[Closed] Every XC rider's nightmare: LONDON

Paging RudeBoy....

Don't worry, apparently London is the best place to live in the UK for mountain biking 😕

Make sure wherever you actually live, it is in south / south east London.

Trains from Waterloo / Clapham Junction out to Dorking for tons of great riding (it is easy to do a 40 mile ride from there, with loads of singletrack & a few hills).

Joe

If you really are central, then the North Downs are a short train ride from Waterloo or Victoria, the south downs are a longer train ride from Victoria, the Chilterns are a medium train ride from Marylebone or Paddington and I believe there are things to do in Kent that I've never even thought about. Doing a night ride on Box Hill in the evenings is perfectly feasible.

Personally, I reckon getting a road bike for mid-week training is probably the way to go though. 🙂

Sounds like it's time for the "It's not you, it's me...." conversation! 🙂

to be fair, while joe's right about the access out that way, i live in north london - highbury - and it's only about 4 miles from waterloo so it's hardly much effort to get there and get on the same trains.

from there, you are also able to get on trains out north to places like aston hill and that. so i wouldn't worry too much about where in london you are, it's not going to be quite as on your doorstep as you're used to, there's no two ways about it. 🙁

Don't do it!

hmmm, is a new girlfriend an option?

I disagree with Woody. I reckont he "it's not me, it's you" conversation is the one to have.

Don't worry, it won't last. 😛

I was just being nice BD 🙂

I made the move in 2001. The riding in summer on the Surrey Hills is fantastic, infact I'd go so far as to say the only place I'd rather ride in England is the Lakes. I live in Ealing 6 miles west of the centre and I can get to the Surrey Hills in 45 mins by car.

There is also Swinley Forest 27 miles, Aston Hill 30 miles and South Wales can be had in under 2 hours drive. I used to regulary get to Swinley for mid week night rides until a few years ago

+1 for the roadbike option too though, even if its just for keeping you off the public transport

There isn't any good riding in London although you can ride from your door in central London and bang some miles out around Richmond Park, Wimbledon Common and along the Thames. By no means exciting riding but not too bad, Richmond Park in particular.

Otherwise you are looking at getting a train (or driving) out to Swinley Forest (Bracknell), Surrey Hills (Dorking) or up to Chicksands, Aston Hill etc

Dont stress about a road bike, just get some cheap wheels and some commute slicks with kevlar and swap them over.

I rode a road bike for about 2 years but found between the potholes and summer cyclists I now prefer to ride my hardtail with forks that mean my teeth dont rattle out and brakes that mean I can stop at short notice!

Training wise its bad news - loops of Richmond Park, Regents Park or city routes endlessly stopping for red lights 🙁 get an iPod (only for in the park mind!)

Upside is loads of cycle shops!

Don't forget, there is more to life than biking, living in London is ace!

Life is very short and there are loads of chicks out there. That's all I've got to say about that.

There are places you can get to to ride, or even ride out to if you do a day ride.

Won't be on your doorstep though unless you go down the somewhat cheeky route.

I'd be tempted to go with woody/BigDummy.

BUT, you could wheedle it to your advantage.

It may be possible to engineer it so that she feels VERY guilty (you'll have to get emotional about lovely countryside you'll never see again, etc- pulling the right strings NOW before the move will be crucial to the long term outcome, only you know her well enough to know what these are!) so you may be able to get yourself into a situation where she won't justifiably be able to complain about you going off biking or spending money on bike parts for a very long time, perhaps ever.

Play it right, and you could effectively slap a lifetime ban on her standing even remotely in the way of your pursuit of mtbing. It could be a blessing in disguise.

Trains aren't that bad.

And you will also have to get a fixie.

BUT, you could wheedle it to your advantage.

It may be possible to engineer it so that she feels VERY guilty (you'll have to get emotional about lovely countryside you'll never see again, etc- pulling the right strings now before the move will be crucial to the outcome, only you know her well enough!) so you may be able to get yourself into a situation where she won't justifiably be able to complain about you going off biking or spending money on bike parts for a very long time, perhaps ever.

