So I'm looking at this job in the City. I'd probably just be down there during the week, but I want to keep the training going. So I need somewhere that I can get a decent steady workout (ie not urban stop-start) probably on road. It could be during the summertime, so I suppose I'd be doing speed work ie 10 mile timetrials or intervals. You need a reasonable bit of open road for this.
I'm told there's an outdoor track somewhere in London.. any indoor ones?
herne hill is the outdoor one.
don't roadies do laps of richmond park?
I used to use the roads through and around Hyde Park before work at 5:30 am.
Regents park and richmond park and the hill climb in holloway.
Several options for this but none of them are going to be as good as outside the city. I live in West London so these are my options...
Richmond park - a lap takes ~ 20minutes on the perimeter road. If you go round anti-clockwise you don't have to stop at all. It is surprisingly hilly so for steady pace I don't find it ideal. The traffic is not great but dies out in the evening - loads of people riding.
Richmond park - Couple of hills for sprint intervals on - 3 minutes to 5 minutes up a hill easily possible.
Bushy park further out towards Kingston / Teddington. Has a long flat road thought the middle of it - again useful for intervals - dead end though so can't again do continuous steady training.
If you have something other than road bike can go all the way along the Thames from Putney to Hampton - almost no road and flat - gravel tracks. Can be a fair few people out and about on it.
It's not difficult to get out from Liverpool St for a proper MTB ride.
Drop me a line if you like, I can take you on a nice 2hr evening circuit.
Another vouch for Richmond park - I ride it every day, lovely place.
You could ask the other 200 applicants for this job in the city? :-/
Isn't there a 20mph speed limit in Richmond Park? I recall hearing about people getting pulled over by the rozzers for going too fast.
Regents Park is also a favourite. Very dull IMO, but there is an inormal chaingang often.
I live in North London and just ride out of town. Takes about 30mins to get into the lanes of Herts.
You will die of pollution or get squashed by a bus/lorry/taxi/car before you get bored.
If you have something other than road bike can go all the way along the Thames from Putney to Hampton - almost no road and flat - gravel tracks. Can be a fair few people out and about on it.
What's that like? Old railway? The usual barriers every 5 minutes?
BTW I've commuted in London before.. so I know the drill 🙂
The path to Hampton (and beyond - you can ride all the way to Winsdor very easily 99% on cycle paths along the river) is pretty much uninterupted.
Richmond Park is nice now and then. Personally I find it too dull to ride to often. I don't know how ericemel manages it every day. I'd rather watch telly than ride Richmond Park every day!
Another vote for Herne Hill (It opened for the season last Saturday 😀 )
[url= http://www.vcl.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=52 ]Herne Hill Velodrome[/url]
There are also races at Crystal Palace park on summer Tuesday evenings. Lots of people (used to) ride from the city to race.
[url= http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/eve/ImageGallery.asp?gid=2396 ]Palac pics[/url]
Hey guys can you get into richmond park after dark ? Some people has suggested yes they leave the pedestrian gates open and some no.
If so anyone any ideas which are open and how long they are open for, is the robin hood gate open after dark ?
I also found my 13 mile commute from Twickenham to the City really good training. It was done at warp factor 10 and I found a route that didn't involve stopping for too many lights. I was riding at not far off max for around half an hour twice a day and it made a huge difference to my (recreational level only) fitness. I would also do the off detour round Richmond Park for a few laps to turn the ride home in to a decent distance.
As far as I know all of the pedestrian gates into Richmond park remain open all night. I certainly managed last night to enter at Kingston at 8pm and exit at Star and Garter at 9:15pm.
The only time they might close the gates is if they are culling the deer but then they do put up a lot of signs warning of this.
jfeb - Do you have a map of your commute?
sweaman2 - I don't have a map but I can email you directions. Drop me an email (see my profile)
If you have something other than road bike can go all the way along the Thames from Putney to Hampton - almost no road and flat - gravel tracks. Can be a fair few people out and about on it.What's that like? Old railway? The usual barriers every 5 minutes?
Only one or two barriers near some of the locks, path runs alongside the Thames so in good weather it's busy near the towns/parks, as long as you ride in a pedestrian friendly manner than it's fine.
Think scenic pootling with the occasional sprint through the empty bits, quite a few riverside pubs/caffs for refreshments as well 🙂
Route doesn't stop at Hampton, you can continue to Weybridge where you can carry on following the Thames to Windsor or divert to the canal and go all the way to Basingstoke and beyond.
And a road bike will be fine as long as it's not a balls out racing machine....
Once you get quite far out of the city on the River Lea its quiet and you can probably do 10 mostly uninterrupted miles in a straight line along the flat. You'd probably need to get around 6-8 miles out from central london.
Theres also a few quiteish roads around Epping forest.
I can't believe you're expecting to have free time, won't you be working 100 hour weeks?? 😉
oh, i also cycled out to wembly to watch a football match along the Grand union canal. Again, the further out you get the quiter it is, so you can get some speed up. I started from around paddington area and didn't have too many interruptions.
A BIG bell is almost essential
[url= http://www.hillingdoncyclecircuit.org.uk ]Hillingdon Cycle Circuit[/url]
How about this place just out near Hayes Southall area.
Remember you can jump a train from Waterloo and be at Swinley in less than an hour, the Surrey Hills not much more, probably more for weekends though.
I am 2 minutes from Richmond Gate and have only ridden my road bike round and round once.
I think a good hard commute does anyone wonders, then at the weekend you can shoot out to Dorking/Swinley/Epping