conflicts with stubborn walker types who whilst you make your presence clear, slow down, give way and priority to them, they won't budge and deliberately block the way then rant at you for just existing. Some even hate the existence of the dedicated cycle path sections.
What route do you take?
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/160596268 LOTS of lights
Or
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/157958168 A niceish route
Thanks, don't fancy the a30 but might try find a route similar to your nice route
How come your short route has thrice the amount of climbing of the long route? The A30s not that hilly is it!?
2nd route follows the river, and rivers tend not to have too many hills 😉
Aah, fair enough!
Pretty much another half hour or more to get from station to typical place of work unless you're lucky to be nearby. Door to door for me for a short train journey into London is looking like 1.5 hours.
Hi Dead Kenny,
Fellow Wokingite
Get a folding bike - saves time at Woking - bike racks are miles away from platform 2...... which is a real pain
also at the other end saves time as well - as you don't have to faff with Boris bike (if there any at Waterloo)
plus quick:
Work to Waterloo - sub 10mins and in the top ten on a segment on the brompton! plus still having to walk through Victoria bus station..
http://app.strava.com/rides/5291160
Do they let folding bikes on the train in rush hour?
Do they let folding bikes on the train in rush hour?
yes - there are rules about size etc - fine with a Brompton/dahon
- If you are an annual season ticket holder you can even get a Brompton from Southwest Trains for £2 a week...
If you look at the picture below - bottom right brompton is SWT bike - hence it is in red/orange/blue
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