Play it right, and you could effectively slap a lifetime ban on her standing even remotely in the way of your pursuit of mtbing. It could be a blessing in disguise.

Haha - I thought I was cynical!

London is astonishingly flat and therefore ideal for a ****tish niche machine like a fixie or a cargo bike. 😉

I think this is one of those times when you need to MTFU and not let your girlfriend make you do something you dont want to do. You said it yourself, its a living nightmare for you.

Who wears the padded tight lycra shorts in your relationship anyway.

the fact that she expects you to move to london shows that she has no comprehension of what mtb'ing actually means to you.

Why not negotiate living near the south Downs and she can commute to central london?

where in London will you be living?

Apart from surrey hills, epping, swinley etc etc......try London Phoenix - they have a big mountain bike presence. Also Beastway racing starts tomorrow at Hog Hill and there is the London League cyclo-x races as well.

get a bmx and become a street trials expert like that kid on all the youtube videos

to be honest youll be surrounded by so many cool clubs and amazing cultural experience that youll forget all about biking

and in 5-10 years you can move out to the sticks somewhere and complain about the hell of living in London 🙂

Hmm, some interesting and heartening sentiments from my fellow riders. Thanks!

1. I'm still working on plans to put all this London nonsense out of her pretty little head.

2. I won't be binning her off - after all, she has endured Stockport to be with me for several years, so I do owe her a relocation!

3. I will indeed use maximum emotional blackmail to ensure she doesn't criticise me for spending £££ on a sports car, road bike, more bike kit and lots of bike trips to help myself "readjust" to my southern life.

4. I will NEVER buy a fixie. I call them FBFCs: Fashion Bikes For...

Get up early 🙂
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/something-a-bit-different-this-weekend

yeah. you'll end up destitute with a serious coke habit and end up having to sell your bikes just to fund it.

gutted

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[chuckles at alpin]

If you miss hills, you can do intervals on Highgate Hill. It isn't quite the Snake Pass, but it's definitely a hill. 🙂

Or for intervals the Hyde Park Corner underpass is pretty good 😯

4. I will NEVER buy a fixie. I call them FBFCs: Fashion Bikes For...

... commuters?

You need to accept that unless you have the use of a car to get out of town in its the darkside for you

*vadervoice* The force is strong in this one */vadervoice*

I'd say the opposite is true.

It can often be a nightmare getting out of london in the car (and back in). Sometimes the car feels like a prison you drive it down the road and suddenly your stuck in traffic and you just cant get out.

Like some of the others have said make sure you live near a train station and get the train out.

I'd recommend clapham junction plenty of trains to north downs, swinley.

We used to ride out to Leith Hill from Ealing, so its not that far - just make a day of it. there's a more or less off road route out of London on most directiosn if you take the time to find all the little bits and link them up.

Without some serious reward I just couldnt justify being forced to move to london. Its my personal nightmare of a place to live, I'd be looking for lovin' elsewhere if it was "we ARE moving to london"! And thats not just because of the lack of biking 🙂

Also, just a general tip - don't live in actual central London (like zone 1 or 2 of the tube). Almost everywhere in that area is either super expensive (Mayfair), or a dangerous place to live (Elephant & Castle), or both (Camden, parts of Brixton). It is way cheaper to just live in zone 3 or so, and easy to catch the tube in / night buses back when you want to go out. Plus, you get a London bike commute that way, which is great fun. Living in Zone 1 is a mistake that people who come from outside London make (we did it for a year), and it is just a hassle, you get mugged, either actually by muggers, or by skanky landlords, you have to live in a tiny flat where you can't fit bikes, and generally it sucks.

Joe

alpin where abouts is that in the UK?

quick look on the map suggests the Malverns to be a good half way compromise

unless she is going to London to earn millions, in which case you can be a kept man and spend the whole summer in Canada/Alps/Spain/US riding - about the only way I could consider it, due to locality of airports

All roads lead to London? No, they all head out of it.

You need to accept that unless you have the use of a car to get out of town in its the darkside for you

what a load of shite. i live in sw17 and have a couple of riding mates who live in the neighboring postcodes without cars who MTB. 35min train ride to dorking station then 2min ride to getting offroad.

Timber - Im currently posting this from my clients in London, having come in for two days from malvern. I do this everyu week, staying over one night.

Its a slow train (2:30) but its pretty reliable now. They are speeding it up by building double lines where theres currently single track! 🙂

Not too expensive too, £44 off peak return or £70 peak, when compared to similar distance journeys from say Bristol which are much more expensive although they are much quicker.

I wouldnt want to commute this every day.
Some do from Evesham (about 1h30m) and there's riding around there/cotswold edge.

red_dread - I did the same thing as what your about to do.... just under a year ago now! Used to live in lancashire so had the pennine way, the lakes, yorkshire dales and peak district all within an hour from where I lived!

Happy to say still with the misses 😉 but the cycling is not a patch on up north! Yes there are some good area's.. south downs great in the summer but pony in the winter.... Swinley forest is ok and box hill / surrey hills area is great for a blast! I live right next to richmond park and it can get at bit boring after a while.... all depends if you get out with a good group of people and show you the best bits?? Also I commuted to work everyday into the centre of london and bike is by far the best way to get around.

You will have to make more effort than normal to find the good bits.... Question is is she worth it? 😉

Relax.

London is okay - there is enough stuff to get to easily by train - and loads of options if you have a car.

Plus for an increased carbon footprint there are loads of cheap flights from the many airports that ring the capital that make long weekends abroad cycling in the sun very easy if you are that way inclined.

However, you do need to be orgnanised in the winter. Sunday trains - rubbish weather and limited day light mean you need to commit.

Looking out the window and seeing a break in the weather and getting away for a couple of hours never seems to happen (unless you live within easy reach of Richmond / Wimbledon).

Oh yes - you can buy a lot of mint bikes second hand. People do buy some very nice bikes and never ride them.......

Personally, as places where you have to travel to get any riding in go, London is pretty good, trains to the trails are easy and pretty quick, and if you have a car apparently that's okay too. I found London better than Nottingham in that respect.

It does suck in comparison to living right near trails and not having to travel to ride though. Living in Derbyshire is great. Working from home today - I think I'm gonna go for a quick road ride and to swim down some easy rapids in a nice fast flowing river at lunch time.

Joe

I've been offered a few jobs in London recently. I weighed up what really mattered to me - and living in the hills really does keep me sane. You can't beat the solitude and the scenery that the Dales or the Peak offer mid week or in the evening. Plus, we do have jobs and shops and things up north! I'm staying! I personally would be happy to never visit london ever again, but I can see that some people like the faster pace of life, each to their own.

lots of paranoid people here today...

'did I make the right choice about where to live? Am I sure I'm not missing out by not living in that there London. I know I'll post a reply justifying my completely personal preference just to reassure my inner fears...'

Ahem (pulls up chair) here goes.

I'm from up North

I ****ING LOVE LONDON!!!!!!!

Come join us at Carl's Tea Hut High Beach, Epping Forest every Sunday at 0930. Fast single track r us, as are weekends away in Wales, Lakes and Spain.

You will need

1 x Mountain bike
1 x fixie

Re:fixed gear, forget all the reverse snobbery, riding in Town (ahem) is fabulous, just make sure your town bike is steel framed for pothole survival.

Beautiful girls all over the city right now, tanned, well groomed and NOT FAT!

Sorry HackneyRider, I should have posted earlier as you're obviously correct in saying that only people who've experienced London should comment on this thread.
I lived in London for two years and it's a dump. 45minutes to get to a trail? Are you being serious? 45 minutes each way means a lot less riding time. And what sort of trails are those? Anything like the Peak? Wales? Lakes? Scotland?

Does that help?

I feel for ya. If I lived somewhere with decent riding I'm not sure how I'd handle it, moving down to London.

At least ask her if you can live in the 'burbs rather than central. If you live somewhere south like Wimbledon or Kingston, you'll have easy access to the surrey hills and its an easy commute in to central london.

PS the same old London/Anti London stuff...how yawnsome.

I lived in London for two years and it's a dump

Obviously, living there for such a long time has enabled you to see and experience every facet, every single nuance of the Greatest Metropolis on Earth.... 🙄

Ok, so it was not for you. Fair enough. TBH, I'd hate Scotland for more than a holiday. Everyone's different. I have a mate in Edinburgh, from that town, who lived here for 8 years or more. He says he'd rather be living back here in London.

You see, the thing some of you fail to grasp, is that mountain biking is not the be-all and end-all of our lives. Many of us choose to enjoy a myriad other activities outside of mountain biking. Personally, I see myself as a cyclist who enjoys a spot of mtbing. I'd say MTBing is perhaps 5-10% or my leisure interests. The rest is in all sorts of other areas. Therefore, living 2 seconds from 'fabulous trails' is not high on the list of priorities, for me.

Now, I know this may sound strange, for some of you, that others may enjoy activities that don't involve riding bikes off road all the time, but there you go.

I'm glad you think London is a dump. Means people like you won't hang around here for very long. You still came and lived here for 2 years though, didn't you? I doubt I'll ever set foot in Scotland, other than perhaps for a short holiday, or to visit someone. You see, if I fancy some proper mountains, it's actually cheaper and easier for me to jump on a plane and fly to the Alps, the Pyrenees, or wherever. Is Scotland a dump? I doubt it very much. Never been there, so I can't comment. Does it have enough to make me want to come? Not really. Expensive, not the best weather, judging by many comments on this forum, I may not be as welcome as I may elsewhere, and other places seem more exciting to me.

As for getting to trails; I can be in Epping Forest in less than 25 minutes. And most of the journey there is away from traffic. I appreciate that getting to other places takes a bit longer, but I'm quite willing to accept that, as it's a small price to pay for living in London. I'm only a short way from some of the World's most prestigious art galleries, concert halls, music venues, universities and sports facilities. In a year or so, I'll be living only a couple of miles away from a state of the art Olympic velodrome.

As for saying are the trails as good as those in Scotland, Wales etc; well, what there is around London is surprisingly good, actually. I, and many others, enjoy them. Make the most of what you've got.

Sounds like you came here with a narrow mind. Shame it wasn't expanded a bit.

Sorry (I've had 3/4 bottle of wine and counting) but please please don't come down here and live in the burbs. I love cycling in all it's forms but I'm not living in Kingston/Surbiton/Pinner/wherever just because it's a bit closer to trails. I'm pretty central, get to enjoy all the good social stuff and ride my bikes all the time. Ask me again when it's pishing down and dark in January but right now London is just gorgeous....did I mention all the posh, fit as you like girls?

Seriously, I know the city ain't for everyone and I certainly wouldnt want to live here without lots of mates and and a half decent income but it suits me and a lot of other people.

Oh no I sound like Rudeboy.....

Welcome to the Family, My Child....

I went for a ride near Cobham once. It wasn't that bad but the houses can be a little pricey.

My girlfriend looked at jobs in London after Uni, I was happy with that but made it clear I wasn't going to move there and got a job in Somerset. Depends what you like but IMO there are far nicer places to live especially if you like the countryside.

I'd have a good long hard think about your priorities and what makes you happy, then go from there. You can always ride, it'll just be different. OR god forbid you may find something else to do. I used to Kayak more than I biked but circumstances now mean I haven't sat in a boat since November, something I never thought would happen. I'm riding nearly 200miles a week though and can't get enough of biking right now so I'm happy.

I live in Zone 6 and have just got back from a 2 1/2 hour ride - which starts 5 mins from my flat. Ruislip Woods, although not as hilly and vast as wales, peaks or the lakes, still has singletrack to write home about, twists and turns that you get anywhere else. Also from my flat can ride a max of 10 mins on the road and then im out in the chilterns and other such hills. Swinley is a 45 min car journey and wales is 2 hours away. As Rudeboy says - London has many other interesting things that you can explore. you can go out every week to some different area and never see the same sights in London! Ok - you need to use trains and the tube to get around - but they are not all bad - im 45 mins to Westminster (where i work) and that can easily be taken up by a book. Ive only once commuted in to central london - however am now planning on doing it more often - if you plan a good route you can stay safe and actually only be on 1 or 2 major roads for a max of 5 mins!

Ok london is very busy, cramped and money focused (and very hot at the moment) but there are hidden gems in it - (cycling through hyde park, concerts all the time, good food in all areas, and open air events etc. I know other cities have the same, but just not in the same amounts and variations!

My suggestion is come to london for a couple of years, experience it and then see what life brings you next...

not sure what others have said - I live in central London and came from living within spitting distance of decent trails in South Yorkshire and Durham and struggled to get motivated to ride at first, which became worse when I got rid of my car

now I ride pretty much every weekend travelling by train and it takes no more than an hour door-to-door to get to the trails, Waterloo is 15 minutes away - I mainly ride in Surrey (Pirbright, the 3 Hills, Swinley) but often go to Rogate, Tilgate, Aston Hill and Chicksands - sometimes on big bike
it's an effort, but it's worth it

The Chilterns are easily accessible by train from Euston too. My regular trails by train are Tring/Berkhamsted/Wendover/Princes Risborough via the Euston line; Swinley from Richmond station or Waterloo; Dorking from Clapham Junction or Waterloo. During the week: intervals on Highgate West Hill / Swains Lane, or a big loop using canals, Thames Path and Richmond Park, etc. It's all good.

Let's be honest here. It's a mountainbike forum, so most of us enjoy mountainbiking quite a lot. Most of us are quite fanatical about mountainbiking. We can go for discussions about culture elsewhere, although the two are not mutually exclusive in any one persons lifestyle.

I'd say the best advice would come from someone into culture and mountain biking, who has lived in London, as well as other cities, and countries.

That person happens to be me. 🙄

Now while London has fantastic museums and a deep pool of blow ins grabbing for grants or clambering up the slippery pole of the commerce/art interface, London is a money city, not a culture city.

Still, I would have more respect for an opinion of London from somebody who had actually lived here for two years than an opinion of Scotland (or should that be "outside the m25") from somebody who had never actually been there.

But that's by the way.

London is fine, just make sure you live North of the River. You're going to need your passport when going to Waterloo, mind you 😉
An one of those for the potholes:
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so what is your advice Dr Dolittle?

London is a money city, not a culture city.

Get yourself down to the British Museum bud. Its both.

I'm Scottish, lived all over England with the Army, liked quite a lot of it.

Dont listen to Rudeboy, he's only talking to himself.

Back to the OP, red_dread seriously, drop us a line when you land.

Stockport? That's not the Peaks.
A hat museum is not enough!
Not enough!!!

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I'd say the best advice would come from someone into culture and mountain biking, who has lived in London, as well as other cities, and countries.

That person happens to be me.

LOL!

But you're bitter and twisted, sodafarls! you'd be a miserable sod wherever you lived! 😉

BTW; I'm not expressing an onion about Scotland, as I've never been there (I have mentioned this). I just don't feel and real significant desire to visit the place, when there are more attractive propositions on offer, culturally and economically. I'm sure Scotland is a fabulous place, in it's own right. It just does not in any way appeal to me personally. Of course, I might be pleasantly surprised, were I to go there, but I'd rather spend me money go somewhere like Spain, France, Italy or Scandinavia, where I'd find loads more in the way of cultural and regional difference.

You know how some people rave about visiting India; I'd rather visit Japan. The myth of Japan would be more exciting to me.

That sort of thing.

LOL! @ Onion.

Be honest, when it comes to weather, the opposite is true, really, is not it? 😀

Good photoshopping, mind. Is that Canada?

I live on the outskirts of Scotland's capital city. I can bike to work in the middle of the city centre in 25 minutes. 500 yards away are the Pentland Hills with tons of great biking. Glentress is a 30 minute drive away, and 2 hours drive puts me in the Cairngorm mountains.

And in August we get the world's largest collection of every type of culture you could posssibly want, not to mention everything that's going on the other 11 months too. And I can quite happily wander around at night without the risk of getting mugged.

London? Nah, no thanks.

And before anyone else says it, yes I am feeling smug.

RudeBoy - Member

LOL! @ Onion.

Be honest, when it comes to weather, the opposite is true, really, is not it?

I'm sure I have no idea what you mean

London has great museums, no discussion there. The nature of the place though (expense and size) is not conducive to artistic communities in the way that other cities in the uk are (eg sheffield, manchester). The riding is pretty average if you are honest with yourself or have experienced better, but we've got to get the best out of what's available, I can understand that.

That's my advice... it's priceless.

And getting excited about the vague chance of a ****ing velodrome maybe... maybe, being accessable in 3 years time when all other cycling provision in that area has been removed and forgotten about by the olympic cabal, well, that doesn't give me the London horn. But maybe that's just me. Go on, give me the London Horn.

And I can quite happily wander around at night without the risk of getting mugged.

In Edinburgh?

Come on mate; you might be loyal to the place, but that's ridiculous! 😆

That's my advice... it's priceless.

Don't be so hard on yerself, Sody; I'll give you a quid for it! 😀

But you're bitter and twisted, sodafarls! you'd be a miserable sod wherever you lived!

I'm a realist. It hurts. I stick my balls in the vice before pontificating on how balls in a vice feel. You should try it. Go on, find a vice, stick your balls in and turn the handle.

No thanks. I'll trust in your research!

Kenny you should feel smug. Embra is the berries.

Rudeboy, we may have crossed swords but you've hit the nail on the head, London is the greatest city in the world (with the option to jump on the train and ride a bike over some hills/singletrack)

Dr Dolittle you come across quite bitter and twisted, did London shag your mum at some point?

Lightweight. Do they not teach Existentialism in The Cultural Paradise?

Lanesra,

I am bitter and twisted. I know it's kind of a faux pas, similar to suggesting that your girlfriend is ugly or that Liverpool FC are not the devil incarnate, but while London is a great city, it's not the be all and end all for a person interested in music or culture and it's pretty shit for mountainbiking. Say you move around a wee bit, and get a different perspective on things in a few years...you might realise that London is what it is, not what you may feel obliged to try and make it.

Dr Dolittle

In my short years I've lived and worked in, France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Italy, Belgium, Israel, Russia, New York, South Carolina, Montreal, Libya, Kuwait and many more. And I can honestly say that despite London not having a beach or mountains, it is the greatest city in the world.

As Rudeboy, succinctly said earlier so what if you cant jump on your bike and hit a mountain. I can pop out and see a great band, have a nice meal, socialise with people from different backgrounds/lifestyles (without discussing how expensive XTR is) etc etc

Take a step back and realise there's more to life

Rude Boy.......fair point, there are certainly some bits of Edinburgh I wouldn't venture out in at night without an armed escort. But on the whole it's much safer than London.

Good for you lanesra,
Thing is, I took a step back from my London life (music industry bollox, etc etc etc) a few years ago, moved somewhere not especially great although it's supposed to be, made a big mistake moving back to London (supposedly just "to collect my belongings"), and now I'm in the unfortunate position of knowing and being able to admit I shouldn't have done that. But I'm off somewhere else in a few months, so I'm not crying.
The point I'm trying to make is that for music, art, or general lifestyle regardless even of mtb opportunities, London isn't that great. That's my opinion though, you don't have to agree.